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, eContinuar lendo “Sarajevo 1995 – as estradas do Monte Igman.”
Arquivos da tag:UN
“Cumulonimbus Africanis” – Angola 1992
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.Continuar lendo ““Cumulonimbus Africanis” – Angola 1992″
Ramadan Mubarak – Have a Blessed Ramadan
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 ofContinuar lendo “Ramadan Mubarak – Have a Blessed Ramadan”
Overconfidence can kill you.
In order to do a proper analysis of a certain situation, one has got to scan it from the outside. We’ve got to put some distance between the study object and the observer and look at all the external facts that influence that particular situation. If you are too close and a part of it,Continuar lendo “Overconfidence can kill you.”
Taliban – from armed insurgency to political party.
Al Jazeera TV channel has recently announced that the Taliban will release 20 Afghan government prisoners as a “goodwill step.” It will be the first time the Taliban has released prisoners following the February peace agreement between the Taliban and U.S. The release comes days following the government’s release of 300 Taliban prisoners. It seemsContinuar lendo “Taliban – from armed insurgency to political party.”
The way I saw the events in Srebrenica 1995
In July 1995, the most discussed issue in UNPROFOR’s corridors was Srebrenica. After the fall of Krajina’s Sector West, in May 1995, the entire situation in Bosnia reached a tipping pint; for the worst! The Serbian residents of the other sectors of the Krajina started to abandon their lands, fearing the same destiny as SectorContinuar lendo “The way I saw the events in Srebrenica 1995”
Bosnian war economy – speculation of essential products
UNPROFOR Military Observers’ teams (like in most other UN missions) had to live among the population (mandatory). We could support our teams at the UNPROFOR military contingents, but we could not live inside those compounds. We were supposed to rent a team house and buy/prepare our own food. That particularity was due to the factContinuar lendo “Bosnian war economy – speculation of essential products”
Miúdos criados na Guerra
Guerra da Bósnia Herzegovina – missão de Manutenção de Paz UNPROFOR – 1995. No dia 18 de agosto choveu bastante durante praticamente todo o dia. Numa situação normal, a pesada chuva seria indício de um dia mais calmo na frente de batalha, com os combatentes recolhidos nos seus abrigos. A inclemência meteorológica é, regra geral,Continuar lendo “Miúdos criados na Guerra”
Birds violating the Bosnian No Fly Zone (1995)
On night of 24 February 1995, I was on duty at the UNPROFOR radar console assigned by the Yugoslav authorities at Belgrade’s International Airport Area Control Centre (ACC). At about 02H00 in the morning, four large targets pumped-up flying over Bosnia, with a separation between radar contacts of about 10 Km (some 20 minutes betweenContinuar lendo “Birds violating the Bosnian No Fly Zone (1995)”
Balkans – people with more History than they can hold.
Once, a Yugoslav intellectual told me that, the people in the Balkans would always be fighting each other, because they had more History they could hold. –“You’re Portuguese; you will never understand the Bosnian problematic, because you’re the cultural result of “one single tribe in one same territory”. Here, people are from different tribes inContinuar lendo “Balkans – people with more History than they can hold.”
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