South Sudan Update 19

These last few days have gone by so quickly, I guess because there is so much to do. I packed up all my unaccompanied baggage and sent it on the helicopter to Juba, handed all my CF provided medical supplies to the Bangladeshi doctor here in Yambio for the use of my UN colleagues, and sorted through my belongings to make piles of goodbye gifts for my colleagues and friends.

22 July 2011. My last weekend in Yambio. There had been two cute goats wandering the camp for a few days; sometimes they were outside my container, sometimes tied by the front gate, sometimes being petted and cared for by a stray UNMO. We wondered where they had come from and who they belonged to.

The National (South Sudanese) UN staff organized and hosted a party to celebrate the birth of their new country.

The goats disappeared and a huge feast with drinks and fabulous music was laid out.

Each staff member had a party task to complete and went about proudly performing this duty: cleaning mop buckets were transformed into salad bowls, car mechanics into DJs and entertainers, and hard working locals into rock star dancers.

All UN staff, locals, and government officials were invited. Of course, some of us only found out about the celebration the morning it was to be held, but it wasn’t like we had any other plans ;) So we dressed up and arrived for the 1900 hrs timing. You think we would learn? We arrived punctually to discover that, inevitably, the start time had been pushed to 1930 hrs.



Two Canadian UNMOs!



We took advantage of the extra time to chat and take some pictures of us all dressed up and out of uniform!  1930 hrs came and went.  

I think it was about 2030 hrs before the gathering was underway and the buffet meal was served around 2100 hrs. That is the normal meal time for most of my colleagues and the locals here. It doesn’t seem to matter how long I live here -- my body just won’t adapt to such a late dinner and I always need an afternoon snack! Of course, on this particular Friday I was running a bit late and skipped the snack, brutal!

Post-feast brought hours of dancing to an eclectic mix of Ugandan, Nigerian, Indian, and other African music.








It was a lively, enjoyable evening; the celebratory mood was contagious, and everyone was soon on their feet dancing and having fun!

Representing a beautiful cultural mosaic outside in the hot, humid, moonlit night, we danced and rejoiced in the birth of this new nation and the hopes and dreams of its proud yet fragile citizens.





I was so blessed to have the chance to witness the birth of this country; I can’t begin to express my personal hopes, dreams, and fears for its future.

23 July 2011. My last work day, vehicle maintenance day, and time to tie off all loose ends. A UNMO friend from Ecuador lived outside the UN camp in a nearby tukul neighbourhood.

Together, he and I went to visit his community bringing with us many toys, candies, and housing supplies.

One of the neighbourhood boys acted as our translator and organized the children to receive their gifts. 







We explained how to hang the little basketball net on the tree and demonstrated the general idea of the game even though I am not exactly an avid basketball fan.


I love the little boy in the suit jacket!



One of the young mothers saw one of the Canada stickers I was handing out and asked if I was from Canada. She recognized our flag! It was a proud and touching moment for me.

Every Saturday night the UNMOs host a BBQ which is open to our UN counterparts and all NGOs in the area. Some weeks it attracts a boisterous, large gathering while other weeks it simply provides an opportunity to have an intimate family gathering. There is always great food, strong drinks, fabulous company, catchy music, and lively dancing.

It was the highlight of the week, something we all looked forward to and planned our weeks around. It was a time to relax, team-build, and rejuvenate while enjoying each others company in a low stress, fun environment.

This Saturday was extra special as it was a good friend’s birthday and the farewell BBQ for three of us.








It was a magical night that I will always remember, full of broken sheeshas, mangled birthday cake, and passionate dancing under the mango tree.

The energy was equally vibrant and sad. It was a true celebration of our past few months of living and working together. I would miss this.

24 July 2011. My last full day in Yambio. Around midday there was a knock on my door. This was common on Sundays as one friend or another would often cook a huge meal and invite us all to share! 

These lunches normally dragged on for two – four hours, making our day pass more quickly and enjoyably. Days were just too incredibly long and boring to spend alone in our containers.

This time the knock bought an invite to a UNMO BBQ of leftover meat from the previous night: huge chunks right on the bone, hilarious to eat, and completely unacceptable etiquette in our society – they put the average ribs back home to shame!

We had to grab them with both hands, sink our teeth in, tear and pull, preferably while making an uninhibited caveman noise!







What a perfect last afternoon with a small intimate group of good friends, good wine, good food, and good sheesha.

