UNFICYPMedal Paradein Pyla

Military SkillsTested

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The 2005 Nobel peace prize has gonejointly to Mohamed ElBaradei and the

International Atomic Energy Agency heleads, the Nobel committee announced inOslo on 7 October. ElBaradei was recentlyconfirmed as IAEA director for a thirdterm. The prize of 10 million Swedish

crowns ($1.29m) will be presented inDecember in Oslo.

In keeping with tradition, it is awardedin the Norwegian capital, while the otherNobel prizes – for excellence in physics,chemistry, medicine and literature – areawarded in Stockholm.

3November 2005 - The Blue Beret

THE BLUE BERET

Published monthly by the:Public Information OfficeUnited Nations Peacekeeping Force inCyprusHQ UNFICYPPO Box 216421590 NicosiaCyprus

Tel: 2261-4550/4416/4408Fax: 2261-4461E-mail: unficyp-blue-beret@un.org

blueberetcyprus@hotmail.comWebsite:www.unficyp.org

Editorial TeamBrian KellyAnne BurseyCapt. Stefan ZemanovicMiriam TaylorAldo HenríquezSgt. Adrián Artimovic (Photographer)

Unit Press OfficersSector 1 Capt. Bruno VaraniSector 2/MFR Capt. Anna Halloran Sector 4 MSgt. Silvia Lojanová

Capt. Tibor BereczUNPOL Sgt. Jim FlanaganUN Flt Lt. Wenceslao BonaFMPU Capt. Jozef Sventek

The Blue Beret is UNFICYP’s in-housejournal. Views expressed are of theauthors concerned, and do not neces-sarily conform with official policy.Articles of general interest (plus photoswith captions) are invited from allmembers of the Force.Copyright of all material is vested in UNpublications, but may be reproducedwith the Editor’s permission.

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2 November 2005 - The Blue Beret

Front Cover: UNFICYP Medal Parade in Pyla

Back Cover: Military Skills Tested

ContentsEditorial/Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Dag Hammarskjöld/Nobel Peace Prize awarded . .3

UNFICYP Medal Parade in Pyla . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

Military Skills Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-8

International Days: Tolerance/

Elimination of Violence Against Women . . . . . .9

Sector 2 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Remembrance Sunday/Bonfire Night . . . . . . . .11

Keeping up with the Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

New Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

De-Mining Update/Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Sporting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

IAEA Awarded Nobel Peace Prize

On 22 November, UNFICYP and the SwedishEmbassy in Cyprus co-hosted a special eveningin Ledra Palace to mark the 100th anniversary of

the birth of Dag Hammarskjöld, the United Nationssecond Secretary-General. Hammarskjöld served from7 April 1953 until his death in a plane crash at Ndola,Zambia, on 18 September 1961, at the height of theCongo crisis. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prizeposthumously.

As UNFICYP Force Commander Hebert Figoli said inhis welcoming address, Hammarskjöld was the fatherof UN peacekeeping, laying down many of the preceptsthat we now take for granted. UNEF, the UN’s firstpeacekeeping force, was formed during his first termas SG as a result of the Suez crisis in 1956.

Dag Hammarskjöld was a diplomatic pioneer andpathfinder. He brought to the UN a combination of theself-effacing discipline of the career professional publiccivil servant and the aesthetic of the thoughtful vis-ionary. He was fierce in his defence of the Secretariat’sindependence, resisting the Soviet Union’s demand forhis resignation in 1960 over the handling of the Congocrisis, and again, in 1961, famously arguing the casefor an independent, international civil service.

Ambassador Ingemar Lindahl of Sweden pointedout how Hammarskjöld's legacy as Secretary-Generalwas his inventive diplomacy, which extended theinfluence of the World Organisation on the basis of itscharter, and his moral integrity as leader of theOrganisation, which made it possible to successfullyrealize his diplomatic initiatives.

He also noted how Kofi Annan had once said therecould be no better rule of thumb for a Secretary-General as he approaches each new challenge or crisisthan to ask himself how Hammarskjöld would havehandled this? How might Hammarskjöld have handledthe Cyprus situation?

Would he have been more successful than any ofhis five successors? “Despite all his diplomatic skillsand inventiveness, I am not so sure that he wouldhave been able to achieve much more than theymanaged, in close cooperation with the SecurityCouncil”, Ambassador Lindahl concluded.

He pointed out that frustrating all UN initiatives isthe fact that Cyprus, like some other regions in theworld, lacks one of the prerequisite for conflict solution– a culture of compromise. This had been commentedon by the first Swedish commander to serve withUNFICYP in 1964 and by the last in 1987. The samesentiment ran through the reports of Secretary-Generals Waldheim, Pérez de Cuellar and Boutros-Ghali to the Security Council.

The Ambassador quoted Pérez de Cuellar, who alsoserved as Special Representative in Cyprus: “After myefforts during more than 12 years I would like to des-cribe the Cyprus problem as a labyrinth from whichevery promising exit only leads back to the point ofdeparture.”

Lindahl pointed out how Sir Kieran Prendergast,“the latest UN envoy to Cyprus”, had reported lastJune that there remained “a considerable gap”between the positions of the two parties, making itdifficult to embark on a new UN initiative.

“Hammarskjöld believed that the UN must be anorganic instrument, all the time developing new formsof dynamic action to solve long-standing conflicts.Hopefully, that kind of belief and determination will beshown in the case of Cyprus also by his successors –as well as by the local political leaders – resulting in anew forward-looking initiative for the reunification ofthe island. In his literary testament, Waymarks(Markings), Hammarskjöld says that ‘only those whocan look forward will be able to find the way’.”

