STORY: Senior AMISOM military officers

undergo training on human rights and

child protection
DURATION: 2:47
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 15/12/2016, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHOT LIST
1. Wide shot, Adebayor Kareem, the Head of AMISOM
Protection, Human Rights and Gender Unit addressing
participants
2. Med shot, Adebayor Kareem addressing workshop
participants.
3. Med close up Adebayor Kareem addressing participants
4. Med shot, two AMISOM military officers paying attention to
the trainer
5.
Med shot, three AMISOM military officers in the conference
hall.
6.
SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) ADEBAYOR KAREEM, HEAD OF
AMISOM PROTECTION, HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER UNIT
We want to remind our officers that they still need to engage AlShabaab within the confines of the rules of engagement and the
law. It is a difficult balancing act because if you are attacked in a
built up area, instinctively you will want to respond and defend
yourself. Under international law, you are allowed to defend
yourself but in the course of defending yourself, innocent
civilians may get killed. That is the challenge we face in Somalia
and that is why we continue to have these training workshops to
remind our forces of their obligations.
7. Med shot, conference facilitators
8. Med close up shot, conference facilitators
9. Close up shot, AMISOM military officer
10. Med shot, Col. Othieno Mutacho, the AMISOM Chief of
Operations addressing participants
11. Med close up shot, Col. Othieno Mutacho, the AMISOM Chief
of Operations addressing participants
12. Med close up shot, AMISOM military officer

13. Med close up shot, Adebayor Kareem paying attention in the

workshop
14. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) COL. OTHIENO MUTACHO,
AMISOM CHIEF OF OPERATIONS
It is important that we win the hearts and minds of the local
populace because we are not an occupational military force but
we came here to support the Somali people against the forces of
evil who intend to bring anarchy. They do not want the people of
Somalia to enjoy peace like anybody else. That is why whatever
we do, we should do knowing that it is supporting the Somali
people and therefore winning the hearts and minds.
15. Med shot, AMISOM military officers attending the workshop
16. Med shot, AMISOM military officers follow proceedings during
the training session.
17. Med close up shot, AMISOM military officer follow proceedings
in the training
18. Med shot, AMISOM military officer follow proceedings in the
training
19. Med shot, two soldiers follow proceedings in the workshop
20. Med close up, AMISOM military officer reading his notes.

STORY:
Senior AMISOM military officers undergo training on human
rights and child protection
Mogadishu, 15 December 2016 - Senior military officers of the
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have completed a twoday training workshop on human rights protection in conflict
situations.
The training organized by the Protection, Human Rights and Gender
(PHRG) Unit of AMISOM is meant to emphasize the need for military
officers to observe and respect the provisions of the International
Humanitarian Law in their day-to-day military operations.
The workshop was attended by senior officers from all the Troop
Contributing Countries (TCCs) namely Kenya, Uganda, Burundi,
Ethiopia and Djibouti, drawn from the Force Headquarters and the
sectors. Also in attendance was the AMISOM Chief of Operations,
Col. Othieno Mutacho and the Head of AMISOM Protection, Human
Rights and Gender unit, Adebayor Kareem.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Messrs. Kareem and
Adebayor noted that the training on human rights was necessary,

given the changing nature of the war in Somalia. The two were
referring to Al-Shabaabs asymmetrical warfare in major towns.
We want to remind our officers that they still need to engage AlShabaab within the confines of the rules of engagement and the law.
It is a difficult balancing act because if you are attacked in a built up
area, instinctively you will want to respond and defend yourself.
Under international law, you are allowed to defend yourself but in
the course of defending yourself, innocent civilians may get killed.
That is the challenge we face in Somalia and that is why we
continue to have these training workshops to remind our forces of
their obligations, Mr. Adebayor who also doubles as the Acting
AMISOM Chief of Staff noted.
Despite the evolving nature of the war, the Acting Chief of Staff said,
AMISOM had done well on human rights issues.
Col. Mutacho also reiterated the need for the officers to operate
within the confines of the law to help win the support of the local
communities, which he described as crucial for the mission to
achieve its mandate.
It is important that we win the hearts and minds of the local
populace because we are not an occupational military force but we
came here to support the Somali people against the forces of evil
who intend to bring anarchy. They (forces of evil) do not want the
people of Somalia to enjoy peace like anybody else. It is why
whatever we do, we should do knowing that it is supporting the
Somali people and therefore winning their hearts and minds, Col.
Mutacho noted
During the two days, the officers were taken through a range of
topics, among them, protection of civilians; laws on armed conflict/
international humanitarian law; child soldiers as a security concern;
AMISOM legal framework; conduct and discipline; civilian causalities;
board of inquiry policy and procedures, and the framework for the
protection of children in armed conflict.
AMISOM has put in place the necessary measures to ensure civilian
casualties are minimized during military operations aimed at
liberating areas under Al-Shabaab control. The AMISOM Protection
Cluster has also helped the military component implement
measures that ensure children in conflict zones are protected.