我在南苏丹维和

文/许明珠

疫情下路途艰难，不忘初心独自赴任

2021年8月，告别亲人，我独自背着行囊踏上赴南苏丹的维和之路，开始了新冠疫情下为世界和平的“逆行”。一路防护服、口罩，不敢有一丝松懈，心怀忐忑，几经周转，历经近20小时，来到了南苏丹，一个饱受战乱之苦的非洲国家，被联合国评估为世界上最艰苦的维和任务区之一。刚下飞机，一阵热浪扑面而来，身上的防护服瞬间变成了蒸笼，南苏丹以最热情的高温欢迎着我。经过隔离、核酸检测后，在TOMPING（汤平）培训基地进行了驾驶测试和入职前培训，我被部署在朱巴战区办公室，开始了全天候的轮岗巡逻工作。

朱巴战区下设人事、后勤、巡逻、评估和社区警务等部门，新入职维和警察都要进入巡逻组或做巡逻相关的工作，我被分配在巡逻1组（Field Office Alpha），因为巡逻组的同事还没有拿到驾照，第一天上班我就在缓冲区和朱巴市内开车巡逻七个小时。缓冲区道路坑洼不平，路面泥泞不堪，一起巡逻的塞内加尔老大哥对我的驾驶能力感到惊讶和佩服，瘦弱的身躯居然能够驾驶这么大的越野车，并可以在狭窄崎岖的道路中穿梭自如，而后面的FPU（维和警察防暴队）车队却时常陷在沼泽中。

每次巡逻途中，都会有很多流民营的孩子站在路边微笑着向我们挥手，从他们的眼里，我看到了认同，看到了友好，更看到了希望。有一次，我随社区警务组进入流民营进行性别意识的宣讲，一下车，流民营的孩子们便围住了我。他们一眼认出了我衣服上的中国国旗，于是拉着我的手，用很清晰的汉语对我说“你好吗”，又指着衣服上的国旗标说“中国”。旁边几个国外的同事投来羡慕的目光，说：“流民营里的孩子们都认识中国国旗，很多都会说上几句汉语。”在那一刻，我倍感荣耀，深知这是一批又一批中国维和人的影响力，他们不但圆满完成了使命，更留给南苏丹人民美好的回忆。

履职任务区总部行动中心，开启战备状态

在南苏丹任务区执行维和任务

在执行流民营定点巡逻

在行动中心值夜班

担任行动中心临时负责人时主持日常会议

在战区工作期间，我申请了任务区总部行动中心报告官职位，凭借面试中的出色表现，成功任职总部行动中心。任务区总部工作相对战区繁忙很多，行动部门更是总部中任务最重、最累的部门，经常是全天候的工作强度，隔两三天就有一个13小时的夜班。在面试前，很多国内外同事都建议我慎选行动部门的工作，但由于自身缺少基层警务工作经历，我毅然决然地选择了这个岗位。不怕苦不怕累是中国警察的良好品质，凭借着这种工作态度，发挥语言优势，入职一个星期，我就完全掌握了工作要领，得到了行动部领导和同事的一致好评。作为行动中心报告官，我的主要工作是收集、汇总来自南苏丹十个州的每日案情和维和警察行动报告，为联合国警察司、任务区警察总监、副总监提供任务区各类案情汇报分析，并与联合行动中心（JOC）、综合行动中心（IOC）协同处理安全形势报告以及要案、个案。每日情况报告需要在午夜发给纽约总部，因此夜班也是最难熬的时刻，连续工作七八个小时后要将工作汇总报告整理归档，同时要在五分钟内处理邮件中有关要案的内容，工作强度和紧张程度不言而喻。无数个夜晚，电脑前面的我都在眉头紧锁地盯着一宗宗犯罪案件。除了马拉卡，其他各州已经将流民营移交给当地政府，维和警察工作重心已经转移到协同巡逻，提高见警率，增进当地民众的认同感和安全感，提升满意度；提供技术指导，加强当地执法人员的能力建设等。除此之外，对各类犯罪案件的分析和情报搜集，为维和行动的计划和部署提供了重要的指导和方向。于是，工作之余，我利用个人休息时间认真研究各个州频发的犯罪案件，走访调查相关部门，这也为下一次岗位竞聘打下了坚实的基础。