Later, two speakers from Sweden – Professor PeterWallensteen, conflict resolution expert and holder ofthe Dag Hammarskjöld chair at Uppsala University,and Ambassador Kaj Falkman, writer, diplomat, author,President of the Swedish Haiku Society, and formerspecial adviser on the Cyprus issue to the SwedishForeign Minister – spoke respectively of Hammarskjöld’sdiplomatic achievements as Secretary-General andabout his creative persona as writer, poet andphilosopher.

Dag HammarskjöldCentenary markedat Ledra Palace

Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld at a pressconference in June 1961

Ambassador Lindahl with Senior Adviser Susan Allee,Ambassador Falkman and Professor Wallensteen atthe old Nicosia International Airport

Building Tolerance

The month featured two significant internationaldays. One, 16 November, is dedicated to promotingInternational (and communal) Tolerance. Thesecond, 25 November, the day dedicated worldwideto the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

In his 16 November message, the Secretary-General notes that intolerance, a global issue, is onthe increase in many parts of the world at local ornational level. This is why efforts to promote globalnorms against intolerance need to be combined withlocal, national and especially individual measures.

Sadly, intolerance of “the other”, whether basedon race, ethnicity or creed, is all too pervasive inthis day’s world. Instead of celebrating andrecognizing the diversity that so uniquely enrichesthe human condition, communities too often retreatinto themselves behind barricades of fear andignorance.

This fear of the unknown, of the “other”, is rootedin ignorance, and leaves the community the victim ofa hostile mindset that attacks what it does not knowrather than explore what makes us different.

Building tolerance takes time and effort. It cannotbe achieved overnight. Education is the key. Theschool system is where we inculcate the citizens oftomorrow with the values of tolerance, human rightsand fundamental freedoms.

Beyond the schools, we do well to remember thatadults too can benefit from learning about theunderpinnings of tolerance. As parents, lawmakers,and law-enforcers, for example, informed adult rolemodels can be catalysts for progress and openness inmulticultural communities.

The same is true when it comes to the drive toeliminate violence against women because on thisissue there are no grounds for tolerance and nottolerable excuses.

november 2005.qxp 12/6/2005 3:14 PM Page 3

4 5November 2005 - The Blue BeretNovember 2005 - The Blue Beret

Pyla’s First Medal Parade –Chief of Mission’s LastPyla’s First Medal Parade –Chief of Mission’s Last

As the sun disappeared over the top of the UNPOLStation, members of the UN Police Component ofUNFICYP stood to receive their UN Medal from

Chief of Mission Zbigniew Wlosowicz. On 17 November,the UNPOL medal parade took place in the lovelyvillage of Pyla.

It was the SRSG’s final medal parade as he nearsthe end of his assignment after five and a half yearswith UNFICYP. In his speech, he commended themedal recipients “who serve the community, bothinternational and local, and in doing so, represent afine example of diversity and multiculturalism atwork”. In all, there were 39 medal recipients fromseven countries – Argentina, Australia, Bosnia, the

Netherlands, India, Ireland and Italy. The assembledpolice officers in their magnificent array of dressuniforms from four different continents presented atruly United Nations spectacle. A sense of duty andpride were clearly the order of the day.

Pyla, the only bi-communal village in the bufferzone, is home to one of UNPOL’s 10 stations. It isunder the command of Supt. Liam Mayock fromIreland. Supt. Mayock has been stationed there sinceFebruary last. During this time, he and his colleagueshave become friendly with the mayors, muhktars andthe people of this and surrounding villages. Org-anising the UNPOL Medal Parade with Senior PoliceAdviser Carla Van Maris, Liam focused on a bi-communal

theme in a spirit of strengthening the link between thepeople of Pyla and UNPOL. This was achieved in nosmall measure.

Pyla residents, UNPOL officers and their familieswere joined by many guests including Irish Ambassa-dor John Swift, Dutch Ambassador M.E.C. Gevers,Italian Ambassador Luigi Napolitano, Deputy AustralianHigh Commissioner John Morrison, Papal Envoy Fr.Umberto Barato, and Indian High Commission DeputySecretary Anil Kumba, as well as visiting IrishAssistant Commissioner of Police Noel Smyth.

Many thanks go to the members of the Royal IrishRegiment Band, under the baton of Capt. Alex Knox,who so skillfully played the national anthems of the

UNPOL contingents. The band also entertained thecrowd with a repertoire of well-known tunes.

The UNPOL officers put a great deal of effort intopreparing the village for the occasion. However thesuccess was not theirs alone. Thanks are also due toSLOVCON Sector 4, who provided the catering,BRITCON, who provided logistical support, ARGCON,who helped with the driving, Sgt. John Henderson andhis staff from the FMPU, Sgt. Lisa Coleman and Ms.Diana Bridger for helping prepare the special pro-gramme booklet, and, of course, Force PhotographerSgt. Adrián Artimovic.

On behalf of the Senior Police Adviser, a big thankyou to all.

“.... Pyla

is a village

we in the

UN hold in

special

regard ....”

