Patch of Military Advisory Unit – UNAMA Afghanistan
Late last winter, the Taliban have made an agreement with the USA to halt the violence in Afghanistan and start exchanging prisoners of war with the Afghan Government. Allegedly, the Taliban got from the US delegation the promise that the Afghan Government would release about 5.000 Taliban prisoners, but apparently that did not happened … at least not on the scale and time line the Taliban expected.
Meanwhile, time went by and spring has arrived, and the situation was not solved. We do not need a “Chrystal Ball”, to assess what’s next:
Question: What does normally occurs in Afghanistan in spring time?
Answer – Two things happen (very much correlated): It is Sowing time for OpiumPoppies; and the Taliban fighting campaign starts.
Not being able to comply with the promised development with the Taliban, together with the seasonal traditions in Afghanistan can only have an outcome – According to Al Jazeera news channel – the Taliban in the past few weeks have made over 70 attacks per day to the Afghan Government facilities.
The numbers of civilian casualties (CIVCAS) in this conflict are the dramatic aspect of it. 2020 starts with 1.293 CIVCAS, of which 533 died (including 152 children) and 760 were wounded.
One of my last patrols in UNPROFOR – Bosnia – 1995, while the belligerent factions were negotiating an enduring Peace Agreement in Dayton, was to go look for a U.S. journalist, which was allegedly missing behind the Serb’s lines. That news reporter wanted to write the Bosnia war story in a different angle – the Serbian perspective; he had requested the proper clearances to the Serb authorities but, for his great disappointment, never got any reply. However, silence was not an option for this courageous (but not so clever) journalists and he decided to go on his own. Shortly after his departure, he was reported missing.
In those times, practically all international journalists residing in Sarajevo were in close contact with each other, sharing information and contacts. They called themselves “The Tribe” and most of them lived the hotel Holiday Inn; or what was left of it. It was a modern building, noticeable by its yellow color, isolated from other builds right in the middle of the Snipers Alley. In 1995 the dwelling was in a very poor condition, due to sniper fire and artillery shelling. The side of the building face the Serb territory had practically no glass windows, in some accommodations there was UNHRC plastic bands substituting the widows. Here and there one could see multiple impacts of different caliber ordinance, with vestiges of fire inside the apartments.
The hotel guests had their rooms on the opposite side, facing the muslin part of Sarajevo. The seller of the hotel was the working space and the recreation area of the “Tribe.
The “Tribe´s” compound –Holiday Inn – Sarajevo. Photo offered by Jin Sullivan
Because they were living close together, all the journalists had a rough idea of what each other was working on. That was how our missing “hero” story came to live. His “Tribal fellows” knowing his ambitious intentions, reported his two days absence without news to the US Embassy in Sarajevo. The Embassy contacted the UN for support and the Regional Senior Military Observer did not take long to make a decision, issuing the following instructions:
– “Our Russian Major and the Portuguese Captain should leave immediately and search for this chucklehead. No not assign any other tasks to these two, because they may be away for some time.”
My Russian comrade – Alexey (fictitious name) – made the necessary contacts and off we went to Lukavica Barracks, in order to meet the Serbian officer responsible for operations around Sarajevo, but no one knew anything about an American journalist. However, we had to look for him and, together with the Serbian officer, we planned a patrol and got the necessary permissions to go to Pale, Srebrenica and Gorazde. The places we thought might have some interesting stories to tell in a different angle. We were not planning to sleep in Serbian territory. The plan was to return to Sarajevo every evening; hence this would be a three days mission.
We left Lukavica towards Pale. Our vehicle radio coverage was very poor so we kept transmitting blind position reports. Last thing we wanted was also to be considered missing. Our first stop was UNPROFOR UNMO Team 7-L – Pale. There were no UNMOs in that Team for some time, only a small group of interpreters that we were paying to keep the liaison with the Serbian leadership. Our interpreters made several contacts and confirm that there was a travel permission request. The Serbs though that was a CIA attempt to peek inside their lines and decided to refuse the request. However, in order not to have problems with the Americans, their option was not to answer the request. Regarding further initiatives of that journalist they knew nothing.
We asked around among the Serbian population and no one had saw the journalist. A Serbian officer said:
– “Yeap. I saw an American passing-by today,” – and spiting on the ground concluded – “but he was going very fast … inside an F-16!”
We travelled 70 km towards Southwest e we reach Gorazde. There were no more mines on the access road to the City. That was an evolution regarding the last week, resulting from the recent Cease Fire Agreement. We´ve asked for the journalism to both Serbs and Bosnians, but again, no one had seen any American around that place. We´ve returned to Sarajevo empty handed.