一分耕耘，一分收获

在朱巴市区巡逻

春节是千千万万中国人阖家团圆、庆贺新年的日子。而远在异国他乡的中国维和警察们仍然要坚守岗位。过年期间也是我最忙碌的一段日子，原行动中心负责人提任南苏丹任务区总部人力资源管理部门处长，我接替他担任行动中心临时负责人，而当时处里人手不够，新来的两名同事还在入职培训，因此我需要同时身兼数职，几乎平均每天工作时间都要超过14小时。一月份是南苏丹的旱季，我经历着酷热和高强度工作的双重考验，面对着全新的工作内容，我对自己说，一定要有信心，不懂就问；一定要细心，这么多数据绝不能有半点马虎。就这样，在两个星期内，我完成了对新人的入职培训，指导他们独立上岗；完成了联南苏团行动部门半年总结的收尾工作；为秘书长年度报告提供维和警察行动数据，及犯罪案件数据分析，完成行动部四名同志的延期审核工作等。除夕前后，我申请了任务区总部警察部门三个管理层岗位，全部进入短名单，最终成功竞聘任务区总部犯罪分析与情报处负责人。警察部门副总监在一次管理层会议上对我提出了表扬，他说：“很高兴看到你有勇气参与三个领导岗位的竞聘，事实证明，三个岗位你都是合格的，祝贺你当选。”

女子本弱，为母则强

来任务区已半年有余。临行前，将八岁的儿子托付给年近七旬的父母照顾，心中未免充满了自责和愧疚。父亲多年疾病缠身，母亲腰肌劳损，严重时经常卧床不起，八岁的儿子又生性好动，老两口这半年显得更加苍老。父母不忍心我在任务区还操心家里的事，总是报喜不报忧。有时孩子学校要求上传一个文档，老两口都要发愁许久。南苏丹与国内时差六个小时，忙完一天的工作，国内已经是午夜，想看上家人一眼已经是奢望。点开手机，看着孩子给我发来的留言，瞬间泪如泉涌：“妈妈，我好想你，你快回来吧！”“妈妈，你一定要小心，再别被虫子咬得满腿都是伤了。”“妈妈，我不怪你不陪我，你是做更有意义的事去了。你回来一定会陪我的。”孩子，妈妈感谢你的关心和理解，在妈妈工作的地方也有一些跟你一样大的孩子，他们渴望着拥有和你一样上学的机会，渴望着拥有美好的未来，而妈妈的任务就是要保护他们，和同事们一起，努力为他们创造稳定安全的环境，帮助他们的国家提高建设的能力。希望未来，这里的孩子们也可以像你一样，都有书读、有学上。

On Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan

By Xu Mingzhu

In August 2021, I bade farewell to my family and embarked on a peacekeeping mission in the Republic of South Sudan against the COVID-19 pandemic. Constantly vigilant and tightly wrapped in protective suits and masks, we took one flight after another. After a 20-hour flight, I landed in South Sudan, a war-ridden African country rated among the most dangerous places for peacekeeping troops. Upon disembarking I was greeted by a heat wave, turning my protective suit into a sauna room, a very "warm" welcome. After quarantine, nucleic acid tests, driving tests and Induction training at the Tomping UN Base, I was assigned to the Juba Field Office to perform all-weather patrols on rotation.

The Field Office consists of a personnel team, logistics team, patrolling team, assessment team and community policing team. Newcomers should first work in the patrolling team. I was dispatched to Alpha team. Since my partner did not have a driving permit, I had to carry out patrols for seven hours on the first day of duty. My patrol partner, an older man from Senegal, was overwhelmed that I, a small woman, could drive such a giant pickup on narrow, bumpy and muddy roads so smoothly; whereas the vehicle of the Formed Police Unit (FPU) behind us got trapped in swamps from time to time.

When we are on patrol, the children from the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps always wave at us by the road. Obvious in their look is recognition, friendliness and hope. I participated in a training workshop with the community policing team to raise gender awareness in an IDP camp. Just as I got off the car, the children surrounded me. Recognizing the Chinese national flag on my uniform, they took my hands and said clearly in Chinese: "Ni hao ma (How are you)?" Then they pointed at the Chinese national flag and said: "Zhong Guo (China)." My colleagues from other countries were envious: "Children here all know about the Chinese flag and many speak a bit of Chinese." This made me proud of the Chinese peacekeepers who have not only fulfilled their missions, but also made a mighty impact on the locals.

