Grizzlier Than Thou

...is what I call a certain type of toubab one often encounters in these climes- and in the Middle East of course, or in any volatile part of the world.  They are invariably journalists or form parts of documentary film crews.  You spot them by their khaki coloured multi pocketed ‘combat style’ outfits and their pained expressions which makes it clear how committed they are to their dangerous mission in hand.  They frequently carry bullet proof vests and sometimes, like the ones I ran into this morning on the plane to Timbuktu, they even carry helmets as accessories,  nonchalantly slung over their shoulders, you understand,  never actually worn.  The interesting thing about the Grizzlier than Thou species is they NEVER acknowledge another fellow toubab traveller. I tried to catch their eyes this morning to give them a friendly smile, but they simply pretend that you are not there. I have pondered on this phenomenon frequently in my travels, and have come to the conclusion that they just don’t want you to be there. They want to feel that they are the only intrepid travellers around, going to dangerous places where others fear to tread.

I did not manage to take a picture of the Grizzlies I encountered this morning and more is the pity: they were perfect specimens. It is not recommended to ask if one can have a group shot with them.

                                                                         

But nevermind.  As the plane carried us north I was having a lot of fun in the jolly company of Colonel Obeid of the Bangla Desh Air Force (in civilian clothes right above) and two Chadians as well as one soldier from Benin, and next to me sat a civilian gentleman from Timbuktu who had also waited at the airport in vain yesterday. 

                                                                         

We were all busy taking selfies and behaving in a very childish and undignified way, quite excited by the flight and by the fact that never ceases to move me: the number of nationalities that has come together here in the name of Peace. Behind us you can just glimpse a soldier from Cambodia. The plane also held troops from Nepal and there were Tunisians and some Egyptians, among whom a most exquisitely beautiful young military policeman. I was too shy to ask for a picture...

My companions felt no need to emphasize how dangerous their missions were, although  the soldiers were certainly on their way to one of the most dangerous postings in Mali. When the plane had dropped me, my civilian friend and the Grizzlies off in Timbuktu  the rest carried on to Tessalit which holds a garrison of a hundred UN Chadian troops and 50 Bangla Deshis. Colonel Obeid explained to me that the Chadians were undertaking the most dangerous reconnaissance ground work, and the Bangla Deshis were there to support them.

 It is often said that the Malian UN mission is the deadliest  on- going peace operation in the world.  In February last year 118 peace keepers had been killed, and the past year has been just as bloody as the previous four.  It is an uncomfortable fact  that this body count is comprised almost entirely of soldiers from the neighbouring African nations.  There are in the region of 14000 UN troops in Mali, of whom ca 2000 Europeans.  Sweden contributes  350 and the  Netherlands, Germany and Belgium make up the rest. There have been no European fatalities. The explanation for this is that although each country that sends UN troops receives an equal amount of money from the United Nations per soldier, it is not all nations that choose to invest this money into their soldiers’ equipment and safety procedures.  The African nations are also the ones that choose to perform the most dangerous tasks. Their soldiers are the ones being blown up by land mines during dangerous manoeuvres which would never be accepted by the European UN contingents. Life is cheaper to these African nations, it seems. As a high ranking German UN officer explained to me, if coffins began to arrive back on German soil their  UN mission would be reduced or even withdrawn...that probably goes for all the European missions here.
 From the beginning of the Malian war, long before the MINUSMA peace keeping forces arrived, Chad came to the rescue of Mali and their soldiers fought alongside the French and Malian forces to retake the north. The Chadians have a reputation for being brave and efficient soldiers and have also been active in the fight to eliminate Boko Haram. They have lost many soldiers in Mali.  I thought of this when I looked at this sleeping Chadian soldier on the plane, on his way to Tessalit...