The following day we travelled early in the morning to Srebrenica, which was about 20 km from the Yugoslav border. It was a long trip and the destination was still a complicated area. That was a patrol to be handled with extreme caution. On the previous day my Russian comrade had made all the translations, but now we needed the help of one of our Team´s interpreters – Milan (fictitious name).
On the higher mountains of Bosnia there was already some snow, demanding precautionary measures regarding the driving of the armored Toyota. Milan asked over and over again to everybody if they had seen an American journalist. But the answer was always negative.
A Serbian patrol was also looking for him, result of our queries on the previous day, but that was not good news because the Serbs had a different story. They were looking for a CIA agent disguised as a journalist, and they wanted to teach him a lesson.
Upon arriving to Srebrenica we drove to the infamous factory facilities that hosted the recent months´ developments. The walls had still the bullet impacts allegedly from a Serbian firing squad during the cleansing actions. We asked and, yet again, no one had seen, or heard about an American journalist. We didn’t stay long because the situation was very tense. The Serbs were not enjoying our presence and the remaining Muslins had strong negative feelings for the UN, because the UN had failed them during that summer events.
We were having a sandwich lunch inside the car, close by the former Netherlands UNPROFOR compound, when we received a radio transmission instructing us to abort the mission and return to Sarajevo.
The journalist had been found alive and well in Budapest. Apparently he had contracted a Serbian interpreter, with a transportation included in the fee. He has tried several interviews but, because no one was collaborating with him, he decided to do a photo reportage of the Balkans and crossed the entire Bosnia territory, Croatia and Hungary.
I still remember my words when we reported back in HQ UNPROFOR – Sarajevo:
– “Goddammit! I´ve had enough. We were desperately looking for this guy while he was having a nice Gin tonic in a Danube boat?! In Budapest?! This is too much; please do not task me for any other stuff related with journalists.”
Our Deputy Commander, a UN veteran from Belgium, replied:
–“Caution Paulo; God is listening and He has a sense of humor; you may have to deal with journalists in the future.”
Three months later, after having redeployed to Portugal – Lisbon – the Air Force issued my new travel orders. I was to become the new Public Affairs and Media Relations Officer at the NATO HQ – CINCIBERLANT.
No one understood why I was laughing when I got those orders.
1 – Dress, think, talk, act and behave in a manner befitting the dignity of a disciplined, caring, considerate, mature, respected and trusted soldier, displaying the highest integrity and impartiality. Have pride in your position as a peace-keeper and do not abuse or misuse your authority.
2 – Respect the law of the land of the host country, their local culture, traditions, customs and practices.
3 – Treat the inhabitants of the host country with respect, courtesy and consideration. You are there as a guest to help them and in so doing will be welcomed with admiration. Neither solicit or accept any material reward, honor or gift.
4 – Do not indulge in immoral acts of sexual, physical or psychological abuse or exploitation of the local population or United Nations staff, especially women and children.
5 – Respect and regard the human rights of all. Support and aid the infirm, sick and weak. Do not act in revenge or with malice, in particular when dealing with prisoners, detainees or people in your custody.
6 – Properly care for and account for all United Nations money, vehicles, equipment and property assigned to you and do not trade or barter with them to seek personal benefits.
7 – Show military courtesy and pay appropriate compliments to all members of the mission, including other United Nations contingents regardless of their creed, gender, rank or origin.
8 – Show respect for and promote the environment, including the flora and fauna, of the host country.
9 – Do not engage in excessive consumption of alcohol or any consumption or trafficking of drugs.
10 – Exercise the utmost discretion in handling confidential information and matters of official business which can put lives into danger or soil the image of the United Nations.
Em 1995, quando o Aeroporto de Sarajevo estava fechado tínhamos de entrar e sair da Cidade sitiada através do Monte Igman.
Descer o Monte Igman não era só perigoso devido ao fogo dos snipers e das granadas RPG, era igualmente um perigo conduzir naquela estreita estrada de terra batida, com elevado grau de inclinação, e uma ravina que não desculpava qualquer ligeira saída da picada.
Descida do Monte Igman – Camião UN atingido – foto de Franky Hauwelaert
O dia 19 de agosto de 1995 foi um dos dias marcantes naquelas descidas do perigoso percurso. Nesse dia ocorreu algo trágico e marcante, para a história da Guerra da Bósnia. Estava previsto para esse dia a chegada uma delegação de alto nível Norte-Americana a Sarajevo. O objetivo dessa delegação era de negociar um possível cenário que contribuía para o fim do conflito. Algo que, segundo os rumores que corriam, seria uma alternativa aceite pelos sérvios que implicava o fim do cerco a Sarajevo.
