UNAMID Ambush

When we, in our western lives, watch the news we don't always notice the continuous headlines that flash across the bottom of the screen. Should something like 'peacekeepers ambushed in UN Mission to Darfur' be noticed, it would probably generate a minimal reaction, if any. The words 'peacekeeping' and 'Darfur' are immediately and subconsciously associated with dangerous and risky work in an extreme conflict environment—conditions that could lead to an increased threat or harm to one's wellbeing.

Seven peacekeepers from the African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) were killed in an ambush this past Tuesday in Darfur, and twenty two were injured. One was a Ghanian policeman. Many of them are likely to have taken a UNAMID Pre-Deployment 101 course—the same course I am currently enrolled in this week at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and Training Center (KAIPTC). This week's UNAMID course contains policemen from Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, El Salvador, and Bangladesh who are receiving training on the geography and political situation in Sudan, the risk of HIV/AIDS, off-road driving, and, yes, what to do if they are ambushed. We were informed of the ambush when the entire 70+ participant course was summoned to the large auditorium to observe a moment of silence.

Having spent the past four days in class, I have gotten to know a good number of the participants. I find that the best way to meet someone is at lunch. I always try to break the ice with a universal conversation starter, food: "Is fu fu (a Ghanian dish) very different from your country's food?" Almost immediately the question comes up, "How do you feel about deploying to Sudan next month?" The quick answer is a smile, wink, and "Well, you're coming too, right?" Duty and commitment to work, force, country, and continent frame most of the responses.

African contributions to peacekeeping missions have increased eleven-fold since the early 1990s. Currently nine of the top twenty troop contributing countries are African nations, and make up approximately 30% of all field personnel. This increase in commitment is the result of centers like KAIPTC, which is one of three peacekeeping training centers of excellence in the ECOWAS sub-region, and six total on the continent. As of May 31st, the joint AU-UN hybrid mission (UNAMID) was composed of 9,563 total uniformed personnel. Not only does this number fall far short of the almost 26,000 that are supposed to staff the mission, but the troops and personnel currently suffer from a chronic lack of equipment as well as cooperation from the Sudanese government.

After the announcement about the ambush, the mood of the training class was more serious than usual; as I looked around, I saw a lot of solemn, yet attentive faces. No jokes were being cracked. Instead, nervous energy was being directed elsewhere. Throughout the day there was a consistent shuffle of participants leaving the class to take a break and huddle for a few minutes in front of the 'daily news & announcements' board where stories about the incident were posted. They worried that the same fate could befall them—their worst fears had been confirmed. Never did they imagine over a decade ago—when the majority of them began their police service—that they would one day face international deployment to a war zone.

This morning as I got ready for work I turned the news on and took a few moments to sit there and give the headlines my full attention. The images of those officers' earnest faces trying to respond to my questions immediately came back to me...as well as their words about 'duty and commitment to work, force, country and continent.'