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The alarm went off. It was 4:30a.m. – zero:dark-hundred.Threw on my uniform and took

the dogs out for a quick trot aroundthe block. The temp was ninedegrees and not raining, a greatrelief. I had to meet my UNFICYPHQ teammates in 40 minutes tosign out weapons at the MFR. Thatday, 23 November, was the 10thUNFICYP Military Skills Competition(MSC) and so, eating my usuallylarge breakfast was out of thequestion if I wanted to avoidcramps at the very first event ofthe day – a 5.5 km run with a rifleand 12 kilos on my back!

After three months of 6:00 a.m.runs, assault course bruising and amere six hours of practice at theshooting range (never held aweapon in my life before that), thebig day had finally arrived. At MSC

Excon in the centre of the UNPA, 10teams of six queued up like sheepawaiting orders from WO2 RobertPomfret for the weigh-in at 5:15a.m. This MSC, each of the threesectors nominated two teams (Aand B) while the UNPA had teamsHQ, UNPOL, and amixed team com-prising MFR, ForceEngineers, FMPUand UN Flight.Bergen and web-bing were slungonto the scales. Mykit was overweightby two kilos (toomuch extra warmclothing, I guess).After tipping outtwo bottles of waterand re-weighing,WO2 Pomfret gave

his blessing with a “good-to-goAnne”. By now, I had only 10minutes to prepare for the WeaponRun and the sun was still hiding herwarming rays.

Despite the cold darkness, Icould tell the energy was high with

November 2005

The Blue Beret’s AnneBursey reviews thecompetition from acivilian competitor’sperspective

most teams joking around whilegearing up. Never having run witha rifle before (being a first-timecivilian competitor), I struggled toget the sling organised whilewalking over to the race start,when suddenly, the Chief of Staffsounded the start horn at 6:00a.m., and the race was underway.

I thought I had trained well andgood enough for this moment, butwhat I discovered within the nextfive minutes taught me there isnever enough TRAINING! The gunrun course in the last competitionconsisted of a 5.9 km stretch alongflat and paved roads. This year, theCOS and Lt. Col. Núñez were clearlyin cahoots with their brilliantconcept to add a new twist. Whynot make it a little more challen-ging? Nothing like carving out fivetreacherous burms; throw inseveral steep climbs and why notmake it a bumpy and muddy cross-country trail? Brilliant! I had toslow down to a walk several timesto catch my breath. To say thecourse was difficult would be agross understatement! Despite mylate crossing of the finish line, our

team placed third, thanks to thetop guns on my HQ team.

The sun by this time was up andshining bright. Those who survivedthe gruelling test intact made mefeel out of my league. The 12-hourday ahead was to take each teamthrough eight stands. The UNFICYPquestionnaire test included somehilarious multiple-choice answers:e.g. “In the Code of Conduct, whatshould a Peacekeeper refrain fromdoing?” Choice 3. Sunbathe).

We moved on to the WeaponRun; Cross Country Driving; MapReading and Orienteering: Shoot-ing; Incident Reaction; Patrol and

Observation; ending up with thedreaded Obstacle Course. The bestpart of the day, aside from shufflingfrom stand to stand encouraged bymy never-less-than-supportive teammates, was crossing paths with somany colleagues. This was unlikethe races I had run previously,where you just don’t get to sharethe moment with so many familiarfaces.

My favourite stand was theIncident Reaction where theatricswere high. I found myself chuck-ling quite a bit – nerves, I hate toadmit. As with all stands, beforethe start we were read a scenarioof what we were about to enter. Inthis case, an accident had occurredin a minefield just ahead. Ourteam captain, Maj. Varvölgyi, leadsthe way in. We approach thesituation with caution, since wewere advised there were “huntersin the buffer zone”. We spread out,re-enacting a patrol, when sudden-ly, a “stranger” rushes over to usshouting hysterically. Maj. Varvölgyipulls him gently aside to calm theman and to probe for informationabout the situation. Maj. Wrighthits the radio and begins to call outthe signs to explain it all to the“JOC”. The fictitious scenarioopened out to a small clearingwhere a woman lay screaming,arms flailing, lying in a pool of“blood”. I could see that she hadlost a leg. Straight ahead there wasa soldier and a man ran toward us(the accident victim’s husband)while to our right, the refereeswatched carefully. The FMOfollowed our every step along thepaved road jotting down notes onour moves. At first I was ordered tostand guard, then sent to talk tothe screaming woman as we had to

7November 2005 - The Blue Beret

Team HQ UNFICYP struggles with thejerry can on the Obstacle Course

6 November 2005 - The Blue Beret

Military Skills CompetitionNovember 2005

Military Skills Competition

Sector 2 deal with the “casualty” at the Incident Reaction stand.

SLOVCON fired it up at the Shooting stand

Sector 1 slugs it out in the ObstacleCourse mud

FC, COO, CO Sector 2 and Chief Controller Núñez joinSector 2’s B winning members – Lt. Andy Greaves, WO2Ian Battersby, Cpl. Rial Dastur, Bdr. Damien Winnard,LBdr. James Webster and Pte. Nina Qarau

Team HQ UNFICYP’s Maj. Varvölgyi places thirdoverall in the Weapon Run

Capt. Anna O’Halloran, teamSector 2A.

Miserable conditions on theDriving Course.

Sector 1 ticks the Map Readingexam.

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November 2005 - The Blue Beret 9

1. Diversity in Your Community

Wherever you live, the wide diversity of your communitywill probably surprise you. It has been said that a cultureis the sum total of all the influences that a region hasundergone. Undertake an investigative project on culturaldiversity in your town or community. Who lives there? Howdo they live? Articles, interviews, posters or displays can bedesigned to highlight the range of identities and cultures.