Uma vez que o aeroporto continuava fechado, a delegação Americana fez o caminho alternativo que implicava descer o Monte Igman. A coluna de carros blindados era constituída por dois veículos, transportando no seu interior os diplomatas e respetiva escolta. No carro da frente viajavam o Alto Representante dos Estados Unidos para a Europa e Ásia – Richard Holbrooke – e uma alta patente do Pentágono – General Wesley Clark. No segundo veículo viajavam o Embaixador US para a Bósnia – Robert C. Frasure; o diplomata Joseph Kruzel; e o Coronel Sam Nelson Drew da Força Aérea Norte-Americana.
Toda a nossa atenção estava concentrada naquela visita e tudo parecia estar a correr normalmente. Contudo, aproximadamente a meio da descida do Monte Igman, o veículo de trás, um blindado de transporte de tropas (APC) francês, saiu repentinamente da estrada e caiu montanha abaixo. Durante a queda deram-se algumas explosões porque, aparentemente, aquela zona da ravina estava minada. Quando os militares da ONU se aproximaram do local, no sopé do monte, encontraram o veículo a arder. Os reportes que recebemos informavam a existência de feridos graves e quatro mortos. Tinham morrido no acidente os três VIPs americanos e o condutor do Exército Francês. O veículo que seguia à frente, com o Dr. Holbrooke e o General Clark, prosseguiu para Sarajevo. O constrangimento era geral e, obviamente, não houve qualquer negociação nem contatos diplomáticos.
Mais tarde, veio a verificar-se que a razão da queda do APC tinha sido uma mina anticarro colocada na estrada. Durante a queda, as explosões que ocorreram deveram-se a outras minas que estavam na encosta.
Essa descoberta deixou o sobreolho franzido a muitos militares da ONU, conhecedores da área em questão. Aquela picada tinha sido utilizada naquele mesmo dia e não tinha havido nenhum incidente com minas. No entanto, tinha chovido bastante no dia anterior, abrindo a hipótese da mina ter escorregado encosta abaixo até à estrada com uma enxurrada, ou um deslizamento de terras. Não deixava de ser estranho que vários carros tivessem passado por aquele mesmo local nesse dia sem ter ativado a mina.
Nesse mesmo dia, umas horas mais tarde, um carro de combate – Scorpion – Britânico, ao descer o Monte Igman, embateu num outro APC francês que ia à sua frente, um Renault VAB semelhante ao que transportava os VIP nessa manhã, fazendo-o sair da estrada e cair na ravina. Este segundo acidente, embora não tivesse ativado nenhuma mina, também causou vários feridos graves e um morto, todos franceses.
During the conflict in Bosnia, the UN had imposed a No Fly Zone (NFZ) over the country. Only with a previous authorization by the UN could someone fly over Bosnia. In order to assure that NFZ the UN gave a mandate to NATO for the implementation of the necessary measures and, simultaneously, deployed UN Military Observers (UNMO) to the Croatian and Yugoslavian radar sites of the respective civilian air traffic Area Control Centers (ACC).
Looking at the ACC radar scope, we could see several targets flying over Bosnia. They had a considerable speed, displayed similar radar identification codes and were performing wide circular patterns. Those were the NATO fighters – the Guardians of the No Fly Zone. Down South, over the Adriatic Sea, there was a NATO radar observation aircraft; a Boeing E-3 Sentry – AWACS – pointing its radar downward, trying to see low level violations of the NFZ. Occasionally, up north, inside Hungarian airspace, there was another AWACS, making sure there were no radar blind areas over Bosnia. The AWACS radio call sign was “Magic”. Anything flying in Bosnia without UNPROFOR permission, would be detected by a “Magic” and intercepted by the “Guardians”, in which case the intruder would be advised (on the emergency frequencies) to “exit immediately the No-Fly Zone, or be prepared to be submitted to drastic measures”.
Sometimes there were so many NATO air assets flying inside the NFZ, that it seemed there was no space for other flyers to go inside.
Having UN radar operators looking upwards and NATO radar operators looking downwards, theoretically, would mean the No-Fly Zone was completely covered; no “fly” would “fly” undetected over Bosnia … or so we thought! The Serbian pilots were nothing less than experienced aviators.
They knew all the tricks in the play book and, although in much less quantity, there were still flying around inside the NFZ. Sometimes we saw them; other times we didn’t see them, but we knew they were still flying over Bosnia.