We sat around in a circle and talked, laughed, and enjoyed each others company. It was perfect. Exactly the right type of goodbye I wanted and needed in order to leave this unique place and its remarkable people.

25 July 2011. Not an easy day. Our helo arrived a little earlier than expected so I ended up spending my last half hour in camp running around getting my last clearances checked off, giving away items left in my room, and desperately trying to find everyone for one final goodbye. Then it was off to the airstrip to board our flight.

The trip to the airfield, a drive I had undertaken numerous times since my first exposure to Yambio, was difficult and emotional. It broke my heart to be leaving this fragile place and her beautiful people earlier than expected and right in the middle of such a pivotal transitional moment in her history.

As we drove, I attempted to commit every obstacle, vendor, landmark, and obscure detail to memory. I breathed in the dusty, moist air; savouring the last smells and sights of this wondrous place that had been my home for the previous months. Yes, I would miss it.

I was touched by the turnout at the airfield. Many of the people that I couldn’t find at camp were there waiting to say goodbye. How do you say goodbye forever to people that you have lived, worked, and cried with over such an intense period of time? It is not easy but is a necessary part of our work and lifestyle. We said goodbye for now and inevitably promised to stay in touch and visit if possible.  Luckily, I was leaving with my closet friend -- one less goodbye at that airfield at least.

As the helicopter took off, I focused on the lifetime of experiences I was taking with me. This mission has shaped me in ways unimaginable and I know it will continue to guide many of my life choices as the years progress. Mostly though, as the village faded into the distance, I said goodbye under my breath and held on to the liberating and joyful memory of dancing the night away under the mango tree . . . . 

South Sudan Update 18

The UNMIS mandate ended with the secession of South Sudan on the 9^th of July. As a result of this, we were no longer allowed to patrol since the agreement that was in place to guarantee our safety and freedom of movement has terminated. We continue to go to town, the market, and about our daily business eagerly awaiting news authorizing a resumption of patrolling and actively engaging the population. Orders were finally received to begin UN presence town patrols of our Area of Responsibility (AOR). Since one of my roles is G3, Operations and Planning, I plan patrol locations and composition. I interpreted this new direction to mean that we were to patrol as deeply into our AOR as we could without force protection (for security reasons) to show a UN presence. Allowing us to wave and talk with the population, but not stop and engage in any security assessment briefs or meetings with village chiefs. The purpose of this restricted resumption of activities was to reassure the South Sudanese that the international community had not abandoned them and were still actively supporting them in their country’s continued development. Each day we drove to a different, secure region of our AOR. This lasted for about a week, at which point we were unfortunately instructed to only conduct town patrols within Yambio (about an 8-10 km radius). Luckily, during that week I was able to get out on two patrols, which I will describe below.

15 July 2011. I was patrol leader for a UN presence patrol to NZARA. We decided that radio communications between vehicles, on an internal channel, were to be conducted in Spanish.

Thankfully, I was in a vehicle with a Brazilian who coached me along. It is always useful to know radio procedure in another language ;)

It was a lovely drive to NZARA. Once we got there we slowly explored one end of town near the orphanage.

As we drove, there was a strange feeling in the air; people were not smiling or returning our waves as we passed.  This was definitely abnormal. The air was slightly tense and we were alert for any sign of danger. However, there did not appear to be anything visibly out of the ordinary. We stopped and handed candies out to small children and women along the sides of the roads; gradually, a few smiles emerged.

 On the main road back to Yambio, we came across a small group of school children in uniform. We stopped beside them and my Brazilian colleague handed them some candy and spoke with them in English about their studies. They were excited and proud to show off their knowledge of English!  

It lifted our spirits quite a bit. It is imperative to maintain perspective and triumph in the little things here.

16 July 2011. We approached the STAR Support Group, a Christian Brothers group who do fabulous work with HIV/AIDs infected locals, via a Canadian, Brother Bill Colford, who has worked in Yambio for the past ten years, to reach out to local orphans. Our original intent was to travel to a remote location to distribute toys, candies, stickers, balloons, and clothing. However, due to circumstances surrounding the absence of a mission mandate and obvious security implications, access was limited to the more immediate area of Yambio town. There is no shortage of orphans in South Sudan.

