Life in the conflict zone: peacekeeping in Georgia.

The United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and its participants are hosts in the conflict zone. I will always keep in mind the words of my landlady: "On the first day, you are our guest, but very soon you will feel like a member of the family." These words reflect my thoughts and feelings for my colleagues, as well as for the local population.

Every day, when I walk from my accommodations to the compound, I see the familiar faces of my neighbours, children going to school, people from nearby villages going to the market--a normal life, almost. I also see people who suffered as a consequence of war, who are waiting and praying for peace, in an environment that is still experiencing criminal activities and poor living conditions. The old have seen life before the war, but the young--the children--don't know better.

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There is a short update from the Military Information Officer, maybe on some killings or shootings during the night, and informing the Sector Commander of our planned patrol activities and about guests from participating countries in some patrols. Then we have the morning briefing for the entire sector, after which the patrols are launched. The United Nations military observers also work as rescue and ambulance drivers for our own security, and to provide assistance to local authorities and villagers and professional medical treatment in life-threatening situations. While this is ongoing, we also work together to train new colleagues, solve problems, prevent incidents, plan and improve future programmes, and liase with the Commonwealth of Independent States' peacekeeping force, local authorities and non-governmental organizations. We also perform engineering and civilian and military cooperation activities. After the patrol returns, there is a debriefing with the Sector Commander, staff and team who reports on anything from the violation of the Moscow Agreement, a killing, shooting or looting, to poor living conditions and a lack of medical assistance in remote areas. These debriefs always remind me of my own experience with the Hotel Team Patrols and show the enthusiasm of the newcomers to do their best to help improve the whole area.

It is the UNOMIG family, with the special team spirit of the Gali Sector, which may provide us with a respite in the evening, gathering in the Gali Paradise Club or in our friends' accommodations, having dinner and conversing about our life experiences and our dreams of a better life for this area and for our hosts and their families. Then a call--"42, this is 47, we have a patient at the gate"--brings us back to our 24-hour duty; a Medevac is sent to the other sector.

We are far away from home and our families; we all have our own lives. We know people who lost their lives serving for peace, but at the end of the day, there is still the question: "Is it enough, what we did?" The answer is yes, when we save even just one life, when we prevent violations or when we help to improve living conditions in the area. But the answer will be no as long as this conflict is not completely resolved.

Another day will begin in Gali Paradise. I will look forward to working with my colleagues from all over the world, to the tasks we will have and also to the smiles on the faces of people we meet, reminding us never to give up in our work for peace.

At the end of my mission, I would like to thank all the people I met during my six-month tour. It was a great experience. There are situations, words and faces that I will always remember. There is also the question: "Did we do enough for this place, for the people and for peace?" Everyone should ask this every day, and I hope that no one would say that what she or he did was not sufficient. We must support each other in the work for peace.

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Captain Gerhard Gunst was Operations Officer with the Gali Sector of UNOMIG. Prior to this, he also served as Arms Control Officer and Platoon Commander.