One day, back in UNPROFOR 1995, we’ve learned about an awkward, but funny, story coming from another UN Military Observers’ team, stationed down in the southern part of the Krajina – Croatia. Allegedly, that town’s local police had received a formal complaint against “Boutrus Ghali” – the UN Secretary-General. According to the complainer:
– “Boutros Ghali is not to be trusted, because “he” has the tendency to bite people on their way into the UN building.”
After an initial stupefaction, the scene became clear. That town had a UNMO team which lived on a rented house. There was a fence around the house and the team had adopted a dog and, affectionately, named it “Butruos Gali”; being careful not to write the dog’s name in the same way of the UN’s Secretary-General (but the pronunciation was the same). Butros was a nice little mascot, always playing in the front yard of the UNMO Team House, where the UN flag was flying on a pole. In time, the little dog became a large Mastiff, with protective instincts regarding the UNMO officers and their House. No stranger should enter into the UN fence without prior announcement at the gate, in order for the dog to be kept away. It was a simple procedure, which had been working for a long time with no problems. There was even a sign at the gate saying (in Serbo-Croatian and in English):
– “Caution with the dog, announce yourself!”
One day, a gentleman (the complainer) with “less clarified” intentions, decided to enter the UNMO house, during the night, without ringing the main gate’s bell, or yelling to announce his presence. Half way into the front yard, the gatecrasher had and “encounter of the third degree” with Butros Gali. Realizing he had committed a big mistake, the trespasser rune back to the gate, not without being bitten on his “gluteus maximums” before reaching the door.
The ridiculousness of that situation was that, while reporting the occurrence to the police, the “complainer” never referred he had been bitten by a watchdog, but instead referred to the animal by its name – Butros Gali. The complainer ended his denouncement with an inconsequent demand, which, out of the context, was even more hilarious:
– “Boutros Ghali should be firmly tied with a chain to a Security post.”
Off course nothing happen and the police officers ended up interrogating that gentleman about what was he doing at night, entering the UN house without announcing himself?
As for that UNMO team, they decided to substitute the sign at the gate. The new one simply said:
– “CAUTION – Don’t fuck around with Butros Gali!
The other Boutros Ghali, the real one, was actually a very nice and sympathetic person, known by everyone as “Uncle Broutos”, incapable of biting anybody. Nevertheless, in Belgrade, this episode raised the moral of all UNMO officers; because, for once the UN imposed some respect in the mission area.
It was a pity that it was done by the wrong Boutrus Ghali.
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