The propeller is just a big fan in the front of the plane to keep the pilot cool. Want proof? Make it stop; then watch the pilot break out into a sweat.
That’s what the aviation joke says; but it couldn’t be more accurate regarding a pilot’s reaction to the loss of his propeller thrust. I remember one day, in Luena aerodrome – Angola – during the UN mission to support the country’s 1992 elections, when the pilot of a Beechcraft C-90 GT King Air aircraft landed in such conditions.
During the final approach, the twin engine King Air seemed to have difficulties in landing. One of its engines was stopped and the other one was making a random noise of engine power. That pilot was definitely in serious problems!
When the captain finally managed to park the aircraft at the UN spot, he got out of the cockpit sweating like a fount, and pointed out to the southern horizon. Far in the distance, we could see an insurmountable wall of clouds, formed by huge cumulonimbus towers. Those things in Africa can be enormous, rising up to 45.000 feet and above. Inside of a cumulonimbus tower there’s electrical storms, heavy rain, very strong winds and ice; small and big balls of ice, flying up and down the cloud. Not a good place to fly into!
Looking at the aircraft, it seemed that it was attacked by a pride of lions; such was the quantity of deep scratches and dents in the aircraft’s plating. In several parts of the fuselage the painting was gone; its communication and navigation aids antennas were broken; the rubber cover of the anti-freezing on the leading edge of the wings was hanging in stripes; some windows were cracked; the ailerons and stabilizer were dented; all external lights were broken and both propellers were prorated, as if a horde of rats had been feeding on it. However, the thing that impressed me the most was a tremendous collision that must had occurred on the tapering nose of the aircraft. It would seem that someone had given a valiant punch in the nose of the Beechcraft, turning what was concave into convex.
The sweaty pilot-in-command simply said:
– “Southeast of this location there’s a long and tall Cumulonimbus. We had no ability to go over it and the turbulence was too strong to fly under it; hence i decided to cross it perpendicularly … shortly after we entered the clouds, it looked like we had hit a wall of ice … I started sweating when we lost engine number one and number two had a drastic loss of power”.
Regardless the technology, Mother Nature was still in command, and we could all see in the distance that big “Cumulonimbus Africanis”!
No dia 23 ou 24 de Abril de 2020 (dependendo da localização de cada país/território) irá ter inicio o mês islâmico sagrado do Ramadão. Folheando os meus apontamentos das missões de Apoio à Paz na ONU encontrei alguma informação pertinente que gostaria de partilhar com vocês.
O Ramadão é a celebração do mês em que os primeiros versos do Al Corão foram revelados ao Profeta Maomé. A palavra “Ramadão” é origem árabe e a sua raiz (Ar Ramad) significa “seca” ou “calor”.
Alcorão (Al Qur’an)
O Ramadão é celebrado no nono mês do Calendário Lunar, referenciando o aparecimento da “Lua Nova”. Uma vez que o Calendário Lunar é 11 a 12 dias mais curto do que o Calendário Gregoriano (seguido por nós), o Ramadão ocorre sempre 10 a 11 dias mais cedo em cada ano que passa.
Para os muçulmanos, celebrar o Ramadão significa cumprir o quarto dos cinco pilares do Islão. Os cinco pilares são:
1 – Shahadah – A Declaração de Fé;
2 – Salah – As (5) rezas diárias;
3 – Zakat – A purificação da riqueza, através de dádivas aos pobres (2,5% das poupanças anuais);
4 – Siyan – O jejum durante o mês do Ramadão – Obrigatório para todos os muçulmanos except àqueles que foi atribuído o estatuto de excepção (a saber: crianças; adultos doentes (físico ou mental); adultos que estejam envolvidos em viagens longas; mulheres grávidas, em época pós-parto ou a amamentar);
5 – Hajj – A peregrinação a Meca – obrigatório para todos os muçulmanos (pelo menos uma vez na vida) desde que essa pessoa tenha possibilidade financeira e física para o fazer.
Durante o Ramadão os crentes muçulmanos irão observar rigorosamente as regras desse mês sagrado, as quais incluem a reflexão, a observância das rezas, a prática da caridade, e a abstinência de alimentação entre o nas e o pôr-do-sol. O jejum durante as horas do dia inclui comida de qualquer género, água, fumar e até actividade sexual (uma hora e meia antes do nascer-do-sol e depois do pôr-do-sol).
O Ramadão termina com a celebração do – o Eid-al-Fitr (referido só por Eid) que é um festival de três dias, o qual eventualmente terá restrições este ano devido ao Corona Vírus.
