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As a peacekeeper you are contributing to Q: What are the challenges that tion of terrorist activities in the region,
maintaining peace and stability in this you are facing? and this region is adjacent to Western
region and the world. Our military ob- Sahara, so this is also another matter of
servers are contributing to maintaining One of our main challenges is how concern. You know about the presence
peace and stability in the Western to deal with the security situation in of landmines and unexploded ordinance
Sahara. They are also representing their Western Sahara, in particular in the in Western Sahara. Many of these ordi-
countries to MINURSO, so each mem- eastern part close to Mauritania. That nances are lying scattered in the area.
ber may take pride in representing their is close to the region where you have Some of them have been identified and
country. terrorist activities -- and our obser- marked, while others are not, so there
vers are unarmed. The parties are res- are minefields and unexploded ordi-
Many of the observers have also served ponsible for giving them protection. We nance throughout the area. Our obser-
in other UN peacekeeping missions, are a little concerned about the security vers have to patrol in the areas that are
and they contribute to the mission by situation in the region because it has an being marked. Any deviation from the
bringing their experience and sharing it impact in Western Sahara. Our concern marked routes can result in an accident,
with others. is how to protect our people and to carry so this is a big challenge for us.
out patrols without being affected by the
Q: In the middle of the desert, how terrorist activities. The isolation of our team sites is another
do your people communicate if concern. They are in isolated areas far
something happens to them? Q: Do you feel that there is an in- away from one another in the middle of
crease in insecurity? the desert. Maintaining moral and dis-
Every patrol vehicle is equipped with cipline -- how to maintain a high mo-
VHF communication and also HF com- You are aware that there was an abduc- ral and perform efficiently -- are other
munication. The patrol is in constant tion of three humanitarian aid workers areas of concern and a challenge for the
communication with the team-site and recently in Tindiouf, which is not far military components.
also with our headquarters. Mobile pa- from Western Sahara. It took place in a
trols call every half an hour and give refugee camp and close to the site of the
their location, reporting back to their Polisario government -- so it's a mat-
base. Such communication is vital. ter of concern. We also have informa-

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