An Cosantóir

Deputy Force Commander | 23 Brig Gen Patrick Phelan Interview by Wesley Bourke Photos by Cpl Colum Lawlor and courtesy of UNIFIL Press Office developed to deal with tensions and issues of potential conflict in South Lebanon. This is where UNIFIL, the senior military and civil components, meet with the LAF and IDF at a very high level on a regular basis, normally once a month, in periods of heightened tension or following a serious incident. It is a face-to-face forum for the parties to address issues, through UNIFIL, that are of concern to them. It is a unique mechanism that works very effectively and is a significant development from any of my other experiences here where in fact there was no communication whatsoever between the parties. "The marking of the Blue Line is another significant development because it also involves the parties. The Blue Line is a line of withdrawal that was delineated following the 2000 IDF withdrawal from South Lebanon. It isn't the 1923 line between French Lebanon and Palestine or the 1949 Armistice Demarcation Line, but is the best approximation of both. It runs along the general line of the Israeli Technical Fence but not exactly along that line either. The Blue Line is actually demarcated on the ground by means of markers, each of which consists of a big concrete base with a blue barrel sitting on top, with a vertical pole and another blue barrel topping it off. These markers act as a point of reference for all parties along the approximate 120kms of the Blue Line. It was assessed and agreed to by the parties that it would take 473 markers to mark the whole line, although actually doing that is quite a challenge. "Agreeing a particular point isn't easy. After an access lane is cleared through the minefields by our combat engineers and a general area is agreed, a GIS (geographical information systems) team from each jurisdiction will independently check exactly where the marker should go. This process is done by each party and UNIFIL separately. When a party decides on a particular point they put down a coloured spike. If both parties and UNIFIL can close the gap to within 50cms, that's where the marker goes. The construction engineers then come in and erect the blue barrel. Then there is a verification process where the GIS teams again visit the site to confirm the marker is sited exactly where agreed. "Out of the 473 markers deemed necessary to mark the Blue Line, 192 are in areas of reservation - that is where the parties are not ready to agree at this time - and are therefore out of the equation. This leaves 281, of which roughly half have been fully completed and verified. This process is not just valuable to the parties on the ground, and of course to UNIFIL, but also to the local civilian populations on both sides, and primarily to shepherds, who roam pretty freely around the area. The markers are an indication to them of which side of the line they are on, and so help to avoid violations of the line. "Back in 2000 it was another Irish officer, (then) Brig Gen James Sreenan, who held this position here and who was instrumental in the delineation of the Blue Line on the map and facilitating this whole marking process. It is a very sensitive process: nobody on either side can concede territory on their own behalf as they are representing their respective governments. In areas of contention where there are unresolved claims, such as Shebaa Farms or al-Ghajar, these issues will remain pending until such time as the parties are ready to address them. "I last served here in 1998 and there have been stark changes since then. Serving here you learn that the situation is constantly changing due to both internal and regional factors. Within Lebanon, UNIFIL's AO is an area of relative tranquillity at the moment. Yes, there are problems; yes, there is always a danger of a resumption of hostilities; and yes, we have had incidents within the not so distant past of rocket launches and IEDs. However, looking at it in the context of the rest of the country and the region, it is an island of stability. In northern Lebanon there have been sectarian clashes in the Tripoli area, which is always a threat given the confessional structure of society and government in Lebanon, and there is always a danger that some of the conflict in Syria will leach into Lebanon and be expressed in violence on the ground. Thankfully, that has not happened here in the South. "Relative stability is a huge achievement in over three decades of UN involvement. I first came here in 1978 and in those early years of UNIFIL we witnessed anti-aircraft guns firing from the banana groves around the Tyre Pocket; active operations on the ground by various militias; and the establishment of the Israeli Controlled Area (ICA) where the Israeli-backed De Facto Forces (DFF) operated. There were also very significant and very tragic losses of life during this period. Back then the LAF only had a token representation in the South. Now they are deployed throughout the South and there are no active militia forces on the ground. We do not have an ICA anymore and the authority of the Lebanese government, apart from certain unresolved areas, runs right to the Blue Line. This to me is a huge achievement that can only be grasped in the context of what went before. The position that UNIFIL has helped to develop here over more than three decades, and that it can now help sustain due to the strength of the force and its mandate, as well as the cooperation of the parties, is of huge value to this country and to the greater region. Having contributed very significantly to the creation of this new strategic environment, I personally don't see any alternative to UNIFIL at this time, pending essential political developments that, alone, can ensure a permanent ceasefire." www.military.ie the defence forces magazine

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