Commander returned from Kurdistan duty

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 384, 30 April 1991, Page 5

Commander returned from Kurdistan duty

Colonel Clive Sinclair has swapped the command of 40 United Nations observers on the Iran-Iraq border in Kurdistan for a promotion and a new job as commander of the Waiouru Army Training Group.

He has taken command of Waiouru ATG after 13 months' service in Iran as a contingent commander with the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observers (UNHMOG). With the change in job he also enjoys a promotion from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel. Col Sinclair is not new to Waiouru - he served as Chief of Staff at Waiouru ATG before his service in Iran. The first nine months of his command in Iran was as a sector commander, responsible for 40 military observers on the border, maned by soldiers of 14 different nationalities. The sector covered more than 500 kilometres of the north-west Iran-Iraq border, which covers a large area of mountainous country similar to the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Covering this type of country was physically demanding, said Col Sinclair, with a lot of driving. He said while the highways in the area were sealed the job involved lots of fourwheel driving to the border posts. The area is now featuring in the international news because of the massive movement of Kurdish refugees. Col Sinclair said the area was not heavily populated. Kurds live a frugal lifestyle there in small mountain villages eking out a living with goats, some cattle and ingenious irrigation systems. Contact with the local people was very limited, said Col Sinclair. He said there was little time to stop when travelling from one observation post to another and that the posts were normally well away from the villages and local people. Violations He said there were J some cease-fire viola- ? tions during the time | which had to be sorted > out, but by and large y both sides wanted to see the process carried out. "In most cases the troops on the border were co-operative and helpful - certainly to me they were," said Col Sinclair. "I think they recognised the UN were required if they were to reach a final agreements' "The operation was fairly unique as a United Nations peace keeping mission as it was actually completed," said Col Sinclair. He'said all other such missions are still going on even after several years. The border they were working to reinstate was agreed upon in 1975. Many areas were physically marked but some

had to be re-surveyed. Here the UN forces negotiated a withdrawal of troops from both sides from a buffer zone so that joint survey parties could mark out the line. Tehran Col Sinclair served as chief operations officer at the UNIMOG Headquarters in Tehran for the final four months. This task involved the co-ordinating of investigations into cease fire protests. He said there were many minor ones, such as a shepherd crossing the line with his flock, but there were also serious protests involving accusations of troop movements across the border, increases in strengths of opposing forces and some accusations of Iraquis opening fire on Iranian positions. The UNIMOG operation finished its task in February 1991, with all troops on the right side of the: internationally recognised boundary. Time off Time off added a further dimension to the

'extremely interesting' period in the Sinclair's lives. Kate Sinclair, the Colonel's wife, lived in Larnaka in Cyprus during his period in Iran. Col Sinclair worked seven days a week for two month stretches then would join his wife for leave. After a brief rest spell in Cyprus they made use of the time travelling in various countries including Bulgaria, Greece, England and Wales, and Turkey, where they attended the 75th Anniversary of Gallipolli commemorations at Anzac Cove. Kate Sinclair also travelled to Thailand, Jordan and Egypt during the 14 months. The couple were reunited with their children in London for Christmas, with the children attending

boarding school in New Zealand for most of the time. Returning to Waiouru was a pleasant surprise for Col Sinclair. "One requests these things but it is always a pleasant surprise to be told that it will happen," said Col Sinclair. He said he is looking forward to carrying on the good works of the previous commanders. "I certainly want to maintain the good relations with the district council," he said, "and I am particularly keen to maintain the good relations with the neighbouring landowners. "And despite the economic problems we are all suffering I want to endeavour to maintain Waiouru as a viable town within the region," he said. Since his previous

time in Waiouru Col Sinclair said he has noted some changes. The town is looking very good, and there are many changes in personnel, whose numbers have reduced slightly. The ATG has undergone two reviews to make it more financially viable and another ra-

view is likely, said Col Sinclair. "Despite these economic priorities people still matter the most," said Col Sinclair. "Whilst having to look at the economics of the operation we are still dealing with people and

I will always bear that in mind. The Army is primarily about people." He said there was a certain degree of stability about Waiouru, and that while there had been some reductions in personnel the numbers lost were not great.