2. Human Rights

How are the rights of persons belonging to national, ethnic,religious, linguistic or other minorities guaranteed in yourcommunity, nation, region? How about indigenous people,migrant workers, asylum-seekers and refugees, disabledpeople? Are their rights promoted and protected? Are law-enforcement officials adequately educated about humanrights? Can you improve attitudes or behaviour towardminorities?

3. Do-lt-Yourself Tolerance Programme

Write your own tolerance curriculum or programme. Thismeans deciding what the component parts of tolerance are,and how you think such values can best be transmitted.Scrutinise text books and TVs, newspapers and magazinesfor stereotyping, including gender typing, and assumptionsabout nationalities and ethnic groups. What are the toler-ance priorities for your town, country or region?

4. No to Violence

How does violence enter a community, school or home,and how can it be stopped? Act out the dynamics oftolerance and intolerance through role playing, dialogue,dilemma solving. Organise public debates, take sides, thenswitch sides and speak for the opposite position. How doyou imagine peaceful co-existence of diverse individualsand groups? What makes it work?

5. Ecological Diversity and Human Diversity

Every community is based on interdependence. Like the

plants and animals, we couldn’t survive if we were all thesame. Some examples of this truth drawn from daily life inyour town? Concrete examples of how a culture of peaceand tolerance can promote environmental preservation?

6. Religious Tolerance

Organise an event, with the participation of differentreligious and non-religious groups in the community, todiscuss how tolerance is taught. How is tolerance taught bythe different religions of the world, including the traditionsof indigenous peoples? Each of them, in its own way, isfounded on love and justice, and cannot be used to justifyviolence or war. Dialogue and discussion between repre-sentatives of many religious groups is a tradition that goesback centuries.

7. Current Events

Organise discussions about current events in relation totolerance and intolerance. What are the fundamental rightsand freedoms recognised by the international community?How do multi-cultural, multi-linguistic countries work? Whatare the common interests that diverse peoples share?

8. Sports and Tolerance

What are international sporting events, and what is theirpurpose? What are the possible links between sports andintolerance (such as exclusion of those unable to compete,competitive chauvinism and violence) and how may thesebe remedied?

9. Creativity at Work

Examine the work of an artist from another region of theworld. What does it communicate to you? Create shortstories, plays, poems, songs, articles, paintings, posters,photographs, or videos elucidating the themes of tolerance,and publish or distribute them.

10. International Link-ups

Start an international conversation or school-pairingproject, by mail or computer.

International Day of ToleranceInternational Day of Tolerance

Fighting intolerance in all its forms has been fundamental to the work of the UN for 60 years. The InternatinalDay of Tolerance was celebrated on 16 November. In his message, the Secretary-General noted how mankind’s

acceptance of the diversity so characteristic of the human condition has been “painfully lacking”, and whyintolerance of the “other” remains a source of great and everyday human suffering.

To help observe the day, a set of guidelines has been put together to help stimulate creative thinking inmunicipalities and parliaments, schools and universities, clubs and associations, work places, non-governmentalorganisations, and the media.

Building tolerance and trust in diverse communities is not done overnight, but takes time and commitment.Building tolerance requires access to education. Intolerance is often rooted in ignorance and fear: fear of theunknown, of the "other", other cultures, religions and nations. Intolerance is also closely linked to an exaggeratedsense of self-worth and pride: notions taught and learned at an early age. Therefore, there is a need to place greateremphasis on educating children about tolerance, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

However, education does not end in school. Adults – as individuals capable of committing acts of intolerance, butmore importantly in their capacity as parents, law-makers and law-enforcement officials – also need to be considereda priority target of educational efforts.

While the problem of intolerance is global, in the sense that it is on the increase in many parts of the world, themanifestations of intolerance usually take on local or national forms. Thus, in order to be effective, global normsagainst intolerance need to be combined with local, national and not least individual measures.

The ideas below are a starting point for thinking about how to boost the promotion of tolerance.

keep her conscious until “medicalhelp arrived via helicopter”. How-ever, I am warned not to enter theminefield where the “victim” lies.Helpless, I shouted to her, askedher name (Rebecca) and told her:“why the chicken crossed the road”jokes (she laughed). Suddenly,Rebecca stopped shouting. Beforewe could determine the designatedsafe way into the minefield(through a cement walkway), shestopped moving. Rebecca “died”on us! OK, so this stinks. We endup making our way into theminefield safely, and even thoughthe victim has “stopped breathing”,we applied first aid, tried to stopthe “bleeding” and carried her outof the area to await the “helicop-ter”. We lost several points forletting Rebecca “die”, but overall,we did alright in my book.

I had a great time watching myteam strut their

stuff. It is allvery excitingas a civilianto watchwhat them i l i t a r y

are trainedto do. Thes i t u a t i o nwas quicklyassessed,everyoneh a dt h e i rordersa n d

actions seemed to fall into place asstandard procedure.

Last stand, the mother of allMSC events – the Obstacle Course.In summary – it was miserably wetand muddy, my heart was up in mythroat the entire duration and Ithought my arms were going to ripright off from carrying thosewretched jerry cans. With friendsand colleagues cheering along thesidelines the pressure was defi-nitely on to move fast. No time tostop to rest the heavy weight onthe ground. I was caked with mudand could barely grip the walls thatI was being hurled over. Like clock-work we pushed on, whizzing overwalls, under wires and throughtunnels (except when I fell steppingthrough those miserable tyres!). Ilove that trick my teammate, Maj.Moon, so effortlessly pulls off –races up to a 12-foot concrete wall,propels off the face with one footand rockets up over the top, grab-bing the edge to pull himself overin one swoop. Easy (hmmf). Theassault course is the ugliest andmost exhilarating stand in thecompetition.

