On Friday August 5 2011, I had a very important meeting with the new South Sudanese Police Commissioner at his office in Yei. We discussed a positive working relationship based on trust and open dialogue, something that has been missing with previous team leaders. We established a schedule of mandated tasks that will allow the SSPS  to develop its capacity to provide security, through establishing a more positive, and proactive relationship with the community's they serve.

The South Sudanese Police Have a number of uniform, I think they call this urban camo, they also have a green uniform that most of the street level officers wear.

Please forgive this picture, this is the police officer whose responsibility it is to provide protection to the Police commissioner, I tried to rotate this counter clock wise, but was met by resistance by the dreaded server goblins

We are returning to Yei from a patrol to Juba, the first and third vehicles are the military observers, who offered themselves to be our escorts. The trip took 3.5 hours one way, this was a great opportunity to go to the big UN base for some shopping and great food.

The above picture, we stopped outside a small village to stretch our legs, and these 2 adorable Sudanese children came down to investigate us.

In the morning I open my door, and these 2 creatures are there waiting, the orange one is AC (African cat) who has become rather PHAT.

This is looking across to my container , the rains have transferred this place into a little bit of paradise.

A true UN assembly of people, from left to right, 3 Indians, German, Polish, 2 Norwegians and security officer from Trinidad.

This picture was taken travelling north in the town of Yei

This picture was taken travelling north west, note the truck with all the water cans tied to the tarp

As you can see, the roads, well they could use some work, there are no traffic rules, its my belief that the larger your vehicle, the more right aways you will get.

The new mission (UNMISS)

Happy civic day, I guess that I have to apologize for my lack of desire to add to my blog.
July has been an interesting month to say the least. My team site here in Yei, was staffed with 26 police officers, over the past 3 weeks all but 3 of them have either been repatriated home, or sent to a new team site. They say that change is good for you, and I would agree with that, last week I received 5 new police officers with vigor to get on with the job, which I couldn't say about the some of the officers that were transferred out of here. The mission has changed from UNMIS (mission in Sudan) to UNMISS (mission in southern Sudan) along with that came the liquidation phase of the old mission. That consisted of the movement of personnel and materials from the northern team sites and Khartoum to the new mission HQ in Juba. Yei is now classified as a county support base, the staffing levels have been reduced to 10 police advisers from the 26 that I enjoyed for the past 6 months. along with that comes the challenges of providing the best mandated services to the SSPS, with the 10 officers. The head of mission stated in a interview the other day that the new mission will be up and running by December............just in time for me to Check out.
On a personal side I have been good, although lately I have been feeling quite tired, but no malaria and no other medical issues [:) knock on wood. I am planning on taking my next CTO in September, I think by then I will truly appreciate a break from the daily routine that consumes all of us here in South Sudan.
I talk to my beautiful wife a couple of times a week, who keeps me in the loop of the going ons of Shawville. My son aj is applying to get on the Job in Calgary, and has his interview on August 2, I would say good luck, however luck has nothing to do with it, he has been preparing for this career his whole life, and I know in my heart that he would be an excellent addition to the Calgary Police Service. I think that it would be nice to have my son on the job, it would give me somebody to harass on a daily basis.
I understand that it is policy for IPOB Peace operations branch to have Canadians posted in pairs to the team sites. My partner Brian has been repatriated back to Canada after 7 months of honourable service, I wish him and his family all the best. I hope that they see fit to leave me here for the rest of my mission, I came here to immerse myself in foreign cultures, in a sense to escape from the Canadian way for a year. So far it has worked out very well, the other day I was on a patrol to Juba with a Kenyan, Sudanese, Norwegian, Nepalese, sierra leonnese, and a Peruvian. Last night I was having a drink with a Russian, Norwegian, and a security officer from Trinidad, so for those of you looking for a break from the Canadian way of life, this is the mission for you.
Signing off from Yei

The singing of O Canada

Medal and certificate presentation

Most of the Canadian contingent, including the Canadian ambassador from Khartoum

Team Site Yei

This is what the locals made up for the Canada Day party

I have no idea who this is, My job was to hand out all the Canadian flags

Party on

The party was a blast, there was around 70 UN staff members who attended

On July 1 2011, most of the Canadian contingent travelled to Juba to receive our United Nations Sudan Medal

Uncertain Times

Well here I am sitting in my office, the first day summer, well maybe in Canada, but here in South Sudan, there are 2 seasons, dry and wet.
 It is an anxious time right now, July 9 will be Independence day for the South. The UN in New York had deemed this to be the end of mission for UNMIS. What does this mean to me, and the other 10 Canadians that are currently serving in UNMIS.  Well on July 10, will be the start of a new mission UNMISS United Nations Mission in Southern Sudan, all I know for sure, there are rumours that suggest that the police strength will be cut in half, as well it is unknown if any of the Canadians will be invited to participate in the new mission.
What I do know is that all of our CTO (time off) that was scheduled past July 9, has been cancelled, and any accumulated CTO cannot be transferred to the new mission.
We were told that all of the police contributing countries had a very important meeting in New York Yesterday to discuss the new mission, so we'll wait and see.
All this information and rumours have added to the challenges that I face as the team site leader, I find myself putting out fires, and calming the troops, who put too much truth to the rumours. I find myself saying "it is what it is" lets stay focused, lets support each other, and when I hear something that is factual, I will let you know.
I think this is exciting, from what I have heard about the new mission, its going to be leaner and meaner, focusing on training, pushing the SSPS to new levels of operational and adminastrative abilities.
So we wait, all of us, for the impending decisions from New York, that will leave some folks realing with relief, while other with dismay.