SITREP 7 12 NOV 04
SITREP 7&8
SITREP 7 12 NOV 04 · GENERAL SITUATION
Darfur if anything is getting worse. It is getting worse, if for no other reason , because the heat and lack of water add dehydration
to the mix. And there are certainly other reasons aplenty. I am not going to dwell on this unhappy situation because my insight
is not significantly better than what is available to you via the media. I believe I’ll stick to the situation here in the Nuba.
Nomads are providing their usual problems. These include, but are by no means limited to, grazing and watering their herds
on others’ property, stealing the odd whatever-is-available and taking the odd child into “protective custody”. Think of the
’traveling people” (gypsies, tinkers and the like) of Europe and the U.S.A. armed and on camels and horses, and you pretty much
have the picture. And in this instance I am referring to the perpetual wanderers without permanent villages to which they return,
not the semi nomadic tribes who leave their permanent homes to move their stock to rainy season grazing lands and return to harvest
their crops when the rains end.
I heard my first complaint about nomad incursions in this area on Wednesday at the village of Ngurban. The villagers complained
that the nomads come and are gone before anyone can summon official assistance. We suggested that the villagers reform their
committees to negotiate with the nomads in the traditional manner for compensation for forage and water consumed. It was too late to
do much for them this time, and it was the first any of us had heard of nomads this far off their normal migration routes.
I think a few words about the economy, infrastructure and life style may be instructive. Our highest paid National Monitor, a Regimental
Sergeant Major with almost forty years of service and experience, draws a monthly salary of approximately 35,000 Sudanese Dinars (SD).
Sound impressive? That comes to about $135.00 U.S. And he’s the highest paid. The rest range from 21,000 to 27,000SD
($80.00 to about $104.00 U.S.) per month. Keep in mind that these are the educated upper middle classes.
There is no such thing as an electrical grid to my knowledge outside of Khartoum. For most of the country electricity is an unknown luxury.
And while cell and satellite telephones are slowing making their way into the regional population centers, they are of little value if they cannot
be recharged. Even the police rely on messengers to report incidents. I saw the first solar panel I’ve seen since arriving in country last week
in Karkaria.
Water must frequently be carried by hand for miles from watering sources that at their fanciest are hand pumps that actually work. And hand
pumps, if memories from my country childhood are correct, only work down to a depth of about 28 feet. If the local water table is lower than
that a deep well pump (which requires a power source) is necessary, and the NGOs who provide these services will not even bother
drilling. Livestock must also be moved to and from water as well as grazing on a daily basis.
Obesity, or even overweight, are not problems here. I truly cannot recall seeing anyone with anything resembling superfluous weight.
Come to Spa Nuba and become the sylphlike you that you always dreamed of!! In good times the ruminants are sleek if not fat. The dogs
usually peak out at slender. An American burro would think that it had gone to Hell if it ever came here. They’re actually expected to work
hard here. And conversely, a donkey from here would think that it had gone to Heaven if it got to the States. Laminitis is not an issue,
nor are farriers required to keep the animals feet trimmed.
I’m not sure there is a paved road outside of the Khartoum area. The equivalent of the American Interstate, or the German Autobahn,
is a two lane gravel road. The other primary roads are nothing more than the equivalent of one lane unimproved farm or woodland tracks
in America. Most are totally impassable even for 4 WD trucks with mud grubber tires and oversized wheels during the rainy season.
Medical facilities outside of the population centers are thatched roof clinics staffed by dedicated personnel, but often lacking even the
most basic medicines and equipment.
I hope that I have conveyed some concept of the enormous challenges facing Sudan as a whole and the Nuba in particular even if peace
should come. Please pray for peace, but don’t forget to pray for the necessities of life after a C.P.A.
SECTOR 3 OPERATIONS. · Much anti climax.
The villagers at the involuntary relocation facility at Dandur have settled in and the GOS unit has agreed to provide an escort to their
fields in the Karkary area so that they may harvest their crops in safety. The umda did ask me to drop by Karkary and to try to spread a
little oil upon the troubled waters. Those of you who knew me in my teens, twenties and thirties are probably having a quiet chuckle
at the concept of Michael the Peacemaker.
We returned to Agab, scene of the rather tempestuous “town meeting” some weeks ago, with W.O. Babakia and SGT Mahmoun
of the GOS Police. The residents were all out in the fields getting in the harvest and were unavailable for discussions (and also arguments).
It was, however, an opportunity for Babakia and Mahmoun to counsel the local police force on effectiive police-community relations.
And I doubt that two more qualified mentors than these fine officers could be found anywhere. We will return in a few weeks, when
Ramadan and the harvest are over.
I do not envy the GOS Police units assigned to the SPLM sympathetic parts of the DMZ. Think of Ft. Apache, but with the cavalry
unarmed and incommunicado with outside assistance.
Water (or the lack of it) is an ongoing problem everywhere, with political ramifications in the SPLM areas. There is no doubt that there is
inequity in the providing of water facilities, and unfortunately the GOS is too often blamed for the self serving actions of influential
SPLM officials.