Crossing the finish was likenothing I had experienced before.The competition was finally over. Iwas on a high. ARGCON hadbrought along drummers whopounded out their war-path beats;SLOVCON, wearing black head-bands and laughing so hard, rolledon the ground at the finish linechanting: “Ticky tick, ticky tick”(?);and UNPOL’s team was all smiles,walking around like zombies,smeared with mud up to their ear-lobes. It was a terrific scene,imbued with the senses of accom-plishment, relief and team spirit. Iwas glad to be there, even thoughmy back was aching.

FC Maj. Gen. Figoli, like a proudfather, handed out the day’sawards. First place, Sector 2B,

second, Sector 1A; third, Sector2A. Congratulations to all competi-tors for their pre-race trainingefforts, for waking up at 4:30 a.m.and laughing all the way to thefinish. And a very special thanks toSarah Staples for free delivery of

flap jacks and tea; to the DS whocommandeered each stand; to theumpires who made the tough callsand occasionally negotiated dis-putes; and especially to the ChiefController, Lt. Col. Núñez, for hisclever course design and forrunning the competition’s seamlessschedule.

My aching back will forever begrateful!

AB

Dirty laundry for everyone..

Team Place Weapon Driving Question Navex. Shooting Incident Patrol ObstacleRun Reaction Observe Course

Sect 2-B 1 3 1 5 6 2 5 1 3

Sect 1-A 2 2 2 8 4 1 4 8 1

Sect 2-A 3 6 4 2 7 3 3 2 7

MFR 4 5 3 1 5 4 2 10 5

Sect 1-B 5 7 10 7 2 4 6 4 2

HQ 6 4 8 9 1 8 7 2 4

UN Mixed 7 8 5 4 3 4 10 6 8

Sect 4-A 8 1 9 2 10 9 9 4 6

UNPOL 9 9 7 6 9 10 1 8 9

Sect 4-B 10 10 6 10 8 4 8 6 10Note: highest score 10, lowest score 1

Team Results

Chief Controller Lt. Col. Núñez

MSC

UNPOL’sSgt. JaninePeck up toher earlobesin mud afterthe ObstacleCourse.

8 November 2005 - The Blue Beret

International Day for the Elimination ofViolence Against WomenInternational Day for the Elimination ofViolence Against Women

Violence against women remains pervasive worldwide. It is the most atrocious manifestation of the systemicdiscrimination and inequality women continue to face, in law and in their everyday lives, around the world. It occursin every region, country, and culture, regardless of income, class, race or ethnicity.

Gender-based violence is also damaging to society as a whole. It can prevent women from engaging in productiveemployment, and girls from attending school. It makes women more vulnerable to forced and unprotected sex, whichplays a key role in the spread of HIV/AIDS. It takes a deep and enduring toll on the entire family, including and especiallythe next generation.

At the World Summit in September, leaders pledged to redouble efforts to eliminate all forms of violence againstwomen and the girl child. We know that this requires us to change the mindset, still all too common and deep-seated,that violence against women is acceptable. That means leadership in showing, by example, that when it comes toviolence against women and girls, there are no grounds for tolerance and no tolerable excuses. On this InternationalDay for the Elimination of Violence against Women, let us rededicate ourselves to that mission.

“

”

SG – 25 November 2005

november 2005.qxp 12/6/2005 3:14 PM Page 9

On the sportingfront...The Regimental rugby team, otherwise known asthe “Nicosia Stormers”, has had noticeable successto date, winning all four of its games against localteams. Most convincing was the 71-0 defeat ofLimassol!

Turning to the “beautiful game”, sad to say thatdespite training hard under the watchful eyes ofCapt. Anton Johnson, the football team has yet tomatch the guys with the oval ball. On their firstouting, they lost 6-1 to MFR (first match nerves, nodoubt)!

The Regiment also entered three teams in theDhekelia Dash, an event consisting of a 15-mileroute completed by 15 individuals, each running amile. Of 20+ teams, the Regiment finished second,beaten only by the resident battalion.

November 2005 - The Blue Beret10

The advance party from 12 Regt RA left from theirhome base in Paderborne, Germany, for Cypruson 23 September and was welcomed by tempera-

tures still in the high 30s. We were happy to takeadvantage of the last remaining warm weather beforeembarking on a crash course on the complexities ofthe unique environment that we are to work in for thenext six months.

Time on the ground was the main aim for thetroops, trying to learn in detail their areas of respon-sibility so that all had intimate knowledge of theopposing forces ceasefire lines, OPs and the mainareas of concern. The first few weeks were somewhatof a patrol-dominated blur. As surmised, both OPFORSwelcomed us with unexpected incidents designed totest our diplomacy!

The month of October was busy for Sector 2, pre-senting many more challenges than patrols andincident-reactions. For one thing, there was the Chiefof Staff’s inspection, devised to ensure operationaleffectiveness.

