In a Peace Support Mission, each person has a role to play and a Job Description to fulfill. However, there’s always a myriad of little other things to be done, that are assigned to no one in particular and everybody has got to do. Such was the case of collecting water in the Luena River, in Angola, during the UNDP mission 1992. I recall the very first time I went to the river, to replenish the washing water tanks. A Brazilian comrade, who was already a veteran at the site, accompanied me and both of us loaded the UN pick-up truck with one water pomp and a three cubic meters plastic tank.
The Brazilian took the lead of the “Water Patrol” and we drove towards the River. Upon arriving to a spot where the car could literally enter a fluvial beach, we’ve filled the tank and while observing the beautiful African landscape and the local children playing on the river’s shallow waters. Stimulated by the African Summer heat and the kids, we also decided to have a bath. In fact, having a river bath had always been in our mind; hence we have brought along our soups.
- “You think it’s OK to have a bath in the river?” – I asked my Brazilian comrade.
- “Why not! The kids are having a good time … why shouldn’t we?”
The joyfulness of those children was contagious and after washing ourselves, we also enjoyed a relaxing time in the water. Out of his veteran experience, the Brazilian comrade advised me:
- “These are all good people. You can leave your wallet on the shore and no one with touch it. But if you leave your soap unattended … they will take it!”
The long Angolan civil war had imposed severe restrictions to the interior of the Country. Only essential products were being brought in … and a good fragrant bath soap was not on the list. Hence, it was a coveted item. They said the youngsters had never seen such a flagrant soap before. Maybe it was an exaggeration … but … just in case … we’ve hidden the soap among the grass while we had a sort swim.
That was a success, repeated several times in different spots of River Luena, always sharing the waters with the local kids.
Months later, back in Portugal, I was made aware that, in one of the spots we had had a bath, another UN (civilian) fellow tried to do the same and had a dramatically serious incident with a crocodile. Apparently, during the rainy season the water level raises significantly and enters the hidden caves were the crocodiles are hibernating, awaken them up. We had our little adventure together with the children, which knew exactly where and where to do it … the other guy didn’t.
Much later I was also told another Angolan war story, related with the same situation. Allegedly, during the South Africa-Angola conflict, the South Africans tried to infiltrate the Angolan territory for intel. gathering, with scuba divers. Strangely, the intel. teams were not returning with the required information, until someone reminded the military planners that they were sending scuba divers in the season of the year when the crocodiles were active.
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