Patrolling is getting caught up now that the roads are improving somewhat.
MICHAEL’S WORLD
I am still alive and well in Um Serdiba. I’m still hard at it and enjoying the work.
A little post election humor courtesy of COL Tom Province, VADF: When John Kerry made his concession call to George Bush,
he asked to be awarded yet another Purple Heart for the injuries he received in the ass whipping Bush handed him.
SITREP 8 19 NOV 04 · GENERAL SITUATION
Ramadan and Eid (the post Ramadan holidays) are now behind us.
The UN Security Council is meeting in Nairobi in an attempt to speed up the process toward a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Hopefully it will do some good.
The afternoon temperature runs 99-103 F. This is obviously hot, but it is not nearly as oppressive as the humid heat in the eastern U.S.A.
is at 10-15 degrees cooler. Nights do not require AC to sleep, and mornings and evenings are quite pleasant. It was 58 F one morning
last week. · SECTOR 3 OPS.
Things have been fairly interesting around here for the last week or so. On Friday, our
R&R day, a gravely ill child was brought to us. Paul Hughes, or Irish-via-the-Royal Navy Sector Medic pulled off the first of his
two life saving exploits of the week. The second, another child nearly comatose with falciparum (cerebral) malaria was stabilized and
medevacced out by chopper from JMC HQ at Tillo. The first child was driven to Kadugli Hospital by our driver/ interpreter Simon Karlo
and Paul, as no air assets were available.
On Saturday I was advised by a high ranking SPLA officer that he had had a report of a faction fight within one of the SPLA battalions
from another brigade to our southeast. Normally this would be a strictly internal matter which we would monitor from a distance, but there
were also rumors of outside assistance which created the possibility of political ramifications that we could not ignore.
Sunday morning we loaded a team plus, with two extra I.M.s, and headed to the area with all deliberate haste. The sight of numerous
armed soldiers in the vicinity of the battalion’s HQ made any plausible denial of problems within the battalion impossible,
so we were told the story.
It seems a number of members of the battalion, apparently from the same tribe and unhappy over the lack of promotion which they felt
was tribally motivated, decided to go to extremes to manifest their displeasure. On Saturday afternoon they attempted a raid on the
battalion HQ in an attempt to remove (from this mortal coil) the battalion commander with whom they felt they had a grievance.
The attack was beaten back with the loss of one of the mutineers (KIA). At this point the mutineers must have felt as though they had
engaged in the equivalent of throwing non-kryptonite coated darts at Superman. Their only real hope had been to take out the
commander immediately. Any hope of any sort of outside assistance vanished when their surprise attack failed. They were now
outnumbered almost three to one, on their own, and with an unhappy battalion commander who was probably even more vexed
about their firing up his homestead (with his family present) than they had been about their lack of promotion. After creating some
more trouble at a local market, they fled to the west.
This was the situation that obtained when we arrived Sunday morning. We had a long chat with the battalion commander and his
officers who were there for a commander’s conference to discuss actions to be taken. It became apparent that this was, at least barring
facts not yet presented and confirmed regarding outside interference, an internal matter for the SPLA to resolve. We said that we would
pass a report of our findings along and allow our Senior SPLA National Monitor the means to contact his superiors so as to facilitate their involvement. It was obvious that a speedy solution to the problem was in everyone’s best interests.
As we proceeded homeward, we came upon a small group of the mutineers. Since I had the Senior SPLA Monitor with me, I decided to
stop and see what we could learn. The Monitor, who was well known and respected by the mutineers, quickly ascertained that they realized
that they had taken very, very bad decision and were now in grave peril. They wished to terminate the revolt in the hope that they
would not be terminated in the process. An agreement to see what could be done was made, and we headed for home.
As of this morning’s op reports the situation remains stable and out of our hands.
On Monday morning a representative of the GOS Police in Um Serdiba came to our HQ to report that a hand grenade booby trap had
been discovered in the village, and to request our assistance in removing it. I walked over and saw that the local police had cordoned
off the area. I then contacted the Danish Church AidHQ. DCA is an NGO that sponsors demining capability throughout the Nuba, and
whose HQ is only a few kms from our location. One of their explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) experts was already coming down the
road toward our location and arrived within a few minutes. He checked the UED (unexploded device) and determined that it could be
safely removed. He proceeded to do so without any disturbing flashes or loud noises.
The prime suspect in the case is a career criminal who fled the GOS area after similar incidents there necessitated his
absconding rapidly. He sought sanctuary in the SPLM controlled part of Um Serdiba ( in a manner reminiscent of the outlaws in
America who would flee from one jurisdiction to another, or cross into Mexico, to avoid prosecution). He was told that he could stay,
but that any criminal behavior would not be tolerated. The GOS Police in Um Serdiba were advised “back channel” by elements of the
SPLM of Infamous Achmed’s presence, the conditions of his safe haven and that it might be a good plan too keep this individual under
surveillance when he came across. As is the case with most of his ilk, it was just a matter of time before he fell from grace.
His fall this time was occasioned by lust for one of the married women in the village. Her husband and he had words over his attentions.
