Spring Onion
PDF VETERAN
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2006
- Messages
- 41,403
- Reaction score
- 19
- Country
- Location
Pakistani troops in Liberia go for expedition to explore Track Link between Vahun-(Nomodatundu) Kongba
RAWALPINDI, July 9 (Online):
Pakistani troops working under UN flag in Liberia traveled over fifty Kilometer on foot in day to explore an inaccessible area so as to extend the humanitarian assistance to the needy people.
The expedition which comprised officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army wearing blue berets in Liberia was aimed to explore the inaccessible track so as to help the needy people. The expedition set out at 0500 hours in the morning on 28th June 2006, on route Vahun-Nomodatundu. Fifteen hours from the beginning of expedition, passing through low hanging branches and high growing bushes, covering a distance of 54 kilometers, traveling only on foot, stopping just for food and not leisure reached our destination by 2000 hours the same day.
With approximately 400 occupied structures and population of more than 7000, Vahun in Lofa County is cut off from all road links connecting it with other parts of the country and has remained inaccessible to all NGOs/Agencies who wish to extend their humanitarian services to this isolated area. Besides, in the absence of any road link with their own country the people of this area are totally dependent on the road link with Sierra Leone and per force have to rely for all their basic needs on the neighbouring towns across the border.
In this backdrop Pakistan Contingent planned an expedition to explore the abandoned pre war route linking Lofa and Gbarpolu Counties from Vahun to Kongba which further links with Manrovia through Tubmanberg. Before the war this was the main route used by the people of this area to travel to Tubmanberg and Manrovia but was subsequently abandoned due to destruction of some bridges during the war.
This challenging task was undertaken by Pakistan Contingent. The expedition team led by Deputy Commander Sector 2 Colonel Tariq and Major Hassan, consisted of 28 personnel including infantry, engineers, medical, communication and special services elements was set to explore the possibility of reopening the road link between Vahun and Nomodatundu and encouraging NGOs and other humanitarian actors for starting their projects in the area.
The expedition reached Vahun a day before, spent a night there and interacted with locals. The entire population warmly received the expedition. The people were so receptive that they celebrated the occasion by organising a musical function in the town hall. On 28 Jun 2006 at 0500 hours the expedition departed from Vahun. After about two kilometres the track entered into a Jungle with thick growth and bushes.
The wild growth was so dense that it even restricted the visibility all -round. Passing through the thickest growth made the expedition feel like a mole burrowing through the ground. Onwards and upwards they went, through dense forests, crossing the broken bridges, making our way through glades, traversed about 54 Kilometers along the abandoned Vahun- Mbaluyi Nomodatundu track. Finally at 8 p.m the expedition reached the road head (Nomodatundu) near Kongba after about 15 hour walk.
It is hoped that the findings of this expedition and detailed assessment of the track, by Pakistani Engineers, in terms of efforts required to rehabilitate it, will serve as baseline study for integrating the work of government of Liberia, United Nation Agencies and non-governmental organizations for the development of Vahun and surrounding areas. Moreover it will also give an insight and better understanding of the humanitarian issues confronting the residents of Vahun.
The UN authorities and locals have highly appreciated the courageous adventure of the Pakistani troops which was carried out for Humanitarian Cause. - Online
RAWALPINDI, July 9 (Online):
Pakistani troops working under UN flag in Liberia traveled over fifty Kilometer on foot in day to explore an inaccessible area so as to extend the humanitarian assistance to the needy people.
The expedition which comprised officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army wearing blue berets in Liberia was aimed to explore the inaccessible track so as to help the needy people. The expedition set out at 0500 hours in the morning on 28th June 2006, on route Vahun-Nomodatundu. Fifteen hours from the beginning of expedition, passing through low hanging branches and high growing bushes, covering a distance of 54 kilometers, traveling only on foot, stopping just for food and not leisure reached our destination by 2000 hours the same day.
With approximately 400 occupied structures and population of more than 7000, Vahun in Lofa County is cut off from all road links connecting it with other parts of the country and has remained inaccessible to all NGOs/Agencies who wish to extend their humanitarian services to this isolated area. Besides, in the absence of any road link with their own country the people of this area are totally dependent on the road link with Sierra Leone and per force have to rely for all their basic needs on the neighbouring towns across the border.
In this backdrop Pakistan Contingent planned an expedition to explore the abandoned pre war route linking Lofa and Gbarpolu Counties from Vahun to Kongba which further links with Manrovia through Tubmanberg. Before the war this was the main route used by the people of this area to travel to Tubmanberg and Manrovia but was subsequently abandoned due to destruction of some bridges during the war.
This challenging task was undertaken by Pakistan Contingent. The expedition team led by Deputy Commander Sector 2 Colonel Tariq and Major Hassan, consisted of 28 personnel including infantry, engineers, medical, communication and special services elements was set to explore the possibility of reopening the road link between Vahun and Nomodatundu and encouraging NGOs and other humanitarian actors for starting their projects in the area.
The expedition reached Vahun a day before, spent a night there and interacted with locals. The entire population warmly received the expedition. The people were so receptive that they celebrated the occasion by organising a musical function in the town hall. On 28 Jun 2006 at 0500 hours the expedition departed from Vahun. After about two kilometres the track entered into a Jungle with thick growth and bushes.
The wild growth was so dense that it even restricted the visibility all -round. Passing through the thickest growth made the expedition feel like a mole burrowing through the ground. Onwards and upwards they went, through dense forests, crossing the broken bridges, making our way through glades, traversed about 54 Kilometers along the abandoned Vahun- Mbaluyi Nomodatundu track. Finally at 8 p.m the expedition reached the road head (Nomodatundu) near Kongba after about 15 hour walk.
It is hoped that the findings of this expedition and detailed assessment of the track, by Pakistani Engineers, in terms of efforts required to rehabilitate it, will serve as baseline study for integrating the work of government of Liberia, United Nation Agencies and non-governmental organizations for the development of Vahun and surrounding areas. Moreover it will also give an insight and better understanding of the humanitarian issues confronting the residents of Vahun.
The UN authorities and locals have highly appreciated the courageous adventure of the Pakistani troops which was carried out for Humanitarian Cause. - Online
