UNAMIR II - Australian Medical Support Force to Rwanda - Personal/Sub-Unit diary [ASC I COs diary LT Col P McIntosh] 25 Jul 1994 to 16 Dec 1994 - Part 6

95

Tuesday 18 October
[*Folio124 *]

The Sitrep for 18 October is at Folio

124.

I expressed serious concerns with

com ASC that he had unsettled his medical

appreciation to the FC which had establishment

reductions to my organisation without

consulting. He agrees not that the

reduction in infantry and logistic

elements is not feasible. This has 

been a long battle as he has disagreed

with my security precautions up till

now. He now agrees that a real

threat is developing.

I had a discussion with SMERG [[?]]

today to as they were concerned about

their security. I agreed to treat

them as its NGO, at least to the 

point of providing a secure area

for them to retreat to. I was advised

that an RPA soldier is their ward had

assaulted and emergency nurse. I visited

the soldier and informed him that I

would report him to the Minister for Health

and if xx he or any other RPA soldier

touched another NGP staff member that

my soldier would place him under

arrest. I then instructed Emergency to

advise my guard if any other incident

occurred and I instructed the guard

to disarm and arrest any offenders. 

I held an establishment review

conference all afternoon in preparation for

the forma review by Com ASC on 19 Oct.

The hospital  held a clinical meeting.

[[?]] advised that we were to

clear out the local patients from the hospital

as we had only one [[?]] soldier and

11 locals. We will attempt to relocate

96

some tomorrow as many do not need

specialised care. But bed space is at a 

premium.

A letter received from a grateful father

in law of a patient who will die is 

[*folio 125*] 

at folio 125. It shows that the people of

Rwanda that we touch appreciate our

support and realise that we cannot do

the impossible.

97

Wednesday 19 October

[*Folio 126*]

The Sitrep for 19 Oct is at Folio 126.

A review of the ASC UMAMIR structure

and establishment was conducted today.

The new establishment with covering

[*folio 127.*]

Minute is at Folio 127. The review

was conducted with a large degree

of medical bias as COM ASC was

adamant that there would be at

least a commensurate reduction in

the strength of the rifle Coy and Log

Spt Coy as for Med Coy. This view

was not based on logic. The Med

Coy was reduced slightly because

there are capabilites that are not

required. There was no pessure to

reduce numbers. The rifle coy and 

Log Spt Coy have been extremely

busy and have no excess capacity;

in fact, the rifle coy personnel

rarely get a night off. I resisted

the pressure and did not allow

any deduction in the security or

logistic or staff capabilities. 

Ms Bernadette Sealy arrived today

from the AS High Commission in Nairobi.

She will visit the TSG and will hold

discussions with [[?]] staff in

UNAMIR HQ and ASC. Her report

will be crucial to a decision on 

whether ASC notates or not.

98

Thursday 20 October

The Sitrep for the 20 Oct is at Folio

128.

The OPSO and SMO deployed to Butane today

to accompany Bernadette Sealy and to

visit the TSG.

Com ASC advised that LHd had

[[?]] the proposal establishment and

agreed with the structure.

The BOD Tech SGT, SGT McKeowen, from 3 CER,

was injured today while rendering safe the 

flash booster from a m6o rifle grenade.

The grenade had been rendered inncusous

and had been separated from the grenade 

flash booster. The flash booster detonated

while SGT McKeown was grinding the cap to

loosen it. It would appear that the

booster overheated. SGT McKeown sustained

injuries to the fingers on both hands,

lost more than 50% of the padding on the 

left thumb, suffered fragmentation injuries

to his leg and flash burns and

primer fragmentation injuries to both eyes.

The injures are not to serious but ongoing

specialist care will be required to ensure

that there are no complication with the

eyes and the thumb needs plastic surgery

to ensure that maximum destvity can be

retained. Arrangements were made during

the evening to repatriate him to Australia

on 21 Oct. He is to be accompanied by

a nursing officer.

I briefed SGT OPS noted on the injury and

cause and recommended that the matter

be investigated by [[?]]

I answered a Ministerial Representation

relating to [[Roch?]] / travel entitlements. It

would appear that a group of wives are

agitating to here the Army pay for the