29 May 2009

DR CONGO / PEACEKEEPING VOLUNTEER

James Barnett experienced the war in his native Sierra Leone and the UN’s efforts to bring peace. Now he finds himself deployed as a UN Volunteer at MONUC’s forward operating base in remote Dungu, part of an overall effort to secure and assist the populace against LRA attacks. MONUC

Posted at: May 29, 2009 2:25 pm

Duration: 01:57

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: DR CONGO / PEACEKEEPING VOLUNTEER
DURATION: 1:57
SOURCE: MONUC
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 16 APRIL 2009, DUNGU, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot, James Barnett, MONUC logistics assistant, walking
2. Close shot, feet
3. SOUNDBITE (English) James Barnett, MONUC Logistics Assistant:
"The war came to an end because people dropped their guns, the Sierra Leonean themselves dropped their guns. They saw reason why they should come back to team up to restore peace in that country. So no matter what MONUC does here from my experience from Sierra Leone, if the Congolese themselves do not come on board and give the support they should give to MONUC, it will be difficult. I'm not saying it will not be possible but it will be difficult".
4. Wide shot, soldiers walking to UN helicopter
5. Close up, soldier's boots
6. Med shot, soldiers entering helicopter
7. Close up, soldier rotating atop APC
8. Wide shot, helicopter takes off 
9. Wide aerial shot, airstrip
10. Close up, James on the helicopter
11. Close up, gun through helicopter window
12. Med shot, flying over Duru centre
13. Close up, helicopter cabin
14. Close up, soldiers walking
15. Wide shot, offloading building materials
16. Med shot, man placing building materials
17. Wide shot, men carrying building materials
18. Close up, Congolese soldier
19. Med shot, UN soldiers patrolling
20. Close up, offloading items from helicopter
21. Wide shot, UN soldiers with helicopter in the background
22. Med shot, UN soldier
23. SOUNDBITE (English) James Barnett, MONUC Logistics Assistant:
"I just feel happy, I feel good to be part of the team that is trying to make sure that people regain their lives again".
24. Med shot, UN soldiers patrolling
25. Wide shot, Duru residents

STORYLINE:

This is James Barnett, a Sierra Leonean UN Volunteer with the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, known as MONUC.

James experienced war in his native Sierra Leone and the UN's efforts to bring peace to his country. The civil war which lasted close to eleven years caused a lot of destruction and human suffering to the people.

SOUNDBITE (English) James Barnett, MONUC Logistics Assistant:
"The war came to an end because people dropped their guns, the Sierra Leonean themselves dropped their guns. They saw reason why they should come back to team up to restore peace in that country. So no matter what MONUC does here from my experience from Sierra Leone, if the Congolese themselves do not come on board and give the support they should give to MONUC, it will be difficult. I'm not saying it will not be possible but it will be difficult".

James arrived in the Congo in February to work as a Logistics Assistant at MONUC.

He's posted to the mission's forward operating base in remote town of Dungu in the country's northeast, as part the MONUC team that is putting in efforts to secure and assist the population against LRA attacks.

Dungu is situated in the middle of a forest with no road networks.

All supplies are by air. In the event of bad weather the run-way gets wet and therefore does not allow fixed-wing aircrafts to land in Dungu. This sometimes delays deliveries of cargo that are badly needed for the smooth running of operations, James says.

James's work as a logistician is to team up with other organs of MONUC like the military, regularly traveling to new and remote parts to assess and set-up up new team sites like this one in the area of Duru about 85 kilometers from Dungu. Building materials are brought to the site to construct military Company Operating Bases for the protection of civilians from rebels.

James says he decided to volunteer because he wanted to be a part of the UN family that is helping to bring an end to the conflict in the DR Congo. According to him, other nations served in different capacities to help bring an end to the war in Sierra Leone.

SOUNDBITE (English):  
James Barnett, MONUC Logistics Assistant
"I just feel happy, I feel good to be part of the team that is trying to make sure that people regain their lives again".

James says that he can sense some form of relief in the people because of the presence of MONUC in the territory of Dungu.

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