Saturday morning came and we arrived shortly after 1030 hrs for an 1100 hrs timing to meet the kids. They were so excited; they had been there since 0830 hrs. It was heartbreaking. As we entered the room they stood and sang us a beautiful song.

Then we introduced ourselves (a colleague from the Netherlands and myself) and explained that the people in our countries cared about them and had sent toys, clothing, and fun things for them.

They were called up one by one and we distributed appropriate gifts and clothing to each child. Many of the older ones struggled to squeeze into the clothes, which were generally tiny and made for small children.

Yet, again so telling, much of the clothing did fit children who were twice the intended age of the garments.

The big hits, though, were the toy cars, stuffed animals, and balls. Dinosaurs did not go over well at all; in fact, they terrified the kids – perhaps because they looked like the giant lizards that are common in the area?

The morning ended with the STAR group providing milk and sandwiches for the children as we talked and took pictures with them.

 

When we left a short while afterwards, it was with heavy hearts and a strange sense of sadness. You would think that having the opportunity to distribute items sent from such thoughtful people at home would have left us happy and thankful. Yet, we were struck with the ever familiar feeling that it just wasn’t enough; that we were not really making a difference. There is always so much more to be done — they have so little. It is difficult to be surrounded by such sadness and poverty and maintain a sense of hope.

Since conflicting information was coming in from my Canadian chain of command and my UN chain of command on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, we decided that we needed to get all our affairs in order in case official word came to leave Sudan the next day. We took some time to drive around and take pictures of the developments in town that had occurred in the past five months. I also tried to take pictures of some of my favourite spots — attempting to capture the essence of my experience and life in Yambio with a few memorable snapshots. It was interesting trying to recall which places or sites were strangest to me when I first arrived, since the area and it’s reality had quickly become my own!

18 July 2011. UN presence patrol to BAGARE.  You might remember that we had patrolled to BAGARE two weeks before and that they were in need of school supplies. When we returned, we brought all the personal supplies we could muster, printouts of each of the class photos we had previously taken, balloons, and candies for the children.

Although, we did not have enough toys to give out to all the kids they were thrilled with the balloons and candies!

We sat and talked with the teachers for a bit, and they asked us, specifically me, to speak to the children. So they formed up in a hollow square and we went and stood in the middle of them and spoke.

The teachers felt it was important for the children to see what options were available to women in the world; to see that woman could go to school and become soldiers!

When I spoke to them, I emphasized the importance of education and that people around the world, very far away, cared about them and their future.








I stressed that they needed to work and study hard and that they could change things and make a positive difference in their communities. I tried to show them that, as women and men, they were capable of effecting wondrous changes in their country. The other patrol members introduced themselves and explained where they were from.

We then showed them what a punching balloon was, how to blow it up and play with it, and proceeded to hand out Dutch balloons and Canadian rocket candies. 

 

They were still happily playing with the balloons as we drove away!

South Sudan Update 17

I am now physically back in Canada and working on reintegrating into life here. My last month of deployment was quite busy and seemed to just fly by. I’ll write my last updates on the events of July 2011 over the next few weeks. It was an exciting, powerful, trying, stressful, exciting month, both for the new nation of South Sudan and for me personally. I plan to insert pictures into past updates, emphasizing certain points, and upload them to the blog over the coming month.

9 July 2011. Smack in the middle of the rainy season; and yet against all odds, it was a clear, beautiful, hot day. The eyes of the world and hearts of many were with the people of South Sudan as they determinedly celebrated and hopefully rejoiced in the birth of their own nation. The Republic of South Sudan seceded today from the Republic of Sudan. A new country is born!

I had the honour and privilege of experiencing this monumental event first hand. During the ceremony I jotted down several notes regarding the speeches and crowds' reactions that I will share in this update. I will try my best to capture the mood and essence of the secession day festivities in Yambio as I experienced them. It is important to know, and telling of the significance of this monumental step, that the party began on 8 July and continued until the 15 July, with many joyous celebrations and businesses staying closed for the duration of this period.

The official secession ceremonies took place across South Sudan on 9 July 2011. All dignitaries and heads of state attended the main festivities in Juba, including the President of Sudan, Mr. Al-Bashir. Events in Yambio were delayed by 1.5 – 2 hours, not bad for African time, due to the fact that the city wanted to line up its timeline with the flag raising ceremony in Juba. The mood was festive and the MC kept the crowd entertained.

