2010 Paulatim Magazine - RAAMC Association

UNMOs of which up to 10 could be assigned on other tasks or duties at
any one time. Many UNMOs had no four wheel drive experience and
this became evident when the wet season arrived in earnest and a 5km
drive into Malakal town became a boggy half day adventure!
Typically a patrol would consist of several UNMOs, a national monitor
from the SAF and SPLA, a UN Police Representative (UNPOL), a
language assistant, a force protection detachment from the 13th Mahir
Regiment, Indian Army. We’d normally start with PT and then have
breakfast before attending the morning briefing. After briefing, the
day’s patrols would depart to conduct their tasks. When not involved in
patrols, some of the staff had additional duties such as Operations
Officer, Intel Officer or Pers Officer. Outside of the larger towns like
Malakal, most people lived as they had for thousands of years, building
thatched Tukul (huts) with mud brick walls and living off cattle grazing
and subsistence farming. Children would stare at you and whisper
khawaja (white person) as you passed by. Kids would break into smiles
and laughter hearing a khawaja attempt Arabic or Dinka, impersonate
a kangaroo or try their hand at soccer.
UNMOs gathered facts and evidence for further investigation or
referred the allegations to the appropriate UN Agency. Monitoring of
the CPA in Southern Sudan is problematic. The human terrain in
Southern Sudan is complex and makes meaningful dialogue between
parties difficult, particularly when there was ambivalence or even
outright hostility to our presence.
Rivalry between tribes took a turn for the worse during ASC9’s
deployment. On 2 Aug 09 simmering tensions between Nuer, Dinka,
Murle and Shilluk tribes boiled over. On that day, 187 Murle people
killed by Lou Nuer tribesmen close to the border of Ethiopia. On 20-21
Sep 09, 167 Dinka were killed at Duk Padiet, by Lou Nuer tribesmen
despite the presence of local security forces. The tribal violence in
Southern Sudan in 2009 resulted in more fatalities than in the conflict
in Darfur for the same time. It is ongoing.
From amongst our own, there were also losses. On 22 September 2009,
PTE More Vijay, aged 24 of the 13th Mahir Regiment died accidently
from electrocution in the UN compound in Malakal. His untimely death
was a reminder to all of the dangers of service in the UN and the
military. He is survived by his wife and son.
My deployment to Sudan was both rewarding and challenging.
Operating away from the umbrella of the Australian Army above all
else, a deployment to Sudan is an eye opener. Speaking to people who
had no concept of a democratically elected government or had grown
up their entire lives not knowing lasting peace makes you really
appreciate how lucky we are to live in Australia and how important it is
for members of the Australian Army to be an active participant in
missions such as these.
By: Major Paul Manuel, RAAMC and UN Observer
PAULATIM
TS Malakal and Sector III UNMO HQ Staff (L to R): MAJ Atef Al-Shurman (Jordan), CAPT Osvaldo Noguti (Brazil), CAPT Farouk Maliwun (Thailand),
MAJ Henrik Neilsen (Denmark), CAPT Paul Manuel, CAPT Henry Miranda (Ecuador), MAJ Kim Song-Soo (South Korea), CAPT Malick Dicko (Mali) and
CAPT Fares Al-Shamiri (Yemen).
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