Sudan Update 2

What a journey! 26 hours, two flights, multiple time zones and I have finally arrived in Khartoum, Sudan

It is an unexpected mix of old and new, chaotic yet simplistic, peaceful yet full of life - a city of contradictions!

On the side of a three lane (in each direction) road there are goat herders that pass the day with their flocks, locals waiting for one of the many buses that come by to commute to work, children begging, new car dealerships,





tuk-tuks (rickety, dangerous, small three wheeled taxi cart) sitting waiting for a fare, and many UN personnel driving and walking about.

One of the only stop signs in the whole city of Khartoum.
It was such a rare sight - I felt the need to take a picture of it!



Driving is challenging and unpredictable as rules of the road do not apply and there are people everywhere!

Many of the roads, even in Khartoum, are only dirt with huge holes and other obstacles liberally spread over them.

Women are completely covered; I still feel a bit strange when I am in civilian clothes completely covering my legs and shoulders because my hair is showing.

Most locals break out into huge smiles when we smile and wave at them. They are happy that we are here and contributing to their economy

I arrived Tuesday night and it is now Friday morning - prayer day and the beginning of the weekend. I have caught up on my sleep and have fallen into a simple, relaxed routine.   

  



Everything here is done at a slower pace and it is important to take time to dialogue, visit, and enjoy life.

Our first two days of in-clearances at the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) were a slight culture shock:

we learned to slow down, introduce ourselves and shake hands with everyone in the room, make small talk, sit, have a coffee, relax, and then get down to business - which meant it took two days to complete four hours worth of work, but such is the way of life here.




Canadians have an excellent reputation throughout UNMIS and everywhere we go we receive a warm welcome!

There are six new Canadians UNMOs here and about the same number in transit back to Canada.

We live in Canada House which has all the necessities and luxuries that we would expect at home.

We have a large amount of newspapers, books, magazines, and DVDs all of which can be borrowed and taken to our team sites. There are also postcards and letters from Canadians for us to read. 

My training begins Sunday morning and will consist of five days of military curriculum (driving included) followed by three days of civilian integrated training the ensuing week. I’m sure I’ll get into that further in the next update!

Sudan Update 1

I am heading over to Sudan for six months as a UNMO (United Nations Military Observer). I will try to write out all acronyms the first time I use them!

As many of you have probably seen in the news recently, South Sudan has voted for secession (99%). The separation will occur early July, which gives us some time to make the transition happen as smoothly as possible. To read more on this: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=91863&sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d51f82a4cb0a74a%2C0

This is where myself, 19 other Canadian MOs (Military Observer) and MOs from 26 other countries come in! We will be supporting the people of Sudan by: ensuring the CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement) is followed; conducting air, foot, and land patrols; writing reports; participating in DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration); facilitating negotiations and mediations; liaising between various parties; conducting investigations into violations (of cease fire agreements and human rights); and undertaking a variety of other tasks.

For the next six months I will attempt to share my experiences with you so that you can also share in the birth of this nation! You have to remember that these updates will reflect only my opinions and experiences, and that in order to secure our mandate I must be seen as impartial.

I am flying out next Monday, 21 Feb on KLM with a stop over in Amsterdam and then right into Khartoum. The flts will take approx 26 hrs, including time changes, and I will be flying business class! This week I am trying to pack my bags ... actually a difficult task considering I must pack everything I will need for the next six months including military gear, civilian articles, medical supplies, and food.



Check out the awesome ACS work!



My first 2-3 weeks in country will be spent in UN indoc training and then I will be assigned to a Team Site (TS). So until then, I won't really know where in Sudan I am headed, how big the TS will be, what type of facilities it will have, or how good Internet accessibility will be.