DATE=4/23/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43212
TITLE=REPORTERS NOTEBOOK: AFRICA / PEACEKEEPING
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=LOHATLA, S-A
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TENSIONS ARE HIGH IN THE EMBATTLED SOUTHEAST AFRICAN
ISLAND NATION OF "NARALAND" WHERE ARMED REBELS OF THE "MANANCA
RESISTANCE MOVEMENT" ARE HARASSING U-N PEACEKEEPERS AND
JOURNALISTS. BUT NOT TO WORRY. V-O-A SOUTHERN AFRICA
CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA, ONE OF A GROUP OF REPORTERS WHO
VISITED "NARALAND" THIS PAST WEEK, REPORTS IT IS ALL JUST A
SIMULATION -- PART OF THE BIGGEST PEACEKEEPING MILITARY EXERCISE
EVER STAGED ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
TEXT:
/// SOUNDS OF "REBELS" HARASSING U-N CONVOY, FIRING SHOTS INTO
AIR - FADE UNDER ///
THE REBELS, SOME OF WHOSE FACES WERE MENACINGLY WRAPPED IN
CAMOUFLAGE NETTING, MOVED IN ON A U-N CONVOY CARRYING JOURNALISTS
IN ARMORED VEHICLES AS IT HALTED AT A CRUDE ROADBLOCK ERECTED BY
THE MANANCA RESISTANCE MOVEMENT IN CENTRAL NARALAND.
ALTHOUGH THE REBELS FIRED SHOTS INTO THE AIR AND HURLED VERBAL
INSULTS, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AMONG THE U-N TROOPS OR
REPORTERS AND THE CONVOY, AFTER REPORTING THE INCIDENT,
EVENTUALLY PROCEEDED.
/// RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SOUNDS - FADE UNDER ///
BUT SOON AFTER THE U-N VEHICLES ARRIVED AT THEIR FINAL
DESTINATION AT A U-N OBSERVATION POST AND CHECKPOINT IN
NARALAND'S DEMILITARIZED ZONE, ANOTHER CONFRONTATION WITH THE
M-R-M REBELS OCCURRED.
/// SOUNDS OF REBEL CONFRONTATION WITH U-N TROOPS - FADE UNDER
///
A GROUP OF REBELS DEMANDED TO PASS THROUGH THE U-N ROADBLOCK WITH
THEIR WEAPONS. U-N TROOPS SAID THEY COULD PASS ONLY IF THEY
ABANDONED THEIR ARMS.
/// MORE SOUNDS FROM CONFRONTATION - FADE UNDER ///
AFTER A TENSE MOMENT, THE REBEL LEADER ENTERED THE U-N COMPOUND
TO DISCUSS THE MATTER. AS THE TALKS WENT ON, THE OTHER REBELS
GREW IMPATIENT
/// MORE CONFRONTATION SOUNDS - FADE UNDER ///
EVENTUALLY, THE REBEL LEADER RETURNED AND THE M-R-M GROUP DROVE
OFF, REFUSING TO GIVE UP THEIR GUNS.
/// REBEL LEADER ORDERS GROUP TO DRIVE AWAY ///
/// HELICOPTER SOUNDS - FADE UNDER ///
WHILE THE INCIDENT WAS VERY REAL, IT WAS ALL JUST PART OF A
PEACEKEEPING TRAINING EXERCISE CALLED "BLUE CRANE" -- STAGED AT
THE SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY'S BATTLE SCHOOL AT LOHATLA, IN A HOT, DRY
AND REMOTE DESERT AREA OF NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE.
WITH MORE THAN FOUR-THOUSAND SOLDIERS FROM 11 SOUTHERN AND
CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRIES TAKING PART, IT IS THE LARGEST SUCH
TRAINING MISSION EVER HELD ON THE CONTINENT. IT WAS ORGANIZED BY
S-A-D-C (SAA-DECK), THE SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY,
WITH SUPPORT FROM THE UNITED NATIONS, VARIOUS HUMANITARIAN
GROUPS, AND SEVERAL FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING THE UNITED
STATES WHICH PROVIDED TWO C-130 CARGO PLANES FOR THE OPERATION.
THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN PRESSING AFRICA
TO DEVELOP ITS OWN PEACEKEEPING CAPABILITY AND THE SCENARIO
REFLECTS REAL SITUATIONS FROM REAL PEACE MISSIONS. BUT SOUTH
AFRICAN GENERAL ANDRE BESTBIER, DIRECTOR OF THE EXERCISE, SAYS
NO ONE SHOULD SEE "BLUE CRANE" AS THE LAST STEP BEFORE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERMANENT S-A-D-C PEACEKEEPING UNIT.
/// BESTBIER ACTUALITY ONE ///
I DON'T THINK IT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE AT THE PRESENT
MOMENT. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THINGS TO BE DONE PRIOR
TO SUCH A DEPLOYMENT
/// END ACTUALITY ///
GENERAL BESTBIER ALSO SAYS NO ONE SHOULD READ ANYTHING INTO THE
SCENARIO INVOLVING INSERTION OF A U-N PEACE FORCE BETWEEN RIVAL
PARTIES IN A SMALL AFRICAN COUNTRY. FICTIONAL NARALAND IS JUST
THAT -- A MAKE-BELIEVE CREATION OF THE EXERCISE PLANNERS. BUT
THE MYTHICAL COUNTRY'S PROBLEMS ARE ALL TOO SIMILAR TO THOSE IN
ACTUAL COUNTRIES ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT -- RIVAL ARMED GROUPS,
WEAK CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, A WEAK ECONOMY AND FAMINE, HUMAN RIGHTS
ABUSES, WEAPONS-SMUGGLING, AND A FRAGILE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT.
STILL, GENERAL BESTBIER SAYS IT HAS BEEN A SUCCESS.
/// BESTBIER ACTUALITY TWO ///
THE EXPERIENCES WE'VE HAD WITH OUR S-A-D-C FRIENDS, THE
COOPERATION, THE ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS EXERCISE, I THINK
IS EXCELLENT. WE'VE REALLY ACHIEVED OUR AIM.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
THE COST OF THE EXERCISE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDED NAVAL MANEUVERS OFF
SOUTH AFRICA'S COAST AT DURBAN, IS ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN
THREE-MILLION DOLLARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH
23-Apr-99 12:02 PM EDT (1602 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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