MILITARY OBSERVERS WESTERN SAHARA: Diverse approaches to a shared goal

Carsten Dombrowski - here is the homepage of his CAPSARIUS AKADEMIE, which delivers the excellent "Callsign Doc" newsletter - was deployed as a military observer for the German Bundeswehr in Western Sahara. Today we are talking about intercultural challenges in UN missions:

Spending six months in a camp with 22 military observers from 16 nations, which is as big as two soccer fields, inevitably brings intercultural challenges.

After a few days, most people drop the masks of artificial restraint, revealing the true character of each person.

What I mean by this is that each person comes from a different cultural background, with a different socialization. Not more and not less. That applied to me as well.

Working in such an international team is what makes it so diverse and exciting. What unites everyone is the common goal and mission. However, the paths to get there can vary significantly.

Images like the one at the beginning show the different comrades on site: Pakistan - Yemen - Kazakhstan - Germany are gathered here.

I experienced exciting, sometimes thrilling, and occasionally annoying moments in this mission. Impressions that probably everyone could tell would fill their own book. Unfortunately, most of these experiences are quickly forgotten since they were not written down and emerged from everyday life on site.

Yes, there were disagreements among the UN observers. Disagreements about perceived shortcomings of others or actual mistakes. Rarely did these disputes lead to the Team Side Commander, the military leader of this UN base, having to intervene mediate or disciplinarily. After the obligatory night before a planned complaint, the anger usually dissipated after a clarifying conversation, and we continued together.

Extreme differences were rare, and everything else could be somehow resolved. After all, we were all officers and soldiers. We were somehow similar. Regardless of the type of camouflage uniform the respective comrade wore.

If there were still any differences in approach to a task due to origins, these were equalized by UN regulations or SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). These guidelines, such as behavior in emergencies, did not allow room for intercultural individualities.

Command instructions for the respective tasks and patrols also ran smoothly according to the established schemas.

So, when it came to military matters, discrepancies were almost 100 percent due to the human shortcomings of the respective officer. Lateness or inadequate preparation for a mission are things that can happen in any country. I have also experienced this within the Bundeswehr. Individual daily form suffers even with increasing duration of the mission.

What was much more interesting for me were the many impressions that arose on the interpersonal level. Long drives on monotonous tracks left plenty of room for good conversations. I could ask so much, I was asked about so much. What is the school system like in China, or what was the time like under this or that politician. What do family members do, how did you meet your wife, etc.

Many questions were possible, even from a very personal point of view of the other person and often gave me a completely different perspective on ideas about society, religion, and culture of a country. Yes, questions about religion, politics, and family were also possible. Of course, with the necessary sensitivity.

Here, too, I only experienced a few slips that resulted from the individual socialization of the other person. The demand of a Pakistani staff officer that I, as a lower-ranked person, carry his luggage, or that of a Bangladeshi major who wanted someone to polish his boots were such moments. With a clear but friendly statement that within the UN scene here at the camp, ranks are rather unimportant and we all treat each other equally, initially caused confusion but then understanding. Some people were simply not used to these tones. Different countries, different customs.

Significant differences were evident in the preparation of food or in the celebration of festivities. As a German, one is often more reserved in that regard. Latin Americans with a good mood or Asians with spicy seasonings showed the diversity of our team. It didn't matter who or in what situation. You could always learn something or just be amazed. If you didn't take yourself too seriously and allowed room for some peculiarities, it usually turned into an experience and there was a lot of laughter. Even about the quirks of others. Stereotypes of nations were revealed and we all had a good laugh about it. Each one was also a representative of their country and culture. You didn't have to blindly copy everything. When it came to hygiene or using the bathroom, I preferred to stick to my views learned from childhood.

Looking back with some time passed on this topic of interculturality, I can only say that any frustration has long since disappeared. What remains are the many interpersonal impressions. The many great and lasting conversations with unique people. The opportunities to experience other cultural circles so candidly and honestly. To consider many things from a different perspective and to develop a certain serenity. All of this has shaped me a lot. The German way of approaching the world or solving a problem locally is not always the only way. The much-quoted "look beyond one's own nose" has often helped me.

Military observer in Western Sahara - for further reading:

Part 1: The Selection

Part 2: The Training

Part 3: Helipatrol and Fake Tanks

Part 4: In the Land of Puszta and Magyars

Part 5: When German Soldiers Go Traveling

Part 6: Following the Dust

Part 7: Papa Lima with the Desert Hawks

Part 8: Air Patrol - the Desert from the Air

Part 9: Mines and Remnants of War

Part 10: Into the Dark

Questions? Contact the CAPSARIUS ACADEMY at [email protected] with the subject "Morocco".

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