The 3 November cocktail party was a great oppor-tunity to invite guests from all over the island,including SRSG Chief of Mission Zbigniew Wlosowicz,

Force Commander Maj. Gen. Hebert Figoli and BritishHigh Commissioner Peter Millett. The preparation forthis began long before the event. The Ledra PalaceHotel facelift, particularly the gardens, was acclaimedby many. The evening was a great success. Guestsand members of Sector 2 enjoyed drinks, nibbles andgood conversation near the swimming pool. Musicalentertainment included the Royal Irish Band, theRegiment’s Fijians and also a local group.

Sector 2 News

12 Regt Fijians creating a warm atmosphere

The Royal Irish Band

Right: Bdr. Lee Pearn chasestough competition at the Dhekelia Dash

Stepping out at a successful reception

The annual Bonfire Night, 5 November,took place in the area behind UNDP’soffices. The traditional event was formally

opened this year by the Force Commander’swife, Nelida Scarone, who lit the bonfire. Theevent started at 6.00 p.m., and by 6.30 p.m.,the place was packed!

The organising committee’s efforts toencourage more families to attend paid off.Over 700 civilian, military and police membersarrived, many with dependents and friends, somuch so that the evening recorded the bestattendance in years.

An excellent array of food was prepared byHUNCON and UN Flight. However, so great wasthe turnout that the 600 catered for wasexceeded. Meal tickets had to be refunded atthe end of the evening. Many apologies tothose who did not eat!

However, no one starved. There were sau-sage stands, sweet corn and candy floss runby local stall holders. There was also a beertent and a children’s entertainment area runby BRITCON.

One of the main attrac-tions was the HIVE tent,with lots of competitionsfor the children includingpainting (all age groups),a lucky dip and the "bestguy for the bonfire".Fund-raising activitiesincluded a sale of home-baked cakes (thanks toBRITCON wives) and asale of old library books.Raffle prizes were don-ated by the local hoteland tourist industry, andthe NAAFI provided thestar prize of a colour TV.

The most popular stall was the tombola. It attracteda huge and continuous stream of visitors with a selec-tion of prizes donated by individuals and outside organi-sations – from bottles of spirits to weekends away, etc.

Nothing, however, could outshine the star event –the fireworks display. A local company, M.J.D. PyrgosFireworks Ltd. of Larnaca, provided an impressiveshow of dazzling pyrotechnics which lit up the nightskies, giving all present 15 minutes of spectacularentertainment.

Many thanks to all who provided individual supportto the stands for their enthusiasm in making the eventso memorable, particularly for the children; to Maj. FredReid as overall coordinator for the event; to the smallband of women from the HIVE; and all those who joinedin. Hopefully you will all be with us next year for an evenmore memorable event.

Alex Boyd, Chairman, Welfare Committee

On Sunday 13 November,more than 300 peoplegathered to remember the

victims of war at the BRITCONRemembrance Service led by thepadre, Rev. Stephen Hancock.

The service took place inWayne’s Keep cemetery in thebuffer zone, an appropriate andscenic location. With the Kyreniamountains as a backdrop, wor-shippers sat among the head-stones of the fallen under thewatchful eye of the Turkish OPs.

The two-minute silencecommenced with the firing of a12-pound field gun provided by12 Regt RA. The commitmentand hard work of the Regimenthelped ensure a poignant service.Afterwards, the Regiment cateredfor the Royal British Legion lunchin the Ledra Palace.

Representatives from manycountries within UNFICYP atten-ded and 23 wreaths were laidunder the direction of theBRITCON, SO2 Maj. MarkGrieveson. Music was providedby members of the Band of theRoyal Irish Regiment. PadreHancock noted the significanceof the occasion, saying it was“good, right, and a privilege tobe present at such a service”.He reminded the attendancethat those who fell in war hadpaid the ultimate sacrifice andthat, through our efforts, theirsacrifice need not be in vain aswe strive for peace amongnations.

In conclusion he said: “WithGod’s help and regardless ofnation, ‘we will rememberthem’.”

Bonfire Night

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RemembranceSunday

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On 24 November, 10 departing members of UNFlt, along with friends and colleagues, gatheredtogether in the International Cafeteria for the

last time this tour.

On this occa-sion, Capt. Adri-ano Ferrari was“mugged out” byhis CO, Lt. Col.Osvaldo Albanesi.This was the fifthtime Adriano –famed throughoutthis mission forhis tango lessons– had served withUNFICYP. On thefirst three occasions he returned home alone.On his last tour, he returned with his wife – and

this time they are three! Little Agustin, their first bornson, accompanies them. Who knows what any futuretours may hold?!

13November 2005 - The Blue BeretNovember 2005 - The Blue Beret12

Exercise “MOLO Neophyte”Sector 1 helps train new MOLOs

New CPO

FMPU Induction Course

The new CPO, Hasita Wimala-chandra, arrived on island on2 October, initially for a two-

year tour. Hasita was born inColombo, Ceylon, and is now aresident of New Zealand.

Hasita has had much UN exper-ience in the past. Having joined inApril 1997, he served as a traineeuntil July 1997 in the HQ UN Pro-curement Division. In August 1997,he was posted to UNMIBH (Sarajevo),

again in the procurement division,where he stayed until May 2000.During this tour, he spent fromJune to August 1999 in the SkopjeLiaison Office as an AssociateProcurement Officer, assisting inthe start-up of UNMIK mission.

From June 2000 to January2003, Hasita served in UNIFIL,Naqoura, as a Procurement Officer.Then in February 2003, he movedto UNMOGIP, Rawalpindi, as the

Chief Procurement Officer,serving there until Sep-tember 2005. He took abrief time out from May toJune 2005 to serve as theChief Procurement Officerin MINUSTAH, Port-au-Prince.