It is a normal occurrence here for dignitaries to receive water and treats during any event. This was the first time I saw the same courtesy extended to the civilian population in attendance. It was great to see, since the separation between classes is quite distinct here. It was also slightly prophetic, as the rest of the ceremonial speeches seemed to echo the need for all to be equal under the law and for an end to corruption. In time we will be able to gauge the level of commitment which officials heed to this call.

The joy in the air was palpable. Remembrances and reminders of the years of sacrifice, terror, and horrors inflicted on all South Sudanese, regardless of tribe, was ever present. Many words and prayers were said in memory of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of freedom and self determination for their people.

Repeated appeals for forgiveness, understanding, and kindness were emphatically stated. The need for education, investments, rule of law, and an end to corruption were preached. The requirement for HIV/AIDS testing and the ease with which you could have it done, was touted multiple times throughout the afternoon.

All formed troops (Southern Sudan Police Services (SSPS), Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), Wildlife, etc) displayed remarkable drill on parade. They were regimented and sharp. It was a markedly different side to these groups than we had seen in town and on patrol over the past few months.

The fact that they were succinctly drilling together demonstrated a disciplined, ordered approach that underscored a reassuring and positive step in the right direction. It shows that they are becoming a professional military that, with continued guidance and support, can continue to develop from a guerrilla rebel force into a well organized, law abiding body devoted to protecting its citizens.

The Governor of Western Equatorial State, Mr. Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, took the podium last, and gave a well laid out, passionate appeal to the international community and his people. The first half of his speech, for the benefit of the international community and donors, was scripted and stated all the expected, required elements for such an occasion. During the second half, however, when he spoke to his fellow countrymen, was where his passion truly shone. He restated many of the same points, yet this time spoke in a clear, friendly, laid back manner that conveyed the essence of each of the points through stories and situations that illustrated their importance and made them readily comprehensible to the crowd. He gave numerous examples of potential problems and how he wanted people to react in such situations.

He clearly stated that all people were under the law, including all members of government and himself. He explained that police brutality was not the best way to handle situations; that rather than beating a man, a policeman should ask the man to come with him. And by the same token, that the man should go with the policeman, rather than resist because if he was to resist then the police would beat him. These seemingly simplistic insights took on heightened dimensions of clarity here under the stifling African sun.

Interspersed between speeches were musical acts, band presentations, dancing, and acrobatic performances. Fortunately for me and a few others, there were no more free spaces in the UN audience section, so we snagged seats with the SPLA, SPSS, and Wildlife forces of South Sudan. These seats were right beside the civilian South Sudanese, who were all decked out in their best Sunday outfits. It was spectacular to experience such a monumental event in their history from within their midst!

The magnitude of their sacrifice and the power of the freedom that they were gaining was heavy in the air and unimaginable not to grasp. It must have been the first time that most of them had experienced a parade or festival of this sort. The music and dancers were well received. The acrobats truly stole the show though – think back to your first time seeing an acrobatic show – the wonder and amusement in the audiences' eyes was beautiful and enlightening.

The cries, yells, hugs, dancing, and singing when the Sudan flag was lowered and the South Sudan flag raised accentuated a moment that I will always remember; an unmistakable, powerful statement of hope, love, faith, and pure joy. It was impossible not to be moved by the optimism, fragility, and patriotism so poignant in the air.

The South Sudan National Anthem can be found at the following link http://www.westate.org/index.php/.

Sudan Update 16

In some ways life is easy here--simple and basic. My daily options are routine; variation is limited. I work, sleep, and eat. I take care of myself and socialize with my colleagues. I ensure that I drink enough water, use the washroom when the opportunity arises, scan my surroundings, and always have medical supplies and food/water with me. The basics are paramount: survival first, sanity next, and happiness after that. It is a unique experience to be able to remove the daily noise and hustle that is ever-present in our society and witness what remains. Many of the complications: greed, conflicting priorities, running around trying to check off a never ending to-do list and then dropping into bed at night, exhausted, are mostly absent from my day to day African life. Don’t get me wrong. There are many days when I am physically and emotionally drained; when patrols are difficult, situations are near hopeless, driving is tense, security is threatened, and dangers are present. But these are not superfluous things--they are part of survival here. Taking the time to step back and simplify life is one of the prime lessons that I will try to retain from this experience--at least for awhile, until our society drags me back into its reality.


