(International Day of United Nation Peacekeepers Journal 2nd Issue May 2016)

-Wing Commander Munim Khan Majlish,psc

Introduction

I availed a flight to Bunia, the capital city of Ituri region in Orientale Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo and planned to return to Entebbe, Ugandaby the same flight after taking vaccination. “Could you ask Doctor Ahsan to meet me at the tarmac with vaccine, please?” I requested an air operation staff to do me a favour. I heard so many strange and weird stories regarding Congo that I was pre-occupied with the idea that Congolese were still man-eaters and slaughterers. As if it was deadly diseases and HIV all over the places. When I had witnessed a woman with some strange hair style with antenna like stings projecting upwards over her head, I decided even not to come out of the aircraftand to step on this beautiful soil on my first arrival at DR Congo. I thought if I would go nearer to them, I would be immediately swallowed up by millions of viruses of dangerous diseases, even by deadly HIV virus. I was seriously frightened to witnesses those antennas of a young lady who had been working at Bunia Airport. A few months laterI was deployed at Bunia, and after working few days in the Airport, I discover that the lady with antenna like hairstyle was none but one of my fellow professional in the same working environment. This world is truly extraordinary and fascinating one.

Immense open areas and possessions of ample of mineral resources could not ensure prosperity for the population of DR Congo; rather had attracted colonial powers to exploit the abundance of wealth for decades. As a consequence of repeated foreign exploitation and suppression,the citizens of this enriched region remain among the poorest in the world. Prolonged civil wars right after the independence from Belgium in 1962; and relentless suppression by the western world had destabilized the structure of its society and government mechanism. The Second Congo War beginning in 1998 devastated the country further into catastrophe. It was one of the devastating conflicts of modern era involving seven foreign armies; and is sometimes referred to as the "African World War". Despite the signing of peace accords in 2003, widespread conflicts still continue mainly in the eastern part of the country. The prevalence of rape and other sexual violence in this region is described as the most horrible in the world. The world's deadliest conflict since World War II had taken lives of more than 5.4 million people in DR Congo.Once people of Congo used to feel proud to have GDP per capita more than even Canada in 1960s; now they only curse their political leadership patronized by multinational colonial masters for relegating to the second lowest GDP per capita in the world.

Deployment of IEMF and UN Peacekeepers

People of DR Congo could not enjoy independence and freedom to govern themselves despite forcing colonial powers to leave their soil. Though the western imperialist had given up governing this country since 1962, they did not leave the control of precious minerals and huge natural resources of this wealthy region. In consequence the people of this country are still suffering due to prolong conflicts among different rebel groups. People of Congo witnessed massive hatred among their national leadership. They had to encounter ethnic cleansing and massive killings by rival rebel parties. The world witnessed one of the most brutal states of human civilization in this part of the world exhibiting massive violence and social abuse. Most of the community in DR Congo are internally displaced from their original dwelling places. In 30 May 2003 French led Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) was deployed at DR Congo to enforce peace and stability specially in the Ituri region of Orientale Province. On 01 September 2003, UNSC adapted a resolution for deployment of UN peacekeepers in DR Congo for enforcing peace. Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Ghana, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, South Africa, Sweden Uruguay, etc contributed about 5,537 personnel contingent for enforcing peace in the region. Bangladesh Air Force also participated in this noble task by offering an aviation unit with six MI-17 utility helicopters and two airfield services unit providing all essential services of two of the busiest airfields of DR Congo at Bunia and Dungu respectively, and a strategic transport unit with a C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Sometimes it was really difficult for us to believe while witnessing so many different types of aircraft including wide bodied C-130 Hercules landing relentlessly on unpaved runway at Bunia Airport, even though we had been working there. Whole infrastructures of the airport- runway, taxiways or the tarmac were just muddy unpaved surface without having touch of any bitumen. When we never allow any aircraft in Bangladesh to land on broken or rough surface condition; we had been working at an airport in Buniaor Dunguwhere none of the surface was paved. Every day there had been huge flying by different types of aircraft carrying cargo and passengers to and from these very strategically important airports. After dusk the engineers used to took over control of the airport, specially the runway. They use to carry out some repair works at night, just leveling the broken surface here and there by roller, keeping ready for next day’s operations. I wonder how those brave aviators operate persistently from such muddy surface. I also admire those workers who had been trying their best to keep the surface smooth by physical labour only and enabled UN to continue peacekeeping efforts in this region. After a decade of relentless effort, Bunia has become one of the aviation hubs of DR Congo. Bangladesh certainly can take pride as the sole provider of airfield services in this important airport.

