Below is the interview with Ms. Hiroko Hirahara.
When asked about the missions of peacekeepers in UNMISS’s Bentiu Field Office, Ms. Hiroko Hirahara revealed that the UNMISS is implementing important missions such as protecting civilians, supervising and inspecting the implementation of human rights and supporting the implementation of the cease-fire. As for peacekeepers in Bentiu, the most important mission is protecting civilians. About 2,500 peacekeepers from various countries gather in Bentiu. They include the staff and volunteers of civil organizations such as MSF, WFP, and IOM. Especially, a POC (Protection of Civilians) site was set up and accommodates more than 100,000 South Sudan refugees. They have been displaced due to war and are people from different tribes living in the POC site under the protection of the UN.
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Senior Lieutenant General Tran Quang Phuong, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, talks with Ms. Hiroko Hirahara. |
Therefore, the operation of the UN peacekeeping forces in Bentiu plays an important role. Peacekeepers in Bentiu have to make a lot of effort to protect the refugees. The environment surrounding the Bentiu base is especially fragile which greatly affects the operation of the peacekeeping forces.
About the missions of the L2FH of Vietnam in Bentiu, she said that the forces in Bentiu were rather worried about medical treatment as the locality is very far from the capital of Juba where medical facilities meet higher standards. Therefore, the L2FH of Vietnam in Bentiu plays an important role. Since the deployment of the L2FH of Vietnam, forces in the base feel happy and secure as they can focus on their major tasks without having to worry about health care.
The head of the UNMISS Field Office in Bentiu thanked the Government and the People’s Army for sending wonderful people to the mission and to the people of South Sudan.
The thing that she is most impressed by the medical staff of the L2FH of Vietnam is that they are not only good at their medical expertise, but also practice good virtues and ethnics when treating patients there. She further stressed that the L2FH Rotation 2 of Vietnam has taken over the facilities from the L2FH Rotation 1. They also benefited from the experiences of the first field hospital of Vietnam; therefore, it only took a little time for them to settle down and start their work. She said she know that just like the L2FH Rotation 1, the L2FH Rotation 2 of Vietnam has made thorough preparations before coming to Bentiu. This is one reason why they has met no difficulties in getting accustomed to the locality and accommodating themselves to the working environment in UNMISS.
At present, the L2FH of Vietnam is responsible for the health care of the UN staff in Bentiu and only provides medical care for local people in case of emergency. She hoped that in the coming time, the L2FH of Vietnam will join hands with local hospitals, medical facilities and locals more regularly. By doing so local people would understand the reason why peacekeepers, including military medical personnel from Vietnam, come to South Sudan and understand what peacekeeping forces are doing in this African country.
Reported by Vu Hung
Translated by Huu Duong