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SUDAN / REFERENDA PREPS SECURITY
STORY: SUDAN / REFERENDA PREPS SECURITY
TRT: 2:47
SOURCE: UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 28 - 29 SEPTEMBER 2010, ABYEI, DIFFRA, SUDAN,
1. Wide shot, soldiers marching in formation
2. Close-up, soldiers marching
3. Med shot, soldiers standing in formation
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Moses Bisong Obi, Force Commander, United Nations Mission in Sudan:
“The exercise is to encourage collective effort at rendering support to the people of Sudan and at protecting civilians. So the military provides the enabling environment alongside other security agencies and that gives other agencies the opportunity to perform their own role - to execute their own mandates in support of the people in Sudan.”
5. Various shots, troops getting into armored personnel carrier
6. Med shot, armed soldiers getting onto pick-up truck
7. Wide shot, armored personnel carrier driving past on a patrol
8. Wide shot, soldiers on ground walking in market area
9. Med shot, UN peacekeeper shaking had with resident of Diffra
10. Med shot, residents looking on
11. Med shot, armed peacekeeper
12. Wide shot, peacekeeper on armored personnel carrier
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Major Mwamba Mulugubila, Peacekeeper on Operation Swift Shield:
“Operation Swift Code (Shield) is conducted to access our capability, capability if we are capable of protecting civilians who are facing imminent danger at short notice and so far the exercise is going very good all the peacekeepers are very happy with high morale as you can see the background. We just from conducting patrol and so far from what we have seen from the community the response very excellent.”
14. Various shots, vehicles driving through a muddy road
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Lieutenant Bright Makasa, Armored Personnel Carrier Commander:
“It hasn’t been easy but it’s really an honour for some of us to be part of the Swift Shield exercise especially at this crucial time in Sudan. We are happy to be contributing the little we can.”
16. Med shot, UN vehicle
STORY:
Last week, the United Nations (UN) Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) initiated preparatory steps to provide support to Sudan’s political process ahead of referenda due to be held in January 2011.
The UNMIS Military component conducted Operation Swift Shield - rehearsal patrols involving hundreds of peacekeepers, in Kadugli, Abyei, Diffra and Agok aimed at streamlining necessary procedures to provide limited logistic support to the referenda, to protect civilians and to deploy military support during emergencies.
Operation Swift Shield, the first of these exercises brought together soldiers in to their full regalia and armor.
SOUNDBITE (English) Major General Moses Bisong Obi, Force Commander, United Nations Mission in Sudan:
“The exercise is to encourage collective effort at rendering support to the people of Sudan and at protecting civilians. So the military provides the enabling environment alongside other security agencies and that gives other agencies the opportunity to perform their own role - to execute their own mandates in support of the people in Sudan.”
Operation Swift Shield holds tremendous significance for the UN as a whole, and in particular for UNMIS as it prepares and rehearses contingency situations for the upcoming conduct of the Referendum. The Force Reserve Battalion, one of the key ‘blue beret’ battalions within UNMIS, will play a crucial role in the operation by reinforcing the Team Site at Abyei with a Force Reserve Company from the Team Site at Kadugli.
SOUNDBITE (English): Major Mwamba Mulugubila, Peacekeeper on Operation Swift Shield:
“Operation Swift Code (Shield) is conducted to access our capability, capability if we are capable of protecting civilians who are facing imminent danger at short notice and so far the exercise is going very good all the peacekeepers are very happy with high morale as you can see the background. We just from conducting patrol and so far from what we have seen from the community the response very excellent.”
The Force Reserve Battalion has already carried out comprehensive preparations at Kadugli in order to prepare for possible tasks. Preparations have included the issuing of ‘Orders by the Company Commander’ and the revision of the ‘Rules of Engagement’ criteria.
The entire company has been inspected, with all weapons and equipment being thoroughly checked, and an afternoon and evening were dedicated to conducting rehearsals and a final inspection. The troops have a high degree of morale and are highly motivated for the impending operation. With such thorough preparation, the Force Reserve Battalion is supremely confident of achieving all its aims and bringing Operation Swift Shield to a very successful conclusion.
SOUNDBITE (English) Lieutenant Bright Makasa, Armored Personnel Carrier Commander:
“It hasn’t been easy but it’s really an honour for some of us to be part of the Swift Shield exercise especially at this crucial time in Sudan. We are happy to be contributing the little we can.”
But in country like Sudan where the roads are rough and it is logistically difficult to get around, this operation is crucial for the troops, as they assess what their extra needs may be as they interact with civilians along the way.
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