Page 11 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • October 2001 11
Bosnia based policeman soon Black Cat
to return to Swindon beat School of Motoring uklinks4

A Swindon policeman is looking forward to returning to work in the New local school There are some
town this month after a hard tour of duty with the United Nations in recently opened
Bosnia. great resources
PC Qahir Sheikh "People fled for Discounts available on the Internet.
swapped the rela- their lives, but Gift vouchers available
tively calm pave- many are returning for birthdays etc But do you know
ments of Haydon because of the in-
Wick last October ternational peace Tel: Barry Hunter 700131 where they are?
to join a contingent keepers in the coun- Approved Driving Instructor
of officers from try. Often the We do!
across Britain and returnees discover 50% OFF
other countries to a local policeman FIRST LESSON
monitor the meth- and his family have www.uklinks4.com
ods used by local moved into their
policemen and in- home and getting
vestigate incorrect them out is a poten-
use of police pow- tially explosive
ers in the war torn situation. It means
country. you have to be very
The demanding Q in his United tactful in how you
UN working condi- Nations uniform handle the situa-
tions has made Below: the ravages of war tion. The local po-
home visits diffi- lice don't like hav-
cult, but'Q', as he is known in the ing foreigners interferring in their
Wiltshire force, has managed three business, but it's our task to ensure
breaks during his year away. that ordinary people are treated
In an exclusive interview with correctly and that one ethnic group
The Link last February, he described is not oppressing another."
his work and also the devastation More recently Q has been moni-
still remaining six years after the toring activities in the traffic de-
Serbs and Bosnians went to war. partment where opportunities for
Moving from the neat tidy corruption are rife. "Pay for local
surburbia of his Haydon Wick beat, policemen is about two months in
and West Swindon where he lives, arrears, so there is great tempta-
to a mountainous region just three tion to stop vehicles on the slight-
hours flying time away was a est excuse. There are many com-
shock. The derelict buildings pep- plaints against officers taking
pered with bullet marks and gap- bribes for not pressing charges
ing holes from which have to be
rocket explosions, investigated." FREE
the lack of basic Q's assessment
amenities and the of change in
absence of decent Bosnia is gloomy. Computer
TV were eye open- "The local saying
ers. is' polaco, polaco' Training
Meeting him which means pa-
again in late Au- tience. This can
gust before his re- be very, very frus- Whether you are a complete beginner
turn to Bosnia after trating. or want to extend your current
a holiday with his "Our task is to knowledge, New College is
family, Q said he assist in the crea- offering FREE computer training to
was looking for- tion of a demo-
ward to coming cratically ac- anyone over 16.
back to Swindon at countable police
the end of October. force who are ex- Courses are running in venues
"Not seeing my wife and children pected to apply the high standards throughout Swindon and all training
for long periods whilst under great of policing found in Britain. But is done on a flexible basis.
stress in a difficult working envi- the slower pace of life and the ob- D
ronment has made me appreciate structive activities by some of the All you have to do is sign up for your
them even more," he said. local officials means progress is chosen course and pay the exam
For the last few months Q has difficult. • fee and you could be on your way to
been based in the north of Bosnia "The economy is very depend- a new career or maybe just catching
in Banjaluka, a town about the size ent on money poured in by the
of Swindon. Fierce fighting in European Union and the presence ^+ 1u p with the kids!
nearby villages during the war saw of UN personnel. The tensions be-
Croats and Muslim Bosnians tween ethnic groups is much in
driven out by the Serbs. Doing the evidence and there are flare ups
job of two people, though having which the international forces have
to cope with a workload for five, to step in and sort out. The general
Q's task has been to investigate feeling amongst the locals is that
civil rights abuses by local police- without the peacekeepers the coun-
men. try could explode again."