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Tuesday, 29 April 2008 |
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Chief Warrant Officer Al Rishchynski, left, Lt. Hindowa who is the
school Chief Instructor and Lt. Fornah, Officer Commanding the Hastings
Battle School pose for a photo in Sierra Leone.
The West African country of Sierra Leone is emerging from a decade of civil
war and Chief Warrant Officer Al Rishchynski says the work Canadians are doing
there is worthwhile.
"It is very, very rewarding," said Rishchynski when
reached by phone last week. "This is a very beneficial undertaking - for the
people, they want peace."
Readers may remember Rishchynski, from Prince
Albert, served eight months in Afghanistan a couple of years ago.
Rishchynski
is now on his second overseas mission and his first time in Africa.
The two
missions are quite different.
"This is a cake walk (compared to
Afghanistan)."
Rishchynski is working at a battle school, training members of
the Sierra Leone army.
The mission is called the International Military
Assistance Training Teams (IMATT).
His mission started on Dec. 3 and finishes
on June 10.
The IMATT is a British organization - it operates with the
members of the British, Canadian, U.S., Nigerian and Jamaican
armies.
Rishchynski hopes the mission in Afghanistan will reach a point like
the situation in Sierra Leone.
It is relatively safe and secure in Sierra
Leone but there is always a potential for violence.
Sierra Leone's citizens
have been disarmed and are not permitted to carry firearms -although it is
common for people to carry machetes.
A surprising thing about Sierra Leone is
the way members of different religions are at peace.
"This country never
fought over religion."
The country is about 70 per cent Muslim and 30 per
cent Christian.
Rishchynski is enjoying the cultural experience and the
chance to spend time with local people.
Companies of about 80 to 100 soldiers
come and train at the school from one to six weeks.
He works with 50 local
people at the school who are involved with the instruction, administration,
guard duty, cooking and other tasks.
"I have a really good working
relationship with my guys."
He has been invited to homes, which tend to be
small; some are mud huts with thatched roofs.
"They have very little but are
willing to share."
Food is basic - a normal meal is rice and a little fish or
chicken.
"I think I have bigger fish in my fish tank at home."
English is
common in Sierra Leone.
"They are very eager to learn English."
The Prince
Albert Daily Herald: News | Soldiering on in Africa
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