Trips to Bor

Part of my Job is to travel and assist other UNPOL (United Nations Police) Advisors co-locate with the SSPS (South Sudan Police Service), which is really interesting as I will see a lot of South Sudan and meet a lot of other police officers. My first visit was to Bor which is the Capital of Jonglei State. Jonglei State has made a lot of international news with the recent tribal cattle raids. Hundreds of people in the State have been killed by raids and retaliation raids. The tribes have raided historically each other for hundreds of years but with the addition of automatic weapons and experience in modern warfare from the civil war with Sudan the numbers of people killed and hurt have increased dramatically. I ended up going to Bor twice in 2 weeks. There is a good bunch of UNPOL there who really are trying to help the SSPS pacify the area.

My ride out to Bor, I was hoping to ride in one of the Russian helicopters.

A meeting with the SSPS and the State Police Commissioner, and some high ranking State police colonels. The SSPS in Bor are in a tough position as the State is the largest in South Sudan and has three main tribes that are in conflict which each other. UNPOL officers and the SSPS are often working together on police issues. I respect the tenacity of the SSPS as South Sudan is a new nation and they work with limited resources to police their country. Canadian police officers have it pretty good compared to what these officers work with.  

A meeting with some elders at a Payom (village) just outside Bor. The Elders were very polite and offered us the shade and chairs. The Payom is along the Nile, it was very hot out about 40 degrees, the Nile looked so inviting until i remembered the crocodiles.

Some members of the Livestock Protection Unit; these officers (SSPS) patrol for cattle raiders. There is a lot of raiding on a small scale almost daily. In December 2011 thousands of youths from one tribe raided, killing a lot of people in the process. I have left out tribe names as there is a long history of tribal warfare, no one side is to blame. There is a strong need to bring peace to this area and the SSPS have a big job to do.

More LPU with one of their patrol vehicles. The Officer in the brown camo uniform is Tobias a co-worker and friend.

Bor town, that lady is carrying a bed roll on her head. The South Sudanese women work hard all day.  A lot of the women can carry heavy loads on their heads with exceptional balance and grace. There are wells throughout the Joglei State some women will carry water for miles daily.

On our patrol we came across a troop of baboons; they saw and took off with only the large males watching us.

My ride back to Juba