 
5 July 2011 patrol to BIRISI, 20 km from YAMBIO and a one and a half hour drive. I was driver of vehicle 2 of a four vehicle convoy consisting of 2 UNMO and 2 Force Protection vehicles. While the road wasn't too bad it definitely wasn't good either. Navigating it required some interesting driving. Imagine 20 km in first and second gear for the whole way. My excitement at hitting third gear was short lived, about six seconds actually before I had to gear back down for a massive road block! It was a great final trip as a driver!



BIRISI is really just an SPLA camp with very few civilians there. We met with the Platoon Commander from BIRISI and the Company Commander from GANGURA and had a pleasant discussion.





Their excitement concerning their upcoming secession on 9 July was palpable. They have been fighting for so long and had lost so many in the pursuit of this goal; now their day was finally within reach!

As we were leaving, I noticed a strange mini tukul high in the air. Our language assistant explained to me that it was a tukul for chickens. I love it!

We stopped and visited with some children, handed out many suckers, and took a myriad of pictures. Don't tell the UN or any of the tough military guys, but that is one of my favourite activities during each patrol ;)

6 July 2011 patrol to BAGARE, 8.4 km from YAMBIO and a twenty minute drive. I was patrol leader of a 2 vehicle convoy. Our plans called for Force Protection (FP), but since BAGARE is basically within city limits and on a nice new road I determined it wasn't required, and I was right. Past BAGARE though, on the same road SODIA - SAKURE to the DRC, FP is definitely required. Being unsure of the future of the mission, the new mandate, and the status of UNMOs within that web, I felt like this was my last patrol. It was a beautiful day and when we arrived there were about 70 kids running around and playing.

The centre of BAGARE is a school area, with two classrooms that have tukul roofs and another five that are under mango trees. We met with some local teachers and all the kids! It was wonderful to watch them run and play and experience their different personalities!

 

A grade 7 student read to us, in English, from his HIV/AIDS book.

The teacher asked if I would take a picture of all of the students in each grade, so I did. We then took one huge group shot with all of us as well.

As we left we shook all their little hands and visited a bit. There were many smiles and much laughing all around. On our way back to our team site, we stopped to hand out candies (the remaining ones that many of you have sent from Canada) to each child and small group of people that we encountered. This made them immensely happy!

I received an exciting package that contained an interesting item--a Tim Hortons' gift card. As you all know me, you can’t possibly doubt the intensity of my passion for Tim Hortons' coffee or the fact that I am seriously missing it right now! So, this appeared to be a seemingly touching gesture. But, let’s break it down a bit--I am in the middle of a jungle in South Sudan. There are no Tim Hortons here! A wide range of emotions followed: excitement at seeing the card, intense craving for a Tim Hortons' coffee, and waves of homesickness at not being able to have one. The slight lack of situational awareness on the part of the sender also made me laugh, as I figured confusion between a Kandahar gift package and a Sudan one to be the rationale behind the gift.

I have become increasingly daring (read: lazy) at night as I often walk across the lawn in my flip-flops rather than follow the path around the compound with complete disregard for the snakes and little animals that may be hiding out in the grass.

Of course, when it rains I stick to the path, since the whole grass area instantaneously floods.  

It is interesting, and noteworthy, to explore the normalcy of adaptation. Now that I am preparing myself to leave Africa and reintegrate into our society, I have begun to notice things to which I had grown accustomed. For instance, it is common practise to eat meat, or any food for that matter, with your hands because we often do not have proper utensils. Food and drink become communal with many people sharing and eating off of each others plates. Tables do not routinely have salt and pepper shakers but rather come equipped with a container of toothpicks that are used liberally after each meal. Meat is only tender if it is marinated for days; it is often a cruel and unusual test to attempt to find any meat mixed in with the bones and fat of a dish.

The accepted lower sanitary standards at restaurants, in bathrooms, and among general living conditions is noticeable when you step back. Toilet stalls turn into saunas in this extreme heat; leaving the door open becomes the only viable alternative that enables one to leave the bathroom without being completely covered in a blanket of sweat. Scavenging dirty soap is another strange phenomenon here. Amazingly, no matter how dirty the soap you still paradoxically feel it is better to use it to wash your hands than not when, in reality, it could be drastically dirtier than your hands already are!

I am now in JUBA and will be starting my out clearances tomorrow. I have a few more updates that I am hoping to write before I leave, in'shallah!