Singing in the rain in Chad

The rainy season in Chad is very important to the people and refugees who live there and gives people life's real essential; water.But for the troops based in Chad the Monsoon season also makes life and patrolling very difficult.Because there are no roads, the dirt tracks used by the UN troops of MINURCAT in Chad are turned to flooded areas of water and mud, which sticks like glue to the wheels of the armour.This makes travel by road next to impossible. But there is nothing that will stop the mission in Chad moving forward, because the people of Chad and the refugees from Sudan and the Central African Republic depend on the UN providing a safe and secure environment to live their lives in peace, so stopping is not an option.It is this very reason why the use of air support, helicopters in particular, is vital to the success of the mission in Chad. They allow quick response to flash points if they occur, and also allow long range patrols access to places that have been unreachable to now.So it was that a long range patrol of three choppers with a platoon of Irish Soldiers flew into the village of Daha on a very hot day August. This was the first time UN troops had been to Daha, and furthest that Irish Soldiers had ever patrolled from their camp.Situated 360km from the Irish camp in Goz Beida, Daha is home to refugees from the Central African Republic, and about 9000 IDPs, (Internally Displaced People from Chad), and has a natural border made up of the Bahr River.With a flooding river, swampy ground and no food, the UN mission is vital to these people. UNHCR representatives and the NGO's, (non government organisations) work in among the people, and their freedom of movement and safety are vital to the survival of the people in Daha.As the helicopters descended on the village the people came running out, and by the time we were on the LZ (landing zone) a huge crowd had gathered.As this was the first time the UN were in Daha the mindset had to be one of a firm but friendly approach, security of the patrol being paramount but still projecting a friendly approach to these people whose county we were guests in.So a wave and a smile became the order of the day, trying to break down barriers to people who had come through so much hardship during the troubles, who were afraid of weapons and those who carried them.As the patrol moved deeper into the village and surrounding area the people seemed to become a bit more relaxed, returning the friendly gestures from the patrol with big smiles and a wave.The balance of security, friendly approach and the burning heat made the patrol very difficult and tiring, but remembering what these had come through was driven home in the patrol briefing, so progress was steady regardless. The attitude and posture of the patrol would be key in engendering in the villagers a feeling of trust and acceptance.Liaison occurred immediately on arrival with the villagers to inform them of who we were and what we were about.Quick meetings with the NGO's and local Gendarmerie (police) were the order of the day, as the blue flag of the UN moved onward. We came upon a school where the children were out playing, and we could take a quick rest, knowing the children would come to greet us.One of the patrol members took some photos, and showed pictures to those he had photographed, who were laughing and pointing to their own images. As the children gathered closer two of the guys started playing football with them, while the adults looked on in wonder at these armed soldiers playing football in their village and taking photos. But the highlight of the school visit was when a choir of the children was formed and sang that old Irish song, "Diddley Diddley".Actually it was a gathering of the children there and these were the only two words we had time to teach them. But the loud singing and laughter filled the area, and they had great craic as more and more villagers came out.But time was moving on, and the patrol had to move on too, but as we left the area of the school it was a sight to see hundreds of children waving, smiling and singing "Diddley Diddley".The patrol finished back at the patrol harbour, where we checked equipment, brought in the perimeter security and boarded the helicopters. It had been a very long and hard day, and sweat was falling from the uniforms and battle vests, which were nearly part of our bodies now.The warmth of the welcome afforded to the patrol was directly attributable to the attitude by the patrol which was vigilant but friendly.As the helicopters lifted off and moved upwards the people ran out in their hundreds to wave and smile, and as a very hot and tired patrol looked down on them, they smiled too.