Achmed was seen by the village watchman leaving the vicinity of the husband’s house at zero dark thirty, and fled when called upon to stop.
Early the next morning, the husband found a child trying to untie the trip device, a length of twine. He got the child away from the device
and called for the police. The police cordoned off the area and sent for us. The officer who initially responded sent word through
members of Achmed’s family that he was to stay out of the GOS side of Um Serdiba. The actions described above ensued.
Bright and early the next morning our assistance was again requested. This time an anti-personnel mine had been found in a track
leading to the officer’s farmland. Achmed had left a piece of paper on top of the mine with his name on it, an intimidation ploy he had used
before. We again called DCA for an EOD and mine clearing team, which came, removed the mine and checked the area for more mines.
None was found.
Both sides were very anxious to ensure the we understood that these were isolated criminal acts and totally without political motivation
or implication. The investigation and manhunt are ongoing at this time. Hopefully this local Ken Rex McElroy will be found soon.
Hopefully he will meet the same end. As McElroy. For those unfamiliar with the McElroy case, he was the career criminal/town bully/barn
burner who was finally gunned down on the main drag of Skidmore, OK at about 1100 on a Saturday morning after the authorities were
repeatedly unable to put him in prison where he belonged. This took place in 1980 or ‘81 by persons as yet not arrested because the
entire town has refused to cooperate with the authorities for over twenty years. I harbor very strong personal feelings about those who
indiscriminately use explosive devices, especially for personal reasons.
While I firmed up the coordination for the Cross Faction Police Conference (CFPC) to be held on 18 NOV 04, the rest of the teqam
had a very productive day in the area of the mutiny. They were able to not only lend their presence to the resolution of the mutiny
incident, but also to arrange the start of negotiations between the two factions to open a section of road that has been
closed to vehicular traffic for months.
On 18NOV 04 the CFPC was held at Tangal at the new Judicial Center. (See photos) In addition to a very good turnout from both
sides, one of the local magistrates attended for the first time. We hope to increase the attendance of these men In the future.
And don’t think you’re going to change the men only forums out here in the “traditional areas” any time soon , all you feminists!
Incidentally, I don’t agree with the idea. I just accept that I’m not going to change centuries old entrenched customs in the time I will
have here. I just try to effect what incremental changes I can.
In addition to resolutions confirming freedom of movement between sectors for everyone, dealing with matter of taxation in the
mixed faction souks (markets) and planning their next meeting on 10 DEC 04, they issued joint warrants for Infamous Achmed and
Sarir Double (Double Trouble). The latter is probably Sudan’s only overweight highwayman. This was accomplished in under two
hours. I said afterward that I thought that WO Babakia and Philip Moussa, the SPLM Chief of Police for the Tangal District,
should be sent to Nairobi to negotiate the CPA. They would probably accomplish more in a day than the professional
negotiators have been able to accomplish to date.
The only other matter of note, which almost got lost in the shuffle of bigger events, was that the Italian Stallion, Lorenzo Guani, and
one of our SPLM NMs had a spot of bother with some drunken GOS soldiers in Um Durain during a Village Visit. Lorenzo says that
he thinks that I should have an opportunity to see Um Durain and that, much as he is looking forward to a return visit, he will forego
the pleasure so that I may have an opportunity to travel there. How do I repay such thoughtfulness?
Pictures of the CFPC will be attached or follow. One is a group shot of the participants, and the other is of me with Philip Moussa
and WO1 Babakia (on my left). · MICHAEL’S WORLD
Nothing much new to report. Another birthday coming up in a few days. Imagine, 64!! I’m doing fine and looking forward to leave
in January. My best to all from Sunny Sudan.
FOLLOW UP TO SITREP #8 · EXTRA!!! · INFAMOUS ACHMED APPREHENDED!!
ll SITREP readers will be happy to learn that the Arch Criminal Achmed Mohammed Al Tang, Um Serdiba’s
own Ken Rex McElroy, has been apprehended as a result of a fine joint effort by the GOS and SPLM
Police Forces of Um Serdiba and Tangal.
Readers of SITREP 8 will no doubt recall the events of last week described in this issue. Achmed is alleged to have placed one grenade
booby trap and one anti personnel mine in the vicinity of the village of Um Serdiba (GOS) over a two day period last week. He then fled into
the SPLM AREA, thinking that he would be safe there. At the Cross Faction Police Conference on 18 NOV 04 a joint warrant was issued
for Achmed’s arrest. Today, only four days later, this career criminal with a history of the use of explosive devices to intmidate and exact
revenge is now in custody. He is being interrogated by a combined task force of GOS and SPLM authorities.
To date Achmed has not confessed to these crimes, but he has agreed to take the police and EOD personnel to another grenade that has
cached. It was no doubt being saved for the next incident that he was not going to commit.
This excellent combined police effort is particularly gratifying to the JMC personnel who worked very hard to facilitate the CFPC
program. The news also made a very nice birthday present for your humble reporter.
WITH INFAMOUS ACHMED IN CUSTODY CAN THE CAPTURE
OF SARIR DOUBLE BE FAR BEHIND?