PESHAWAR, Dec 14: The United Nations has asked its personnel working in the provincial metropolis and elsewhere in the NWFP exercise caution in view of the security problems, official sources told Dawn.
“The growing security problems faced by the UN personnel around the world, specially in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United Nations Security Organization (UNSO), has also been organizing special training for its employees to enable them deal with the security problems,” said the sources.
The world agency has cautioned its workers, particularly expatriate staff against visiting Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) without security guards, the sources added.
They said the UN was concerned about the safety of its workers and the death of its envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, in Baghdad on Aug 18, had further mounted the fear, forcing the UNSO to arrange special courses for its staffers and send them booklets and CDs containing information and tips required for their security.
“We are also vulnerable, because our offices are housed in government-owned buildings, where there was no check on the entry of the people as well as cars. We are at the receiving end, because in most of the cases, the terrorists attack government buildings,” said sources, adding that there seemed no proper arrangements by the government to provide security to the UN staff attached with its various humanitarian agencies.
The sources didn’t give specific details as to how many people had been working in the NWFP with the UN agencies, but said: “They are in hundreds.”
They said that a few months ago a UN vehicle was fired at by some miscreants near Peshawar that raised alarm among other staffers.
The sources said though the UN and the US were different entities, the people regarded it as one and therefore the US actions in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere in the Muslim countries drew severe criticism from the general public. It has also resulted in threats to the safety of its staffers forcing the UN to take precautionary measures.
Specially designed hostage incident cards by the UNSO, which had been dispatched to all the sub-offices throughout the country, say: “Your job is to survive. At the time of your seizure, do not attempt to fight back. The first 15 to 45 minutes are most dangerous. Do not play hero; do not talk back or act tough.”
The UN has also counselling facilities for their staffers who after their release from the captivity would be counselled for a month to do away with the mental stress, they had undergone as hostage.
Likewise, a hand book “ Security Awareness” had been designed to inform the UN employees of the problems and solutions concerning security matter. Hostage negotiation team of the UN had also been constituted with a view to secure release of the staffers from the captors through fulfilling their demands.
