- an Air Force officer's story
When Afghanistan peacekeeper Wing Commander Logan Cudby became caught up in the riot in Jalalabad earlier this year in which 24 people were killed, it was almost a case of deja vu.
After the rioters eventually dispersed he was left with the uniform he was wearing and his escape bag. His United Nations base was stoned and attacked by the rioters, and his accommodation gutted by fire.
It was not an entirely new experience for the RNZAF officer; he found himself in a similar situation in East Timor in 1999 when militia attacked the United Nations headquarters in Liquica, firing into the compound and then forcing their way in. The United Nations staff in the building at the time broke down the rear wall of the compound and drive off in their vehicles, with then- Squadron Leader Cudby leading the convoy. He was later awarded the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration for his bravery and leadership in Liquica and during patrols in Dili while the militia was on the rampage.
Wing Commander Cudby returned home to New Zealand recently after completing his six-month United Nations deployment in Jalalabad, Nangahar Province. He was the first New Zealand Defence Force officer to work as a military adviser to UNAMA, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. (The NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team, which includes 123 NZDF personnel, is based in Bamyan in northern Afghanistan, two day's drive from Jalalabad).
The United States-led coalition force is still active in the Jalalabad area in its hunt for the Taleban and Al Qaeda. It is an area known for its lucrative narcotic crops and for sporadic incidents of cross-border mortar engagements, bomb attacks and other anti-government behaviour.
UNAMA's role is to help the people of Afghanistan build a peaceful, democratic and stable government, governed by the rule of law. It also helps coordinate humanitarian relief, monitors and reports on human rights issues, and provides political oversight and coordination of the work being done by other UN agencies in the country.
"My day to day role involved advising the UN' s head office on militia activity in the area, and how it was effecting the political situation. Military advisers can also advise the coalition, at a local level, about the impact of its actions in the area, and whether certain courses of action were achieving what the UN wanted.”
The role, he discovered, involved a lot of talking, and remaining constantly on guard.
"It was important to maintain an overall view of what was going on at all times, and think of further ramifications. I found I had to step outside personal emotions - I saw some pretty horrific things - and to resist having a 'pet project'. Military advisers have to think about the region as a whole, and the possible impact certain actions may have."
Wing Commander Cudby, who has completed peacekeeping duties in Somalia, Bosnia, Macedonia and East Timor, says his experience in Afghanistan provided him with the opportunity to work at a strategic level, as distinct from a tactical level, and to try and look further into the future of what is a very complex society.
"The human rights issues were the most difficult to handle. As a Kiwi and an individual, you help if you can, but it was important to remain impartial in what is a very different culture."
The riot in which he came under attack was sparked by a magazine's incorrect claim that Americans had flushed a Koran down a toilet. It began relatively peacefully, but soon got out of hand, with rioters setting alight government buildings and stoning UN vehicles.
"Our headquarters was about a kilometre from the town centre, and we could see the fires working their way towards us. We had six armed guards, but they had had little riot control training. They managed to turn the crowds back at first, but then someone started throwing rocks. Against instructions, the guards fired warning shots, this aggravated the crowd and they swept forward on the guards, who quickly departed the area.
"We barred the gates and drove a vehicle against them. The crowd threw rocks and two improvised explosive devices into the compound. They lit a fire against the gate and torched a car that had been left on the street." The only military person at the scene at the time - there were about 50 civilians in the building - Wing Commander Cudby moved forward into the compound's watchtower. The police regrouped and began firing into the crowd. The crowd moved away, but continued heading south, burning anything related to the UN on its way.
"Protests were always happening about something, but this one, due to a peculiar combination of conditions, got out of hand. We are trained to cope with riots, but it was not an experience I'd like to repeat in a hurry." Wing Commander Cudby is now based at NZDF Headquarters in Wellington. He has been replaced by Wing Commander Dave Green, who is working as the UNAMA military coordinator in Kabul.
In a report released recently by Brigadier General Karl-Alexander Wohlgemuth, the senior representative of the UN Secretary General, Wing Commander Cudby’s actions during the evacuation of the UNAMA office are described as "courageous, professional and an inspiration to his civilian co-workers."
Image caption: Wing Commander Cudby with local men in Jalalabad.
Troops depart for Afghanistan
New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel deploying to Afghanistan were farewelled by Joint Force Commander Major General Lou Gardiner and Christchurch Member of Parliament Ruth Dyson on July 20.
The deployment of the 123 personnel replaces the current New Zealandled Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) located in the Bamyan Province of Afghanistan.
"The New Zealand PRT plays an important role in restoring and maintaining stability in the Bamyan Province. The team assists the Afghan Government by promoting reconstruction in Bamyan and assessing civil, political and military reform efforts. The team conducts liaison patrols throughout the province, and interacts with members of the community at all levels," said Major General Gardiner. "A significant achievement for the PRT was the registration and participation of the people of Bamyan in last year's presidential elections. Over 90% of the Bamyan Province registered to vote with almost 50% being women. The PRT that has just deployed will be assisting with the parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for September and I’m sure they will continue the good work of their predecessors."
Major General Gardiner acknowledged that the situation in Afghanistan still poses a security challenge.
"I have confidence in the professionalism and expertise of our personnel. They have already earned great respect for their contributions to stability in Afghanistan. New Zealand’s PRT in Bamyan has received high praise from both within Afghanistan and from other countries for its work." Beth Gibbens, 3, farewells her dad, Army medic Sergeant Keryn Gibbens, while mum Chris, and sister Emma (six months) look on.