My Journey to Paradise... The flight from Entebbe was smooth and easy but things changed when I arrived in Wau. We waited for some hours and then boarded a helicopter. One of the instructions was to wear headsets. I didn’t know why but when we took off, I immediately understood why. Boy, was it loud! We couldn’t talk to each other for one and half hours. In Entebbe, when you are in a meeting and hear a plane landing, or taking off you say, let us wait a bit because it’s too loud. Well, it is too loud, but you should board a helicopter at least once, if you have never done it! The UN peacekeepers who are based in Abyei, use these helicopters at least twice a month or even more when they are going to different areas of operations. When I arrived, the first thing I saw is ‘Welcome to Paradise’ signpost near the helipad. Yes, it’s paradise.
By Elysee Niyigena, Communications Officer, RSCE
It was early in the morning when I set off on a UN flight from Entebbe to Wau, a city in northwestern South Sudan, on the western bank of the Jur River. I was excited as it was my first time boarding a UN flight. On reaching the airport, as photographer, I wanted to take a photo for memory and record purposes, but I was warned that If caught taking photographs I would be arrested. I took it anyway. 5
From my very first day at UNISFA, I was struck by the friendliness and hospitality. They warmly welcomed and took me around. Their kindness, despite the hardship and how remote Abyei is, was a testament to me that ‘life is what you choose to make.’
Each patrol was a unique experience, as it allowed me to witness the diversity of the Abyei landscape, from the savannahs to the villages, and to interact with the people living in these areas. During one of the patrols, we reached a place where vehicles couldn’t move. They decided to do a foot patrol. After walking for about 1 km, we couldn’t continue because it was muddy and slippery. We had to use another route which was very far. The journey was longer than expected so I started to get tired and thirsty. I took off the helmet and later when I wanted to remove the flak jacket, the lady who was the patrol leader warned me that I was with military personnel and my safety was under their responsibility, so I had to keep the jacket on or go back. With the military, you don’t argue. They are used to commands. These men and women are amazing. Sometimes they don’t sleep for many days due to the nature of the security situation in Abyei.
Some of my trips were cancelled or postponed for another day. Regardless of all the hardship, they keep their spirit and commitment. Every day, I witnessed their dedication and hard work. They left their comfortable homes and their families to ensure the people of Abyei are safe. Abyei is a disputed area between the Republic of Sudan and South Sudan, with an area of over 10,000km2 of desert, farmland, and oil fields. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) was established in 2011 by the UN Security Council Resolution as a response to the renewed violence, escalating tensions and population displacement in the Abyei region as Southern Sudan was preparing to formally declare its independence from the Sudan on 9 July 2011.
One of the most exciting aspects of my role was the opportunity to travel to different locations within the Abyei region. I joined our peacekeepers in their daily activities including day and night patrols, community engagement, humanitarian activities. That’s when I understood what peacekeepers go through daily.
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