Shell collection: Maj Troy Francis with ordnance recovered from the TSZ.

Op Pomelo ends

By Cpl Cameron Jamieson

THE ADF’s contribution to the UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) has ended, following the return of the last two Army officers assigned to the mission.

The withdrawal comes as part of the overall drawdown of UN forces committed to the mission.

UNMEE is a peacekeeping mission tasked with monitoring the cessation of hostilities between the two African countries.

Since early 2001 two ADF officers have been allocated to UNMEE’s headquarters in Asmara, Eritrea, for six-month tours of duty as part of Op Pomelo.

The roles of the two positions subtly evolved over the years, with the final pair spending most of their time working in the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Maj Troy Francis and Capt Bob Brown formed the last contingent, ASC 8.

Maj Francis was assigned as the military chief of the mission’s Geographic Information Systems, responsible for collecting GPS data on infrastructure and minefields within the TSZ to produce detailed maps of the border.

Mine danger: A reminder of the hazards posed by undetected mines.

Capt Brown was the Training Officer, responsible for all induction training for foreign soldiers joining the mission.

Maj Francis said the work had been challenging because the TSZ was a vastly unknown area before UNMEE took on the challenge of mapping the border area, which still contains many danger spots.

“Just last month we detected a minefield in the zone 100km long.

Prior to our discovery anybody could have wandered into it at any time,” he said.

Despite their small numbers, the 16 Australian officers who have served on Op Pomelo have left their mark on their international colleagues.

“We’ve left behind a respect for Australian skills and hospitality,” Maj Francis said.

The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations has recognised the efforts of ADF personnel over the past four years and thanked Australia for its contribution.

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