During my service, I applied for the position of Mission Headquarters (MHQ) Operation Center Reporting Officer. I made it thanks to my excellent performance at the interview. The MHQ is much busier than the Field Office, and the Operation Center is the busiest unit. The Center is in operation around the clock and we take 13-hour night duty shifts every two or three days. All my colleagues told me to give it a second thought before taking the interview. As I didn’t have much community experience, I insisted on this post. It is typical Chinese police to be hardworking and fearless. I leveraged my strength in language skills and got accustomed to the job in only one week, winning a good reputation from supervisors and teammates.

As a Reporting Officer, I was responsible for collecting case details and activity reports from the10 field offices on a daily basis, reporting my analysis of cases in different regions to United Nations Police (UNPOL), the Police Commissioner and the Deputy Police Commissioner of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Meanwhile, along with the Joint Operation Center (JOC) and the Integrated Operation Center (IOC) I was supposed to handle security reports as well as important cases. Working at night was very draining because we should send Daily Situation Report (DSR) to the New York Headquarters at midnight, collect and categorize the paperwork after working for seven or eight hours in a row and respond to emails about Flash Report within five minutes. Many a night found me lost in the bulk of case reports before the screen, with my eyebrows frowned.

Apart from Malakal, UNMISS had transitioned other former Protection of Civilians sites to traditional camps for internally displaced people, returning responsibility for their protection to the Government of South Sudan. Therefore, the priority of peacekeeping police has been shifted to Coordination patrols for a high visibility patrol, Confidence and trust building patrol, stronger sense of security and ultimately the approval of the public. Also we provided technical assistance and assist to help with Capacity building of law enforcement agencies Besides, our analysis of criminal cases and intelligence provided guideline for further UN peacekeeping operations. I carefully studied the high incidence cases in different states and visited relevant units in my spare time, paving the way for my next position.

During the Spring Festival holiday when all Chinese at home enjoy their family reunions, Chinese police peacekeepers on post. This Spring Festival was the busiest period for me because I was officer in charge of the Operation Center as my predecessor got promoted. We were short of hands and two freshmen were still at training. I had to work for over 14 hours every day 'in a variety of jobs.

January is the dry season in South Sudan. Faced with the dual tests of intense heat and intensive work pressure in unfamiliar settings, I told myself to stay confident, be careful with the data, and keep learning from people around. With these in mind, I completed the induction training for the freshmen, who were able to perform duties independently after two weeks; wrapped up the Bio-annual report of the UNMISS Operation Pillar; provided peacekeeping data, including operations and case analysis, for the UN Secretary-General’s annual report; and reviewed and permitted the Tour of Duty extension materials of four peacekeepers.

I applied for three senior positions at the MHQ Police Pillar on the eve of this Spring Festival, and was included in all the shortlists. Finally, I was selected as the chief of the MHQ Crime Analysis and Intelligence Unit. The UNMISS Deputy Police Commissioner praised me at a management meeting: "I'm glad to see you brave enough to compete for three positions. As a matter of fact, you are qualified for any of them. Congratulations."

Having been in service for over half a year, I blame myself for leaving my eight-year-old son to my parents, both in their late 60s. My father has been in poor physical health for years, and my mother suffers lumbar muscle strains and sometimes gets confined to bed, and all the while my son is very energetic. All these combined have made my parents weary and look much older these days. To spare me from any worries and cares, they refrain from sharing any bad news. More often than not, the simplest things for young people seem quite hard for them. For example, when my kid is asked to submit a document online, Dad and Mum will be overwhelmed with frustration. Due to a six-hour time difference between the two places, I can hardly see them when I finish work because it's already late at night in China.

Messages on the phone often brought me to tears: "Mom, I miss you so badly. Please come home!" "Mom, you should be careful and protect yourself from mosquito bites." "Mom, I don't blame you for not being with me. You are doing a great thing. I believe you will come back to me." Son, I'm happy to have your understanding and concern. In this place I’m serving, there are children your age who wish to have a chance to go to school and embrace a better future like you. My mission is to protect them, create a stable and safe environment for them, and help their country to grow stronger. I hope that the kids here will have access to as good an education as you do. ■