Protocolo/Etiqueta durante o Ramadão
Não beba, fume, masque pastilha elástica em frente a um muçulmano, nem lhes ofereça nenhum dos artigos antes mencionados;
Evite envolver muçulmanos em reuniões de trabalho que incluam uma refeição;
Evite planear trabalho para muçulmanos após as 15:00 horas;
Considere que os muçulmanos poderão estar menos disponíveis para discussões intelectuais, porque poderão estar concentrados em reflexões religiosas;
É natural que os muçulmanos se sintam esgotados e enfraquecidos durante o dia no mês do Ramadão, devido ao jejum;
É comum os muçulmanos gozarem uma semana de férias no fim do Ramadão.
Caso convidado para participar no Eid (e a situação – Corona Vírus o permitir – tente aceitar porque pode ser mal interpretado se declinar o convite.
Na época do Eid, é natural que o tráfego rodoviário e aéreo aumente consideravelmente nos países muçulmanos.
Saúde as pessoas com a frase – “Ramadan Mubarak” (tenha uma Ramadão abençoado).
On the 23rd or 24th of April 2020 (pending on the country), starts the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan. Eyeing my UN field missions notes I found some good information about this important celebration, which I would like to share with you all.
Ramadan is the celebration of the month when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad. The word Ramadan is an Arab word, which root (Ar Ramad) means “dryness”, or “heat”.
Al Koran (Qur’an)
Ramadan is celebrated on the ninth month in the Lunar Calendar, measuring the appearance of the “new moon”. Since the Lunar Calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian Calendar, Ramadan occurs 10 to 11 days earlier every year. This year of 2020, Ramadan starts on the 23 or 24 of April (pending on the Country). Because the date is imposed by the “new moon”, the exact date (on the Gregorian Calendar) may differ one day, from one location to another.
Celebrating Ramadan is the fourth of the five Pillars (obligatory practices) of Islam. The five pillars of Islam are:
1 – Shahadah – Declaration of faith;
2 – Salah – The daily (5) prayers;
3 – Zakat – Purification of wealth (2,5% of annual savings offered to the poor);
4 – Siyan – Fasting during the month of Ramadan – obligatory to all Muslim except for the ones perfectly identified as exceptions (children, unhealthy adults both physically or mentally, women who are menstruating, in post-childbirth care, pregnant or breast-feeding);
5 – Hajj – The pilgrimage to Makkah – obligatory once in a lifetime for every Muslim with physical and economic capacity to do it.
During Ramadan time, Muslin believers will act in strict observance of the Holly Month’s rules, which includes fasting, repentance, self-examination, increased prayer and increased charity. Practicing Muslims will abstain from food, water, all liquids, smoking and the use of any kind of tobacco products, and sexual relations during daylight hours from about one-half hour before sunrise to dusk around one-half hour after sunset.
The Ramadan period ends with a festival – the Eid-al-Fitr (Eid for short) – consisting of a three days of celebration and gratitude that begin the new month. Obviously, this year (due to the Corona Virus problem) these celebrations may eventually have a different layout.
Ramadan Etiquette
Do not offer anything to heat or drink to a Muslim during Ramadan;
Avoid involving Muslims in meetings that include lunch or that extend beyond 15:00 hours and social events during Ramadan (again – the Corona Virus issue, will cancel social events);
Avoid smoking, drinking, chewing gum or eating in the presence of Muslims between dawn and sunset;
Don’t press an unwilling Muslim to engage in deep conversation because it may be perceived as a sign of disrespect–Ramadan is a time to reflect on one’s faith;
It is common for Muslims to take vacation/leave during the last week of Ramadan;
Muslims may be weakened (due to fasting) during Ramadan; therefore, it is wise to understand their declined workforce throughout this period;
It is expected to see traffic jams, congestion air traffic, the week before and three days after the end of Ramadan;
If invited to the ceremonies of the end of Ramadan (and if the Corona Virus restrictions have been raised) try to comply, but keep social distancing and keep safe;
Salute people by saying “Ramadan Mubarak” (Have a Blessed Ramadan).
As instalações do Centro de Formação Militar e Técnica da Força Aérea (CFMTFA), na Ota, vão receber 138 migrantes que testaram positivo ao Covid-19.
Estes migrantes, faziam parte de um grupo de 175 pessoas que se encontravam hospedadas num alojamento de Lisboa, aguardando a aprovação do estatuto de refugiado.
Após testes ao grupo, 31 foram considerados “não-infectados”, seis “inconclusivos” e 138 “Infectados”, devendo este último grupo ser alojado (isolado) nas instalações da Força Aérea na Ota.
OPen samento 