Peacekeeping missions and diamonds
Victor Ângelo
This
week, for not very noble reasons, the United Nations peace operations were in
the Portuguese media spotlight
A
peace mission, approved by the Security Council and accepted by the host
country, has a complex configuration. Each mission - there are currently 12 -
includes several components, although the best known is the military one. The
other dimensions cover the areas of police, political process and national
reconciliation, human rights, support to local administration, elections, and
justice. They are usually huge operations, headed by a Special Representative
of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG), appointed with the approval of the Security
Council and at the equivalent rank of Under-Secretary-General. Today, the largest is based in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, with more than 17,000 personnel and an annual budget of more
than US$1.1 billion.
The
military part is one of the most sensitive, both because of the high number of
troops deployed on the ground and because the protection of civilian
populations is one of the priorities. I have always defended that the re-establishment
of internal security should be one of the first objectives to be achieved, in
order to show, without delay, tangible results and facilitate the acceptance of
the external presence.
The
blue helmets come from the most diverse cultures. Unlike civilian cadres, the
military remain in the field for short periods - as a rule, the rotations last
for six months. This circumstance and the type of duties they perform do not
allow them to gain a sufficient insight into the social and cultural conditions
of the people who receive them. That is why I have always determined that the
interaction between the military and the population should only be made by
elements that are expressly designated and prepared to liaise with the local
communities. The rest of the contingent was not allowed to establish any type
of individual contact with the population. This was intended to avoid
situations of misunderstanding, abuse, and exploitation of poverty. On the
other hand, civilian elements of the mission, working at the local level, were
also responsible for permanently observing our interaction with the residents
in every corner of the country. The good image of the mission was a precious
asset that had to be protected at all times.
As
SRSG, I oversaw two peacekeeping missions in countries rich in diamonds, misery
and violence.
One
of those missions was in Sierra Leone. In certain districts, the main activity
was artisanal diamond mining. It was a subsistence economy, with thousands of
young men digging holes in the bush or sifting river sands, most of the time
without result. Around them circled swarms of middlemen, who bought the stones,
if any. They then took care of transporting them to Freetown, where specialised
traders, mostly Lebanese, obtained the official documentation that allowed them
to be exported legally, in accordance with the Kimberley process.
This
process, which was launched by the United Nations in 2003 precisely because of
the blood diamonds from Sierra Leone, certifies the origin and the path of each
stone. It stops the dubious origins, many of them linked to the violence of
armed groups. Almost all diamonds on the market today are Kimberley certified.
In the European Union, for example, it is practically impossible to introduce a
diamond that does not have this type of guarantee. The same happens in the main
world markets.
Later
I led a mission in the Central African Republic, which included patrolling the
border with Sudan. In that region, there were as many shops purchasing precious
stones and gold as there were grocery shops. I deployed special forces from
Togo in the region. Their behaviour was exemplary. In preparation for their
deployment, it was explained to them that the image of their country was at
stake. They understood that. A little pebble can have an enormous political
impact.
