Somalia

A difficult mission

One of the countries which would prove to be especially challenging for peace support personnel was Somalia. Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members served in Somalia from 1992 to 1993. They took part in United Nations (UN) peace missions and a United States-led multinational peace support operation. The controversy that would come to surround Canada’s efforts in the country has made the name Somalia a sensitive one for many.

Background

Somalia is a large country in the Horn of Africa. It is spread out along the Indian Ocean at the most eastern corner of the continent. The hot and arid country, straddling the equator, has a land mass of more than 600,000 square kilometres, making it roughly the size of Saskatchewan. Most of Somalia’s eight million people are very poor.

The areas that would come together to become Somalia were once colonies of Europe. After the Second World War, they began moving down the path toward independence, becoming one nation in 1960.

The country’s society is tribal-based, with strong clan ties having a great influence on the politics of the country. The years following independence were difficult for the people of Somalia. They lived with internal and international tensions, uprisings and drought. In the early 1990s, widespread civil war and famine engulfed the entire country. Hundreds of thousands died in the upheavals. The country became dominated by the activities of rival clans and local warlords with their brutal militias who spread terror and prevented any semblance of normal life.

The world responds

In 1992, the international community took action. The UN formed a peacekeeping mission to help bring stability to the region and allow relief supplies to reach those in desperate need of it. A further United States-led multinational initiative was authorized by the UN in late 1992. Canada, along with more than 20 other nations, participated in this as well. During their time in Somalia, Canadians did many things to try to improve the desperate situation there.

They escorted famine relief convoys, participated in the removal of land mines and collected or destroyed thousands of confiscated weapons. Despite their best efforts, the international forces could not end the strife in the country. In 1995, the final UN peace support mission withdrew.

Heroic efforts

CAF members in Somalia faced great danger, in an environment filled with violence and chaos. They responded to it all with great acts of valour.

Rescue missions

Canada’s Sea King helicopter crews took part in reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering activities, frequently coming under fire while doing so. They performed many medical evacuations (being dubbed "the body snatchers" by the American forces who were also operating in the area) and performed airborne transport of cargo and personnel from the HMCS Preserver off the coast.

Courage in the line of fire

Canadian soldiers came under fire several times in Somalia. On 18 June 1993, Warrant Officer Roch Lanteigne risked his life supplying ammunition to members of his platoon who were defending the new harbour facilities in Mogadishu, the country’s capital. Under fire, he went from bunker to bunker three times to deliver ammunition to his platoon, only returning to safety when all the soldiers were re-supplied.

Medical services

Naval Lieutenant Heather MacKinnon did much to help the people of Somalia during the UN operations there. She operated a medical clinic and worked in hospitals and orphanages to help the victims of war and famine in Mogadishu, despite the continual risks of working in a war zone.

Facts and figures

• An estimated 300,000 Somalis died in the upheaval. Perhaps a million were forced to become refugees to neighbouring countries or within Somalia itself.
• Approximately 28,000 UN troops were deployed to Somalia in the early 1990s. More than 150 UN personnel died in the course of international peacekeeping efforts there.
• The UN authorized the creation of the United Task Force (UNITAF), a multinational force with personnel from over 20 countries. UNITAF was lead by the United States and had a troop strength of almost 40,000. Canada’s contribution to this mission was approximately 1,400 military personnel.
• Somalia was a harsh and unforgiving place for the Canadians – dry and dusty with temperatures above 50 degrees not being uncommon. Yellow fever and malaria, as well as venomous scorpions and snakes are commonplace in Somalia, only adding to the risks the CAF faced.

Outcome

Canada’s mission in Somalia was clouded by controversial incidents involving the Canadian Airborne Regiment and the death of a young Somalian intruder in the Canadian camp near the town of Belet Uen. A high-profile Canadian military inquiry would follow and the Airborne Division would eventually be disbanded.

The peace support missions in Somalia were particularly difficult ones for the Canadian Armed Forces members serving there, and ultimately, they would only have a limited impact on the greater forces swirling around them. Somalia was a lawless war zone and peace support troops had to engage in firefights to try to fulfill its missions. The risks of serving in areas like Somalia are many – from hostile fire, land mines and driving accidents to exotic diseases, poisonous wildlife and the harsh and long-lasting psychological effects of serving under such arduous conditions. During the peace efforts in Somalia, one Canadian Armed Forces member lost his life.

Sacrifice

Canadian peacekeepers make many sacrifices when they serve in overseas missions. Spending six months or a year away from friends and loved ones is very hard. They also face the danger of working in a place in turmoil, with uncertainty about what each day will bring. The family members of those who deploy far from home also share these burdens.

Serving in uniform can sometimes result in injury and death. Approximately 130 Canadian Armed Forces members and two Royal Canadian Mounted Police have lost their lives during international peace efforts.