Advertisement
Published: September 5th 2007
Edit Blog Post
Sunset
One of the many beautiful sunsets I have seen here... the sky so much bigger without mountains around... Today was a bit exciting... I had to investigate a discovery of unexploded mortar munitions.
We had a report about their location near the airstrip from the local hospital administrator, Francis, who is a very kind man, who gives off that genuine feeling of caring as soon as you meet him. A man that I respect, and admire. Scott, the Aussie police officer, met him in his office one day, suffering from a bout of Malaria, yet still working away with an IV in his arm. It's really nice to see that much dedication to the health and welfare of so many who have so little.
We picked up Francis, and headed up near to the airstrip. It turned out that there were about 10 mortar bombs in total, 6 x 60mm and 4 x 82mm. They were just lying in around some tall grass about a metre or so off the trail. Needless to say, I was treading VERY carefully and watching where every boot step was being placed. Some of the rounds had fuses in them, and others showed signs of being fire, as their primers were punched in. I took a grid location with my GPS,
On guard.
Guards are posted to watch over the crops and warn of possible raiders. I really like this picture. took some photos (SO HAPPY to have a 300mm zoom!) and left. The rounds were about 240m from the refuelling depot, so no real danger exists from the primary explosion if they did explode, but if a shell was blown INTO the depot and THEN exploded it could be very, very bad. The craziest part is that there was a boot print about 1" from the closest of the 82mm shells. Not that they explode if you stepped on them, but they could... Check out the picture.
The other risk about walking in the grassy foot path is unexploded human munitions... It is par for the course here to just step into a footpath a have a little sit down. Nobody steps off the path, they just drop a little poop right in the middle of the walking trail. So you are always on the lookout for those little treats as well. Good times.
We then headed down for a small foot patrol (aka walking through the market area), where we get the chance to chat with the locals, and I had the opportunity to take some pictures. I still maintain that the kids here are the most
82mm Mortar
Check out how close the footprint is to the bomb. yikes. No Mom, it was not my foot. precious thing about the entire mission. There is a picture of Joseph here, who was in one of my first entries as the little guy who was trying to crawl up my legs, and I got a picture. When he sees the our UN vehicle stopped in the street, he came running out and was poking his head in the drivers door while I got out. then he was kind enough to shut the door for me... all to the great laughter of myself and the local shopkeepers.
I am thinking about going to the primary school and giving a lesson/presentation about UXO's and Mine awareness. We haven't had any incidents in my time here, but the possibility always exists, as this area was fought over many times during the war, and the evidence is always showing up.
Last night I heard it starting to rain around 12:30... those first few hesitant, fat drops that thunk so loudly on the tin roof... then I remembered I had laundry still on the line that wasn't dry. So on goes the clothes, on goes the headlIamp, and out the door I go. I had just got back inside when the
Wall graffiti
This is now the office of the one of Torit Customs Officers. If the walls could only talk, the stories they could tell... sky opened up and poured rain for a good hour or so... I was happy because the toads and frogs are quiet when it's raining. There are toads that lives under my container, and I swear to god that they wait until I am almost asleep and then start up their croaking... it's so LOUD!
I have also decided that tomorrow I will open my sister's jar of homemade strawberry jam that she sent along with me on my way back to Sudan. I caved right away and opened the jar of raspberry.... I'm weak. It didn't last very long when shared amongst 2 Aussies, 2 Brazillians, and 2 Canadians. (sigh) It's really the little things that make the difference. Unfortunately, I had to leave the jar of homemade pickles in Khartoum as I was weight restricted on my way down to Torit on the plane. So when I get back to Khartoum in a couple weeks, there will be a yummy jar of pickles ready to be devoured... happiness is a dill pickle in a paper towel. Yummy....
Anyhow, that's it for today. Take care.
Don
Advertisement
Tot: 0.13s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 7; qc: 62; dbt: 0.0682s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Laura
non-member comment
These pics are amazing and i love reading your stories, you are a fantastic writer. Who knew that you were so artsy-fartsy? ;)