Soil Contains Gold, Not Happiness

Beautiful Sari River flowing downward carrying reddish coloured water from high ground created a spectacular landscape at outskirt of Bunia city. It is amazing to watch many locals mainly women had been very busy collecting precious minerals from soil on river bank. DR Congo possesses numerous minerals like diamond, gold, coltane, or uranium. They have so much resource that even people may extract those from ordinary soil from their surroundings. We were surprisingly witnessing many locals cleaning mud in the river water and segregating gold from soil. We found people digging ground on the bank and taking red coloured mud for bringing out valuable gold from its possession. After days hard labour they were able to collect average 10 to 20 grams of the fine straw gold on earth. Really the nature had spread so much resource all over the places at DR Congo, but still their occupants remain deprived and poor. Every day at least two cargo aircraft proceed to Dubai carrying gold from Bunia, but its original possessors never get their due share in return of day’s intense labour. Clever gold traders like Masai or Ibrahim of Kenya pilling millions of dollar in bank account, but ordinary Congolese do not even get adequate amount to lead a meaningful lifestyle. Wealth of DR Congo did not ensure prosperity and happiness for its citizens; rather caused hatred, hunger, violence, prolonged conflict and civil war.

Tale of an Unfortunate Indian Soul

Sukhdev came to DR Congo from Gujrat of India as a railway worker in early 1940s. He was so much contented to work in the African soil that he stayed back for ever. Finding his cherished soul in the midst of African queen he finally settled in Congo marrying a Congolese beauty. Sukhdev did not only match with the splendor of Congolese lady but also mastered his language skill by learning Swahili-local African tongue. Once I went to Shalom University of Bunia for attending Sunday Church service with one of my colleague. When we had been delivering some souvenir items to youngsters at Sunday school, I was surprised to discover two teenage girls possessing Indian appearance. I learnt that they were love children of an Indian origin citizen of DR Congo named Sukhdev Sing. I already met him at the airport. He often used to come to me for taking permission before commencing runway repair works. He later narrated his biography which was just analogous to epic or drama. He made a handsome fortune after arriving at this land and eventually got ownership of two large ranches at the outskirt of Bunia and Goma having few thousand livestock. He earned reputation of a benevolent group leader and had been enjoying a very respectable and prosperous way of life. When the war broke out among peaceful citizen of DR Congo, rebels had driven away all his cattle from both the farms. Suddenly Sukhdev had to abandon his dearest dwelling places and took shelter at the IDP (Internally Displaced People) Refugee Camp at Bunia. He was rescued by fellow countryman UN engineer in charge Mr Gautam, by employing in runway repair works; and could earn just enough to feed his misfortune family members. The tragedy of Sukhdev seemed more terrible when I heard that he was ultimately murdered by miscreant and his family was completely perished away. None could provide us their whereabouts to narrate their misfortune.

Survival of a Shining Potential

DR Congo had experienced fierce fighting, massive civilian deaths, widespread sexual or social harassment and internal migration of millions of innocent population. One young Congolese worker named Masseyi drew our attention by his soccer playing skill and intelligence. We came to know that he was from Kinshasa who was internally migrated to Bunia- thousands kilometers away from his parents due to brutal civil war. He actually did not know whereabouts of his parents. He had only rough idea about locations of his few brothers and sisters. A child of his teenage was deprived of getting affection and care of his beloved parents due to power struggle by rival rebel groups in his own country. He narrated that he topped in the countrywide secondary school examination, but at present only loitering here and there for a secured shelter. He had to earn his living hood by serving as a daily labour just for mare surviving. I sensed his strong aspiration for continuing study which could not be materialized due to lack of proper financial support. I felt an obligation for upholding progress of human civilization; and compensated his tuition fees and offered him a regular lump sum monthly payment for getting admission in the local university; and thereby giving him a chance for striving for success in future.
Masseyi was very keen to educate himself to play his appropriate role in the society. He used to narrate different stories regarding his family members and expressed his intention to find out his lost mother one day. I really could not console such an innocent fellow, rather could only express my solidarity with his sentiment that was like an orphan despite having both his parents alive and living in somewhere within his motherland. After seven years when I had visited DR Congo again in 2010, I found Masseyi working in UN as a national staff after completing graduation from the university.I feel that I could at least save one among thousands unfortunate shining potential who are often lost due to civil war in their region.