Hasita is accompanied byhis wife, Prini. His main

(and only) hobby is cars – classiccars in particular, but ALL cars – atrue petrol head!

On 19 October, the new Pro-curement Chief hosted a break-fast in his department – anexcellent way to meet up withhis new colleagues in the UNPA.

A small feast was organisedby his staff and most of us hadadded quite a few calories bythe end of this event! Perhapshe is setting a trend?

Jennifer Wright arrived in Cypruson 1 November to take up thepost of assistant to the Third

Member of the Committee onMissing Persons.

Jennifer studied first at BristolUniversity in the UK, where shegained a BA in Modern Languages.She continued her studies at DublinCity University where she gradu-ated with an MA in InternationalRelations.

Jennifer started her careerteaching English in 1992. She thenworked in the car industry for two

years before joining the Inter-national Committee of the RedCross (ICRC) in Geneva in 1995.She was sent on her first mission toBosnia, after which she was postedto Colombia. In June 2000, Jenniferwent to Rwanda, which wasfollowed by a spell in Jerusalem,after which she was designated asHead of the Latin America Desk,Central Tracing Agency & ProtectionDivision, Geneva in 2002. She heldthis post until 2004.

Jennifer has a lot of experiencein problem-solving and manage-

ment. She speaks several langu-ages and her hobbies includehiking, skiing, music and reading.

As part of the third MOLO course, which tookplace in the UNPA 3-14 October, Sector 1MOLOs organised the Confirmatory Exer-

cise, suitably christened “MOLO Neophyte”.Sector 1 devised and conducted this exercise soas to include most of the contingencies/incidentsthat MOLOs might have to face, assess, adviseabout and/or resolve.

The exercise was divided in two circuits. Onewas on foot over 4.8 km of broken terrain,including a taxing climb up “Heartbreak Ridge”,a 436 metres-high hill. The other, by vehicle,ran for 55 km over roads, routes and differentparts of Sector 1 patrol track. In different situa-tions, MOLO students had to confront irateOPFOR commanders (and solicitous but ratherinept interpreters), change flat tyres and dealwith intruders, among other incidents.

After 10 hours, the tired MOLOs startedworking on their reports and minutes, whichwere handed over early next day.

Thus, Sector 1 and its experienced MOLOscontributed to train UNFICYP’s newest batch ofMOLOs. Congratulations to all in Sector 1 whohelped.

Following every rotation, the Force Military PoliceUnit carries out induction training for its newpersonnel. So, between 17 and 19 October, six

Argentinians, two Hungarians and four Slovaks wereintroduced to the FMPU's role within UNFICYP.

The training commenced with an introduction to theForce Provost Marshal, Maj. John Watson, and to theFMPU team, station and rules of discipline within theunit. It incorporated theoretical training, carried out inthe International Police Club, and practical drills in andaround the UNPA. These included two days ofshooting exercises, fire-fighting, speed check/speed

meter training, crime scene preservation, roadtraffic accidental initial procedure, recordingphotographs and sketch plans. The trainingand "secrets" of military police work were veryinteresting, particularly for the Argentinian andHungarian newcomers. Back home, they haveno such thing as a Military Police Unit, and theirmilitary occupations had no connection withpolice work. The lessons they were given andskills they gained will be put into practice bythe new policemen during the unit's annualtraining programme.

Three of these new and motivated officersare keen on sports activities, and representedthe FMPU in the Military Skills Competition.Good luck in your tour!

New FacesKeeping up with the Training

Jennifer Wright joins CMP

UN Flight Depart – Plus One!

CM Wlosowicz welcomed by the CPO

AdrianoandAgustin

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14 November 2005 - The Blue Beret November 2005 - The Blue Beret 15

UNFICYP Health andSafety Committee

UNFICYP Health and Safety SteeringCommittee would like to remind allstaff that UNFICYP personnel have thefacility to pass on any concerns andobservations or requests for informa-tion with regard to health and safetymatters in their particular area of work.Please include as much detail aspossible.

The point of contact for such inquiriesis Jeremy Ashcroft, Chairperson, Healthand Safety Steering Committee, and hecan be contacted as follows:

Telephone: 22-614452Mobile: 99-516734E Mail: ashcroftj@un.org Lotus Notes: Jeremy Ashcroft/

UNFICYP

The wait was finally over. Therematch between the GreekCypriot and Turkish Cypriot

soccer teams from the village ofPyla was played in the AydanKarahan stadium on 22 October.

Although the sun was shining,there was a hefty breeze blowingaround the soccer grounds. Theatmosphere gradually rew muchwarmer as a crowd of 80 to 100people gathered to cheer on theirteams.

However, because of a slightconfusion in timings, the match,due to start at 3.00 p.m, didn’t kickoff until one hour later. We wereentertained, though, by Insp. DenisHilliard displaying his amazinggoal-keeping skills as he playedfootball with some of the localchildren. Denis was later to beseen stumbling around, looking foran oxygen tent and a rub-downfrom a team physio!!

There was a great turn-out bymembers of UNPOL from Sectors 1,2 and 4. At 4.00 p.m., Capt. Sikel,a member of SLOVCON whowas the match referee,accompanied by two collea-gues who were acting aslinesmen, walked onto thepitch together with both teams.After the captains had exchangedteam pendants, the game kickedoff. The first half was an evenlymatched affair with a few closemisses by the Turkish Cypriot side.

