CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

Ref UNDP Radio Operator - Duty Station - Killinochchi

Aubowan!

(Quote p.52 Sunday Observer, July 08, 2007)

United Nations Development Programme

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. UNDP provides assistance to Sri Lanka in the areas of conflict prevention and recovery, democratic governance and human rights, poverty reduction and achievement of Millennium Goals. Interventions are on both policy and project level, implemented in partnership with national counterparts in government, civil society, and the private sector.

Against this background UNDP / UNDSS (United Nations Department of Safety and Security) Sri Lanka seeks to recruit dynamic person for the below post.

RADIO OPERATOR – DUTY STATION – KILLINOCHCHI

Duties and responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the field security coordination officer (FSCO) the incumbent will,

1. Acts as the Control Station for the UN Radio Net in Sri Lanka.

2. Transmits and receive messages by voice radio, Pactor, Facsimile, E-mail and where necessary, relay messages

3. Monitor and control radio communications.

4. Answer incoming telephone calls and respond to general inquiries. If necessary refer to the FSCO.

5. Select the most efficient and economic means of transmitting messages, taking into consideration the nature and priority of communications to be transmitted.

6. (Not copied – a general looking duty)

7. Prepare daily security report and submit it to the FCO Copied to DS Office Colombo by noon as per prescribed format.

8. Maintains and update the list of addresses, telephone and facsimile numbers of SMT Security Focal Points, AS, Wardens List, Radio Call Sign, Government Offices, NGOs, Embassies and other relevant departments to maintain communications.

9. Maintain inventory and exact location of all radio equipments including Satellite Telephones.

10. (Not copied – a general looking duty)

11. (Not copied – a general looking duty)

12. Ensure the battery back-up is fully charged at all times.

13. (Not copied – a general looking duty)

14. (Not copied – a general looking duty)

15. Assist the FSCO in the preparation and dispatch of the weekly summary of security incident reports.

16. Perform other duties as required.

The successful candidate should possess the following qualifications and competencies.

Educational background - (Not copied – a general looking duty)

Experience - At least two years experience in radio communications or relevant field.

Language - (Not copied – a general looking duty)

Communication skills – Good working skills in radio communication operations – both HF and VHF.

Desirable skills – etc.etc and Experience with Motorola and CODAN equipment is an advantage.

Human resources Unit – UNDP, 202-204, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07. Sri Lanka.

Unquote

Dear Readers,

I would like you to read above sentences carefully, which were restated without any alterations. Derivations from above are,

a) UNDP (at least in Sri Lanka) as stated in initial paragraphs is an economic development organization and not a military force. But, they seem to be possessing a robust, modern and 100% up HF (High frequency) and VHF (Very high frequency) radio communication network on our soil with full battery backup.

b) There’s another entity operating side by side named UNDSS - United Nations Department of Safety and Security. Name is self explanatory except whose safety they are concerned with.

c) UNDP & UNDSS are “monitoring” radio communications (ref. duty line 3 above). It’s not stated what is monitored. A powerful VHF monitoring set (which UNDSS would undoubtedly possess) could monitor not only their own “economic development” conversations.

d) No Sinhalese would ever apply for this job, neither he/she would be able to work in Killinochchi even if selected. In effect, a Tamil youth will be (they already are) monitoring HF and VHF communications through UNDSS network. Do all recruits security screened by Government authorities before being enlisted for this sensitive task?

e) UNDP or rather UNDSS is preparing and sending a security report to Colombo 07 office DAILY. What they do with this data in Colombo 07 is not stated in the advertisement. How this volume of data helped to re-arrange development strategies and their additional contribution are not known.

f) UNDP or rather UNDSS is constantly maintaining a robust database of various entities (ref. duty line 8 above) some of which are not anyway connected to their economic development activities.

g) UNDP or rather UNDSS is also using Satellite Telephones. They possess equipments to find the exact location of Satellite telephones and radio equipments being operated {which requires an advanced equipment called DF (Direction Finder) which are so expensive and delicate that entire Army had only few}. That also means that UNDP Killinochchi office can find the exact location if an Army or Navy HF / VHF radio set. Can monitor (listen to) the communication and find the location are too god strategic advantages for a “pure” economic development agency.

h) In addition to daily reports, FSCO is sending a weekly summary of security incident reports.

i) CODAN equipments are not even used in our military.

On a more general note, UNDP or UNDSS are not under security threat from Government military, LTTE, EPDP, TELO, Karuna fraction etc. Requirement for 24 hour monitoring and daily reporting do not arise for a pure economic development agency. We are aware, UNDP (or any NGO in that respect) has not done economic wonders in Sri Lanka. They have not built new bridges, new factories, new high-ways, new airports, new schools, new reservoirs or new villages but repairs to existing ones. A robust radio system is necessary for a vibrant and widespread activity like military, airport or large port operation which require a instant, frequent and bi-directional exchange of voice & data. Typical economic development conversations such as “shall I repair this bridge? Ok, buy 10 bags of cement, shall I reduce poverty in this village or that village (they have not done that in any village), why the pre-school teacher has not come to work today? zero one bravo for zero three mike, zero three mike over, zero three mike, take down these notes on UNDP conflict prevention etc” are just nonsense over a VHF radio network. These equipments would have been necessary when conventional communications modes such as Telecom lines and GSM mobile phones were not available but now, these facilities are available in most of the island. On the other hand, Satellite telephones have taken over communication burden of civil organizations in anywhere in this earth. Also, UNDP could obtain daily security reports from MoD website and if they trust more, from Tamilnet. It’s worthy to note that National Security Department (formerly Home Guard Force) with 37,000 men operates without a SINGLE radio communication set. If eligibility is economic development, why MAS Holdings or Lake House Publications or Jeyeraj Fernandopulle Foundation (!!) are is not allowed to use VHF radio sets in Sri Lanka? Why do we have to obtain approval to bring a cordless telephone home?

I, as an ordinary citizen in Sri Lanka should have a right to know what is the roll and task of UNDSS - United Nations Department of Safety and Security and what have they done so far in our soil.

It is late but not too late to take up the issue seriously and let UNDP know that Sri Lanka now has a Government with a backbone and population with dignity. Should kindle sentiments like what slain foreign minister Kadiragamer said “you lookafter matters like malaria and dhal, we will lookafter matters of national security”.

Overseas expats could call UNDP overseas offices for a clarification & explanation on above grounds including a list (how many of 166 countries) allow this type of “sensitive radio freedom” on own soil.

Disclaimer: The comments contained within this website are personal reflection only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the LankaWeb. LankaWeb.com offers the contents of this website without charge, but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions expressed within. Neither the LankaWeb nor the individual authors of any material on this Web site accept responsibility for any loss or damage, however caused (including through negligence), which you may directly or indirectly suffer arising out of your use of or reliance on information contained on or accessed through this Web site.
All views and opinions presented in this article are solely those of the surfer and do not necessarily represent those of LankaWeb.com. .

BACK TO LATEST NEWS

DISCLAIMER