Good bye KURMUK

This is a Nomad boy on his cow...

RANDOM!!! This was in our market... You know, you go to the store and you want to buy one of those "PET THINGS".... LOL!!!!

Well I am at a point that for me has come very quickly. I am on my final days at Team site Kurmuk.

I was appointed Acting Team Site Leader (TSL) last week as our Team Site Leader (TSL) was away at a military conference in Damazin. The conference opened his eyes to the games the two military leaders and representatives played during these committee meetings. I was also finally able to play my game as well. Now that I was the TSL I was finally able to question the higher command on any issue that I felt was in conflict to our orders. I have a funny feeling that the higher command was shocked at what it was like to operate with a Canadian at the helm. I entered into an email war with the person who gives us orders. He sends us to places without justification which in the long run can cause safety and security issues for us as UNMO’s. Let’s just say I had fun and they are happy that I am not TSL anymore.

During my time as TSL we also had the President of Sudan – BASHIR come to our town by helicopter for a campaign stop. You may recall the ICC has a warrant out for his arrest for war crimes and genocide. Our higher command sent a one line email saying that we should avoid the rally area. There was no thought about what could go wrong and what actions we (UNMO’s) may have to take. Thank goodness that there is now 3 Canadians and a German on the ground as we entered into a tactical role and game played some of the greatest threats. All went well.

So now that I am leaving I finally have two more Canadians on the ground living at the team site. Chris and Drew arrived on the ground about a week ago. They are getting used to the heat and the mode of operation here. They will both be here until Aug. The worst part for them is that they will be here during the rainy season in which almost no patrols get done due to the roads being washed out.

I visited the village of DOYA last week. I handed out a bunch of pencils and school supplies. I also taught the local kids how to play Frisbee. We had about 15 people all playing Frisbee.
On one of my patrols I happened to meet a three star General form the southern army. Not too often we see that rank driving around our villages.

The bar now has a new set of lights, it’s painted and the disco ball will go up tonight. We have hired a contractor to build the bamboo part of the bar and it will be finished by the week’s end. Unfortunately I will not see the completed bar other then in pictures.

Don Don is doing well. I received a couple of gifts for him with my last gold bags. He loved the Canada soccer ball and the chew rope. He is a little bit of a suck though. He whimpered and wouldn’t go near the rubber squeaky chicken. He also thumbed his nose up at the dog treats that he was offered. Weird dog!! Drew has a friend that is a Vet in Canada and will be sending some medications and dog items for him. I think he will be the most spoiled dog in Sudan!

On Good Friday Drew, Chris, Kai and I decided to climb Kurmuk Mountain. It took us around 1 hour to get to the top. It was a beautiful view. While climbing I even had time to use the binoculars to spy on the southern army’s tank camp. Once at the top we sat on a rock that overlooked the UN Camp. Then we came up with a Canadian idea. Why not leave something here for others to fine. So you may of guessed it we built an INUKSHUK. Unfortunately we built it from memory and although it was good it was did not quite look like it was supposed to. BUT anyone seeing it would not know what the real ones looked like anyways. I have finally left my mark in Kurmuk and it’s at the highest point!

Notice the Canadian flag and the team site in the background.

Yesterday I turned over my job to Drew from Canada. He will take over all of the CIMIC work that I was doing. Today I feel lost as I am no longer needed. I have time to myself. The plan is that I will leave the Team Site on 7 Apr and go to the sector HQ. Due to flight plans, inefficiency and tea I will have to stay at the sector level for 6 days. I am NOT looking forward to that as I have nothing to do there. However I have started another online military course and I hope to finish it while I am stuck there. On Monday 12th I will fly back to Khartoum and be residing at Canada House. Once again I will be bored as I complete my check out procedure at the UN in two days and then sit around waiting for the flight home. If all things work out I will be leaving Sudan around the 22/23 Apr and making my way through Amsterdam and back to Toronto.