An Cosantóir

tion and peacekeeping duties in the Sinai are conducted by an independent nonUN mission called the Multinational Force of Observers (MFO), made up of observers from 12 contributing nations. "UNTSO's liaison offices allow our head-of-mission to interact on a political level with other governments and state agencies in the region," Lt Col Niemi outlined. "For example, LO Beirut meets with Lebanon's president, government, armed forces, and judiciary, along with other international organisations and embassies." OGL, which has a larger AO than UNIFIL's, has 53 observers from 20 nations. Apart from the HQ the remainder are divided into four teams of ten, one of which is based in Camp 245. Patrolling is carried out in smaller teams of two, with the full length of the Blue Line being covered on a daily basis, in addition to meetings with local authorities and village leaders, and investigating any armistice violations. OGL vehicles are clearly marked so that everyone knows who they are and that they are unarmed and operating independently of UNIFIL. | 21 Capt Tony McCourt of Ireland (left, later Colonel and first military judge) and Capt Torsten Bojesen (Denmark), UN Military Observers, on duty at Observation Post HIN in southern Lebanon. 22 October 1974 Lebanon Photo ID 137992 UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata UNTSO Observers Maj K.J. Gran (left)(Norway) and Capt E.W. French (Canada) observing machinegun fire by Israel forces, from Observation Post MAR (AMR 1998-2921), south-east of the village of Markaba in Lebanon. 24 October 1974 Lebanon Photo ID 137988 UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata A view of Observation Post PINK, located on the Eastern shore of Little Bitter Lake in IsraeliOccupied Sinai. 22 April 1973 Egypt Photo ID 137867 UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata Lt Cdr Peter Loudon Lt Cdr Peter Loudon, from the Royal Australian Navy, is a deputy team leader with one of the two Sector West teams, Team Victor and Team Zulu, operating out of Camp 245. One team patrols the Blue Line while the other patrols villages all the way up to the Litani River. "Whether patrolling the Blue Line or meeting with mukhtars and village mayors, we are building up a profile of the area," Lt Cdr Loudon says. "We mingle with the people and get a feel for the current situation. Our information is compiled into a daily operational report, which is then sent to UNTSO HQ and FC UNIFIL." OGL's activities give an example of how UNTSO's observers gather information that can be essential to maintaining peace and stability in South Lebanon and the greater Middle East. UNTSO's job will only end when there is peace throughout the Middle East. UNTSO was in South Lebanon long before UNIFIL and will probably be there long after it is gone. A heavily damaged building in the city of Beirut, Lebanon. Photo ID 130985. 01 Jan 1983. Beirut, Lebanon. UN Photo/John Isaac. www.military.ie the defence forces magazine

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