Military training hindered by baboons

We have asked Lt.Col. (eng.) Zoltán Hegymegi, a senior officer at the HDF joint Forces Command, to tell us about the trip and the work of the military delegation.

Where were you exactly and for how long?

We were in Africa for nearly a month. Besides me, there were also two other fellow soldiers in the delegation, whose specialisation is different, therefore they had a different perspective when they looked at the situation and evaluated what they had seen. We flew via the French capital and from Paris the French Air Force took us to Djibouti. The African division of the French Joint Forces Command operates in this country and we were the guests of this organisation that also gave us information on the basis of which we could look for answers.

What were your specific tasks, what did you have to pay attention to?

Our main duty was to examine the training of Somalian troops in detail, which is currently run by French army soldiers stationed in Djibouti. After the introductions and a briefing on the activities of the command we attended presentations where we learned about the operational area, the security policy situation in neighbouring countries, the historic reasons for the situation that has evolved in these countries, and the activities of French troops in the current situation. They also told us about the history of Djibouti, its political system and religions, and the strategic importance of the region. Following that we were briefed on the duties of French forces stationed in the region. We had the opportunity to examine the location and activities of the 5th Combined Arms Regiment, the airbase of the French Air Force, and the bases and work of the Foreign Legion’s 13th Half-Brigade. The program in the framework of which the French corps are training and preparing the Somalian army to contribute to security and stability in the Gulf of Aden, was launched last year.

Are there any specialities or different practices in this mission, and were you shown any?

The logistic supply of French forces stationed here is a very interesting task. Owing to the geographical location of the country, religious practices, and the extreme heat these tasks have to be carried out very quickly. But it was also very interesting when we could participate as observers in exercise EASBRIG FTX 2009 Djibouti, in which soldiers, police and civilians from 11 African countries were cooperating. The aim of the exercise was to develop joint operations capability and practice cooperation.

What is Djibouti like, how would you describe it in short?

Djibouti is a very small state in Africa, but due to its geographical location it is very important strategically. The great powers recognised this strategic importance after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, and it was France that colonised the country and called it French Somaliland. Djibouti is at the meeting point of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, therefore it can control commercial shipping lines heading for the Far East. After the three-year revolt of Afar tribes, the struggle for independence started in 1974 and in 1977, the country could finally elect a head of state  and head of government  for the first time. The legal system is based on Islamic law, the country is a member state of the UN, the Arab League and the African Union. The climate is subtropical, which means summers are very hot, the temperature is around 45-50°C and it is still above 24°C even in the cooler seasons. The country comprises six administrative regions, 60 per cent of the population are Somalian and 37 per cent are Afar. As regards religion, 93 per cent of the people are Muslim and only 4 per cent are Roman Catholic. The general health of the population  which is quite bad, compared to Europe  tells a lot about the situation in the country. From time to time many diseases appear which are typical in the tropics. The most frequent one is malaria, which can spread in the cool seasons after the rains, but cholera and yellow fever epidemics may also break out occasionally, mainly among the poor who live in slums. As opposed to neighbouring states, the security situation in Djibouti can be considered good. The political system is relatively stable, internal policy relations are balanced. The relations between French troops and local population, local authorities are good, locals have accepted them. The local police is in charge of maintaining public order. The quat, which belongs to the group of light drugs and can be consumed legally, causes a lot of traffic accidents. In addition to that, fighting prostitution also causes the local authorities many problems. Typically, the borders of the state are poorly controlled therefore they are quite easy to cross, it is especially true in the region between Somalia and Djibouti. The southern neighbour is also a refuge for terrorists and insurgents. At the moment a border dispute causes tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Tension between Djibouti and Eritrea also grew in 2008, after Eritreans violated the Djibouti border. Today it seems that this situation has been resolved.

What kind of military organisations does Djibouti have?

At the moment 3,500 soldiers serve in the national army that comprises an armoured regiment, an artillery regiment, a rapid response regiment, a combined arms regiment, and a combined arms battalion. Air defence tasks are carried out by five airplanes and four helicopters. Since they have a sea, they also have a navy consisting of six patrol boats and eight other small vessels. In 2002, they established the National Guard, comprising force protection, guard, and combat support companies and a working dog brigade.

Why is it in the interest of the French to stay in the country?

You must know that on June 27, 1977, when Djibouti became independent, a bilateral agreement was concluded in which they specified the conditions for the French military’s stationing in Djibouti. In February 1991, this document was amended and certain terms were made more specific. In terms of the agreement which was further amended in February 1991, French troops are in charge of controlling the airspace and maritime areas of Djibouti. In August 2003, the financial and tax contributions to be paid by the French were specified again, stating that the French state is to pay 30 million euros a year for the military presence. The economic contribution exceeds this amount. One of the most important elements of French presence is the control of key commercial and military shipping routes connecting the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Moreover, the country can be an important relay station in operations conducted far away from France. It cannot be ignored either that with its terrain and climate, the country is a good area and offers a good opportunity for the training of French troops for operations.

What sort of military trainings does the country have?

The French started the training of the soldiers of the Somalian army in 2009, and they would like to implement it in several stages. The training period is 8 weeks, of which the first two weeks are spent with medical examinations and a security check. Military training takes six weeks. For the most part, it is general military training, but they are planning to introduce strategic and legal studies as well. It is followed by other trainings, learning about weapons, physical preparation, historic and civil rights studies, and the subject ’gender roles in society’. Somalian troops are trained in platoons of 50, and there are 10 trainers and 2-3 interpreters for each platoon. The fact that a part of trained soldiers desert to Somalia and later join the pirates causes a big problem for the Somalian military, and there are also many other problems they have to face during training.

What else can cause problems in training?

The main problem is that the soldiers to be trained are very young and physically unprepared. It means that due to malnutrition, many of them weigh around 50 kg, therefore physical load causes difficulties. Furthermore a lot of people who join the training are sick, that is why medical check-ups and screening tests are needed. Their religion requires that they pray five times a day, which has to be taken into consideration when planning their training because they also have to tidy up and wash before prayer. Extreme uneducation also has to be mentioned here: 80 per cent of the recruits cannot write and the only language they speak is Somalian. Therefore training is about continuous repetition, this is how trainers are trying to teach because there are no other possibilities, they cannot deepen knowledge by individual studies. Owing to the heat it is often impossible to run trainings and ammunition, among others, also requires special storage. The fact that the quality of ammunition is poor and it is simply not enough makes the situation even worse, during training and exercises they can fire single shots only. We also found that Somalian trainers are very undisciplined, so training camps are divided in two, a French and a Somalian part. To make the situation more complicated, baboons keep breaking into the camp, which is a real danger for the personnel since these monkeys overcome their fear and do everything to get food. In short: the French army has hundreds of years of experience in Africa, and by utilising their experience, together with other nations stationed in the region they contribute to making the Gulf of Aden safe for commercial and other shipping lines. As a ’host’ country, Djibouti plays a key role in implementation.