At half time, refreshments wereprovided for all spectators consist-ing of juices, pastries and beers.Sgt. Peter McConnon was warnedthat he would be given a yellow

card if there was any more pushingand shoving around the refresh-ments table!!

During the second half, the windpicked up even more and ourfriends from Northern Ireland whowere visiting Cyprus with theBorder Horizons Initiative started

to turn blue with cold. A mercymission was organised and sooneveryone was wrapped up in Irishpolice pullovers, jackets and evenan army blanket was seen beingwrapped around a few shoulders!!

The Turkish Cypriot team scoredlate in the second half and even-tually Capt. Sikel blew the finalwhistle. CCAO Sally Anne Corcoranwas to present the prizes, however

her canine companion, Buddy, hadgot to a few of the half-time beersand was eyeing up one of thecorner flags as a good wateringspot!! Sally Anne was last seenbeing dragged off by Buddy at highspeed after a passing beer deliverytruck. So, Lt. Col. Backo stepped in

and made a presentationof a trophy, as did Supt.Liam Mayock.

The Turkish Cypriotside got their revenge for

their 2-1 defeat after the firstmatch on 17 July. The combinedscores for both games ended withan even score of 2-2. The matchesproved a great success and onceagain showed how peace andfriendship can be achieved throughsport. Hopefully, these matcheswill continue for many years tocome.

Paul Curran

On Sunday 6 November, Maj. Neil Wright, MA tothe Force Commander, ran the 2005 AthensClassic Marathon to raise money for the victims

of the South Asia earthquake. Starting in Marathon, to the northeast of Athens,

and finishing in the city centre, the 42 km routefollows that of the first marathon ever run, 2,500years ago. Legend has it that, in 490 BC, Pheidippidesran from Marathon to Athens carrying a message to hisfellow Athenians announcing a great victory over thePersian forces on the plain of Marathon.

Much of the route is uphill, climbing from thecoastal plain of Marathon, over a range of steep hillsand then descending into Athens' spectacular Panathi-naic Stadium. Despite hills, hot sun and competitionfrom approximately 3,000 other runners, Neil com-pleted the course in 3 hours and 43 minutes.

Running to raise money for victims of the SouthAsia earthquake, Neil has achieved a total of overC£800, thanks to support from members of UNFICYP,family and friends. A big thank you to all who sponsored him!

While landmines and other explosive remnantsof war continued to kill and maim thousandsof people every year, the number of new vic-

tims had been steadily decreasing since the treatybanning anti-personnel mines went into effect sixyears ago.

Speaking on the release of the new report Port-folio of Mine Action Projects 2006, Dermont Carty,Landmines Coordinator, Landmines and Small ArmsTeam of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)told a press conference at UN HQ earlier this monththat the decrease in the human toll of landminescould be attributed to the international communities'

concerted effort to clear mined land, teach peoplehow to avoid danger, and destroy stockpiled mines.He added that the goal of achieving a world free oflandmines could be reached in a matter of years.

“It will require sustained effort by mine-affectedcountries themselves, non-governmental organisa-tions and the 14 United Nations agencies and pro-grammes involved in mine action”, Mr. Carty said.

The 2006 Projects, sponsored by UNICEF,featured 350 mine action project proposals for a totalof 30 countries and three territories, Mr. Carty said.Currently, there was a $391 million shortfall infunding for the projects.

Christmas Services inSt. Columba’s Church, UNPA

Advent Sunday Services: 10.00 amChristmas starts here ...

Second Sunday in Advent - 4 December

Third Sunday in Advent - 11 December

Fourth Sunday in Advent - 18 December

Christmas Morning Family Service - 25 December

Other Services

UN Carol Service - 15 December: 5.30 pm

BRITCON Carol Service - 20 December: 5.00 pm

Christmas Eve Sector 2 Carol Service:

24 December: 5.00 pm, LPH

Christmas Eve Midnight Carols and Prayers -

24 December: 11.45 pm

Marathon Major Runs for South Asia Earthquake

Re-match Ends in Tie!

The Mine Action Centre Cyprus (MACC) is an EU/UNpartnership set up under the umbrella of UNDP’sPFF “Partnership for the Future”. The project has

committed 4.0 million euros for de-mining operations inCyprus between 2004 and 2006. The project is imple-mented with the technical assistance of the UnitedNations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and with fulllsupport from UNFICYP.

The MACC manages and supports mine clearanceand mine clearance-related activities in the buffer zone.It provides a planning, coordination and monitoring

capability to ensure that minesand unexploded ordnance (UXO)are removed in a safe, time-efficient and cost-effective man-ner in accordance with inter-national mine action standards.

Launched in November 2002,the Mine Action Centre com-pleted Phase I of its project inJuly 2005, with 13 NationalGuard minefields cleared in thebuffer zone. Phase II waslaunched on 12 August 2005with the cooperation of the Turkish Forces (TF). So far,three TF minefields in Nicosia city area have beencleared.

De-MiningUpdate

Sporting Features

Notices

... Pyla matches proved a greatsuccess once again...

Press Conference on 2006 – Mine Action Projects

Under its new slogan “A step to the future”, therenamed Mine Action Centre in Cyprus (MACC)has cleared 591,306 square metres of land inthe buffer zone to date, and has detonated atotal of 2,242 mines.

Capt. Sikel, match referee, with the two team captains

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