UNMEE PEACEKEEPERS PROVIDE FRIENDSHIP THROUGH SPORTS
Assab is normally a quiet seaside town where nothing much happens. On most afternoons, the children of this port city are rarely seen but the week of 24 to 29 March was different. During this week, the children of the city were seen at their schools after class. This unusual activity was due to one reason only and that was the UNMEE/Assab "Friendship Games" which were being held that week. The "Friendship Games" was the brainchild of Captain Gian Luca Mascherano a Civil–Military Cooperation (CIMIC) officer in Assab.
Captain Mascherano felt that there was a certain apathy in the relationship between the people of Assab and UNMEE. Although, UNMEE had completed numerous projects which were beneficial to the residents, throughout Sector East, there was very little evidence of soldiers interacting with the community at the local level. He felt that UNMEE’s involvement in a sports programme could help change this. So Captain Mascherano submitted his proposal to the UNMEE G5 and it was accepted.
Footballs, nets, team shirts and shorts were soon provided to six of the elementary and middle schools of Assab. Boys of all sizes, from ages 9 to 14, formed teams and turned out to represent their schools in a city-wide football tournament. Barefoot and playing on rocky playing fields, these youngsters competed with an energy that is rarely seen in most competitive teams. All teams played with a cohesion rarely seen in children their ages. Well-coordinated passes were the rule rather than the exception. Each school cheered for its team and went wild when a goal was scored.
The final games on Friday, the 28th
of March, narrowed down the Assab championship to two teams, which were the
Ahmed H’ilal and the Z’Idris Awate elementary schools.
These teams would play in the final match on Saturday, 29 March. The day proved to be a busy one. Soldiers from KENBATT and CIMIC team East prepared the playing fields at the Assab stadium for not only the final school football championship game, but also for a series of races between the local high schools.
In the heat of the late afternoon, the games began with a football match between UNMEE and the Assab City Team. The UNMEE team was composed of players from the UNMO HQs in Assab, Kenyan peacekeepers and the Slovakian Engineer Company. Although they had never played as a team before, they amazed the spectators with their fancy footwork. After a gruelling one hour match the Assab team emerged victorious with a four to zero victory over the UNMEE players. In true sportsman’s tradition they congratulated the UNMEE team for a challenging game.
Following the UNMEE – Assab game the track and field meet began. This consisted of a series of races between the local high schools. Both boy’s and girl’s teams competed in 100 and 200 metre races as well as a 400 metre relay race. To see these boys and girls flying on the track barefooted was truly a sight to behold. Upon completion of the races, the runners were greeted with soft drinks and congratulations for their efforts.
The final event, which the boys and girls of Assab had been waiting for was the school championship soccer game. The adversaries from Ahmed H’ilal and Z’Idris Awate elementary schools battled each other in this final game. Each team played with exceptional skill and courage. Alas, only one could emerge victorious and that honour fell to A’hmed H’Ilal. The winners were mobbed by joyous supporters from their alma mater.
Awards were presented to the competitors by the head of the
South Red Sea Department of Education, Mr Grimae; the Second In Command of
KENBATT, Major Bakari Komora; the head of UNMEE CIMIC, Lieutenant Colonel Gerald
Timoney; and the initiator of the games, Captain Gian Luca Mascherano. In his
remarks to the crowd, Lt-Col Timoney said that he was very impressed by the high
level of skill displayed by all the competitors. He added that with their level
of dedication, it was likely that the amateur footballers would one day
represent Eritrea in World Cup matches!
The UNMEE/Assab "Friendship Games" accomplished its mission. The people of Assab now see their blue helmeted neighbors in a different way - they smile and wave at the soldiers who provided them with an athletic competition in the name of friendship.