FW: ethical question

 

In the recent kidnapping incident in Dadaab, where I am based just now, a driver was killed and another driver and staff member were shot, one seriously.   

 

The four expatriate hostages, our colleagues from here, Nairobi and Oslo, were eventually rescued by a combination of the Kenya army and Somali warlords after a walk of three nights into Somalia. One was injured; another developed a badly infected foot.

 

In a recent incident involving a CARE team visiting a camp, five policemen in the escort car were blown up. Two lost their legs. Again they were there to protect agency staff.

 

Kenyan colleagues say (almost openly) that we put them in danger if we are on missions with them.  

 

The police become victims for us also.

 

In this context, since I am not allowed to visit the camps just now for security reasons, and have to stay permanently within the secure compound, I am not expecting to be here beyond the end, in September, of the current short contract.  

 

It remains to be seen if I will be deployed elsewhere.

 

Barry Sesnan

Uganda +256 757 219 288

Kenya +254 734 338 434

Skype: barryechobravo

 

FW: NRC Dadaab

 

Hi all

 

I am here in Dadaab, Kenya doing an interim manager position for NRC; I came just eight days ago.

 

This morning there was a high level NRC delegation from Nairobi and Oslo. They were in three cars visiting projects in the camps, and they were ambushed at the gate of the NRC new compound in Ifo 2 camp.

 

One dead, two injured and four kidnapped. The kidnapped are all expatriate colleagues (Norwegian, US-Pakistani, Canadian, Philippino;  we all had breakfast together this morning).  They are assumed to have been taken into Somalia (just 100km from here). The Kenya army is in pursuit with helicopters.

 

I am safe as I had not joined the delegation going to the camps, since they were to visit my project in Dadaab town on their return.  

 

More later

 

 

Barry Sesnan

Uganda +256 757 219 288

Kenya +254 734 338 434

Skype: barryechobravo

http://barrysbook.blogspot.com/

 

Mandate for protection

"UNISFA, the Ethiopian peacekeepers [in Abyei], have a mandate for civilian protection but they do not have a mandate for cattle protection".

 

Reminds me of the Banyoro in Kasenyi who wanted UN to convey all their cattle for them back to Uganda. When I suggested that they could sell one to hire a barge of a lorry, I was regarded as crazy.