Natasha-the Symbol of Transformation of Congolese Society

Natasha, a UN MOVCON staff always used to be ready to carry out any task with utmost sincerity. I often found her loitering here and there to execute instructions whatever silly it might be given by her superiors. Natasha was actually contended to find out a safe place within UN working environment for surviving in the midst of carnage caused by war. She did not intend much to project her own personality, when the very basic need of survival was almost at stake outside. She was affected by vicious images of hostility that she had encountered during her early life hood. Only at her teen age, Natasha had grown up so quickly, and had overcome the challenges of her life to lead a meaningful existence. After surviving the atrocities of war, she had not only taken the responsibility of her quite a large family of her mother and six brothers and sisters, but also created a humble impression as a responsible citizen in the society. I was extremely happy to witness the outcome of growing personality in her conduct in the course of time.

Natasha is certainly the replica of the changes that we had witnessed over the period after deployment of UN peacekeepers at DR Congo. Her initial relatively ragged and unsophisticated outlook was the general conditions of people in this region due to impact of prolong and fierce civil war. She was among the few fortunate who could overcome violence and find some dignity and value of her works as an UN employee. UN peace stabilization mission in DR Congo despite lots of initiative could hardly influence and caused changes of living condition of general population; or paved the way for stabilizing the political atmosphere in DR Congo. International community actually could do very less about the inhuman condition of the people living there. However, the high budget UN mission might take pride of changing at least the living condition of its few workers employed within its system. Poor Natasha was no more poor or shabby at present. She is well healed, sophisticated in her behaviour, more assertive in her approach, and obviously stylish and concerned about modern western fashion. Only a little wages was more than enough to change her perception and lifestyle. After overcoming her initial period of uncertainty, she was no more a destitute or feeble, but a conscious personality as a modern woman.

I was taken aback to learn much later than our initial encounter with Natasha that she was one of the victims of civil war, who was actually abducted by the rebels. They had kept her in their custody for several days during heavy fighting among the contentious groups in 2002. Hema and Lendu- two conflicting tribal communities had been engaged in brutally killing many innocent members of hostile commune as part of ethnic cleansing strategy. They had displayed the similar episode we had witnessed in the past in Bosnia or Rwanda or Somalia or in the Indian Subcontinent. People fulfilled their blood thirst by eliminating even their friends and own family members of rival ethnic community. Natasha was one of the most privileged to be rescued by the French when they had got involved in Congo affairs to stabilize the conflicting situation at DR Congo under UN mandate. She was provided with adequate rehabilitation measures and had been finally offered a job in UN Movement Control Office at Bunia Airport. Natasha (her actual name is Nadege Dorcas Kanyeba, represents a replica of many destitute bearing countless stories due to civil war staged at once known as Zaire now officially named as DR Congo. We amazingly witness the transformation of Natasha’s lifestyle and reinstate in the society with absolute dignity and honour along with her affectionate war child. UN and among others Bangladesh Armed Forces take pride in participating this transformation process.

Conclusion

Africa means the “enormous”. It is indeed a land of enormous beauty, affection, tenderness and above all colossal nature. The most ancient continent of earth-this beautiful green land possesses so much that one must be fascinated and filled with joys and abundance of Africa’s treasure. Such mesmerizing land of opportunity often suffers from man-made brutality of human civilization. Bangladesh actively took part in restoring peace and stability in this part of the world under UN umbrella. We may not be able to do everything to ensure peace or bring stability towards political situation at DR Congo, we proudly feel that Bangladesh had taken part in the peace stabilization mission at one of the most socially and politically volatile region of the world at present. We could play at least a role to bring normalcy and harmony to human civilization. I wish nature will take its own course and will eventually heal these wounds by the passage of time. Natasha and Masseyi inspire us towards achieving such optimism and anticipation for the future world order.