undptimorleste
MLG Major Chizu Kurita 12-05-11-38
Major Chizu Kurita, a married 36-year-old Japanese military officer, joined United Nations Integrated Mission of Timor-Leste in March 2011. Major Kurita is working as a Military Liaison Officer (MLO) in Baucau district. UNMIT Communications and Public Information Office (CPIO) team joined Chizu and her military liaison colleagues in patrol duty one morning last week. The plan was to visit the Hospital Referencia De Baucau.
Chizu shared the vehicle for a ride with the CPIO team to the hospital. “I come from a town called Kyoto in Japan. Despite a difficult situation back home in the aftermath of a severe disaster, I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to work for a UN peacekeeping mission,” Chizu said. “I am the first Japanese woman military officer who is serving individually in a UN mission. The experience that I gain here is precious as this will be my first and the last mission abroad.” Chizu is here on a six-month misson.
A group of six Japanese women officers joined UNMISET in 2002. Chizu is the only woman amongst three Japanese colleagues who are presently working for the Military Liaison Group in UNMIT. “My work starts with a daily patrol in the morning from Monday to Friday with support of a language assistant. On Saturday and Sunday, we go on a roaming patrol. Afternoons are spent writing reports.” she said. “I together with my colleagues visit local communities, hospitals, schools, NGOs and local police. Some sucos (villages) are in very remote and isolated locations where we have to go for a long patrol and stay overnight. We gather information on food situation, health issues, law & order, security, activities of political parties and Marshal Art Groups (MAG).”
“My first month was difficult. It was a challenge to gather information. It is a skill that I am learning overtime,” she said. “It can be lonely sometimes in Baucau but I am lucky to have considerate, kind and gentle colleagues.”
Arriving at Hospital Referencia De Baucau, Chizu interviewed Dr. Aniceto Manash, the medical specialist, about the patients’ and health problems the hospital faced. Chizu took notes of common illnesses, insufficient medical officers, unavailability of equipment, medicines and facilities like ambulances. Later Chizu and Dr Manash went around the wards, talked to the patients and checked the facilities.
“I write a report on the information gathered,” Chizu said. “This is shared by the HQ in Dili with the UN agencies for their information and possible action.”
The Military Liaison team in Baucau is responsible for six sub-districts of Baucau district that has 59 sucos.
MLG Major Chizu Kurita 12-05-11-38
Major Chizu Kurita, a married 36-year-old Japanese military officer, joined United Nations Integrated Mission of Timor-Leste in March 2011. Major Kurita is working as a Military Liaison Officer (MLO) in Baucau district. UNMIT Communications and Public Information Office (CPIO) team joined Chizu and her military liaison colleagues in patrol duty one morning last week. The plan was to visit the Hospital Referencia De Baucau.
Chizu shared the vehicle for a ride with the CPIO team to the hospital. “I come from a town called Kyoto in Japan. Despite a difficult situation back home in the aftermath of a severe disaster, I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to work for a UN peacekeeping mission,” Chizu said. “I am the first Japanese woman military officer who is serving individually in a UN mission. The experience that I gain here is precious as this will be my first and the last mission abroad.” Chizu is here on a six-month misson.
A group of six Japanese women officers joined UNMISET in 2002. Chizu is the only woman amongst three Japanese colleagues who are presently working for the Military Liaison Group in UNMIT. “My work starts with a daily patrol in the morning from Monday to Friday with support of a language assistant. On Saturday and Sunday, we go on a roaming patrol. Afternoons are spent writing reports.” she said. “I together with my colleagues visit local communities, hospitals, schools, NGOs and local police. Some sucos (villages) are in very remote and isolated locations where we have to go for a long patrol and stay overnight. We gather information on food situation, health issues, law & order, security, activities of political parties and Marshal Art Groups (MAG).”
“My first month was difficult. It was a challenge to gather information. It is a skill that I am learning overtime,” she said. “It can be lonely sometimes in Baucau but I am lucky to have considerate, kind and gentle colleagues.”
Arriving at Hospital Referencia De Baucau, Chizu interviewed Dr. Aniceto Manash, the medical specialist, about the patients’ and health problems the hospital faced. Chizu took notes of common illnesses, insufficient medical officers, unavailability of equipment, medicines and facilities like ambulances. Later Chizu and Dr Manash went around the wards, talked to the patients and checked the facilities.
“I write a report on the information gathered,” Chizu said. “This is shared by the HQ in Dili with the UN agencies for their information and possible action.”
The Military Liaison team in Baucau is responsible for six sub-districts of Baucau district that has 59 sucos.