Gunning for peace in DRC
Purring gunshots. A barrage of bullets. Wounded troops. Prisoners of war. A never-to-be-repeated crossfire is underway in a concrete jungle in Machinga.
Soldiers run in. Civilians cry. Rebels scamper. A village has been under siege, but the army has just regained control over the territory. At last, the villagers can live in peace.
But some combatants have sustained gun wounds and others killed in the peacekeeping operations. Sirens blare. An ambulance team comes to the rescue of the casualties.
Welcome to Chikala Hills where 850 soldiers have been training in readiness for their deployment to the battlefields of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Good to go
The Malawi Battalion Five (Malabat 5) is part of the United Nations (UN) Force Interventions Brigade, which offers hope to millions of men, women and children facing painful deaths, sexual violence and other atrocities as guerrilla wars thwart prospects of peace.
“You are good to go,” Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Commander General Griffin Supuni Phiri tells the men and women in camouflage uniforms.
The armed force has acquired a special status to train other African armies involved in the mission MDF has successfully executed twice.
The mock war of Chikala testifies to their readiness and know-how attained during the six-week training conducted by the US and British armies.
Lieutenant Martha Mauwa cannot wait to get to the war zones where gunshots and bombshells have long muted civilians’ cries for peace.
“Now, we have essential skills to treat civilians compassionately and to work under pressure, even when some soldiers are killed, injured or missing,” says the soldier from Cobbe Barracks in Zomba.
The battalion’s primary job is to protect civilians in a combat environment across difficult terrains, says Supuni-Phiri,
The pre-deployment training, which begun at Malawi Armed Forces College (Mafco) in Salima two months ago, prepares for this noble task in the face of gunfire.
“The responsibility of maintaining peace rests with every nation in the world. It is a constitutional obligation for MDF to make sure that there is peace all over the word,” says the commander.
Flying the flag
He expects the troops to fly the Malawi flag with honour by desisting from atrocities associated with guerrilla groups and other unconventional militias.
“Use the skills to continue fly our flag higher,” he tells the battalion, stressing: “You are going there to ensure DRC citizens enjoy as Malawians are doing.”
The general’s insistence is emphatic.
This has earned MDF worldwide acclaim when it comes to peacekeeping mission.
The battalion destined for DRC has heard this several times.
USA Ambassador Virginia Palmer and British High Commissioner Holly Tett remind the soldiers not to veer into scandalous undertakings.
“MDF is an extremely professional service. They have served with distinction in several peacekeeping operations over the last 10 years. We are counting on these soldiers to continue with the good work,” says Palmer.
For Tett, it is important for countries to unite in tackling security challenges.
“The feedback about Malawian forces operating in DRC is very positive. They are one of the highest-performing nations under the UN mandate in the DRC. They have an absolute record of integrity and professionalism,” the British envoy waxes lyrical.
Deserved status
Supuni-Phiri says the attainment of a status to train other armies on the continent does not mark the end of MDF’s partnership with US and UK militaries.
“There are still areas for improvement as we want to increase our participation in peacekeeping,” he says.
But the attainment of full training capabilities is a fantastic success story for Malawi, says Trett.
According to the British envoy, the MDF’s record of reliability discipline makes Malawi “the right country” to contribute more peacekeepers.
Captain Andrew Carlin, head of the US trainers, reckons MDF deserves the full training honours.
“They coordinated and run almost all of the operations. We were here just to advise and assist,” says Carlin.
