Female AU police officers build trust in Ardamata camp, West Darfur - More "Mama Rosa's" needed in Darfur please!

Here is some heartwarming news from Darfur. African Union police officer Rose Etim, a 46-year-old mother of two from Cameroon, drives through Ardamata camp in her white AU vehicle every day surrounded by Darfuris crying out 'Mama Rosa', stopping at every other home and greeting the people by name, reports Reuters/ST March 19, 2006. Excerpt:

The first contingent of AU police were all men but they were unable to help the women in Darfur who are so often the victims of sexual attack.

Etim, who has worked as a policewoman in West Africa for 25 years and is a trained nurse, was sent in later with a band of women to protect and comfort these traumatised civilians.

Etim heads up the AU police station, which has six other policewomen, maintaining a 24-hour presence at Ardamata Camp for the past six months. Since then, Janjaweed incursions have been reduced to once a week compared with multiple attacks each day.



Photo: African Union police officer Rose Etim from Cameroon (L) greets Sudanese refugee children in Ardamata refugee camp, West Darfur, Sudan, March 17, 2006. (Reuters/Opheera McDoom)

In Ardamata, near Sudan's border with Chad, at least 22,500 people live dependent on food aid and held hostage by militia attacks if they dare to venture more than one mile outside the camp perimeter.

At first the police and army viewed the AU police with suspicion and obstructed their work.

Etim, or "Mama Rosa" as the Darfuris call this plump woman with short-cropped hair, spent hours after she arrived sitting with police to gain their trust. She even bought material and paid a tailor to make them uniforms and gives them notebooks to record complaints in.

Now local police turn to her, calling her to give details of Janjaweed attacks.



Photo: African Union police officer Rose Etim from Cameroon (L), greets a Sudanese refugee woman in Ardamata refugee camp, West Darfur, Sudan, March 17, 2006. (Reuters/Opheera McDoom)

When Etim walks through the dusty camp she is trailed by children running after her. She greets everyone by name, stopping to touch them in a gesture both loving and reassuring.

"Stay in Sudan, don't ever go back to Cameroon," said Ardamata resident Zeinab Abou, hugging Etim as if she never wanted to let go.