Let me share you a story from my godfather, of his youth, about the UN, Cease-fire, and humanitarian aid, it's from the late 1950 and shaped his life forever*.
Initial context.
He was from a rural town in the northeast of Brazil and once when completed 18 he was forced into to the brazilian military.
For man the enlistment is mandatory,but it doesn't mean you will be called, unfortunetely he and the other guy had skills (godfather worked as an eletrician, and the other guy was mechanic)the military liked.
These two young man got booed by a crowd of more than a hundred other young man for being drafted (many in there actually WANTED to serve but the vacancies were limited)
I don't know how long he stayed, nowadays it's mandatory for at least 12 months serving, then you can leave (if it's not extended).
But when the Brazilian military offered to be part of UN Peacekeepers for the cease-fire in the Suez War, he did volunteer himself, yeah this one was out of his free will, he was ccurious about the world outside and wanted to help people.
For context The Suez war started when Israel (backed by Ingland and France) attacked and started a war against Egypt for Nationalizing the Suez Canal. And in october of 1956 Israel also attacked Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula.
The brazilian soldiers were placed near gaza along with soldiers from other nations like colombia (this one is important).
Now you think, hey! it's the UN sending people to keep ceasefire that's a good thing right?
I am in favor of humanitarian aid, sending provisions, protecting civillians, but you see the Peacekeepers and aid are made of soldiers from other countries military, with cultural and health differences, and also in an individuality level, you have the "good guys" (as much a s good you can be in these sistems) and... the rest.
He told me how the finnish soldiers left sooner the place sooner than others, without any ill will towards them. He told me how he saw they sufferunder the heat more than the soldiers from other places.
But the colombians, he called them crazy.
He explained that local women would pass near them soldiers taking water in jars over their heads, and the colombian soldiers would bet with each other if they could shoot the jar from where they were.
Now imagine me listening to it! They gambled women lives in a shooting game! doubling the disgusting thing is the fact that, they were there to help people victimized by an war, the women was taking WATER with her, you know a very precious resorce even during times you were not at war?!!!
Triple disgust, this is harassment!
Godfather made clear to me terryfied that no, no women where killed by the columbians soldiers, but they would get soaked in the waterfrom the broken vases, being rightiously mad and humiliated.
Oh but it was 70 years ago UN peacekeeping changed.
nooope.
Soldiers sent to Haiti to help in 2010 raped women and girls, the peace operation was overlooked by Brazil, our soldiers sexually abused women and children in a country hit by hunger, sickness and a earthquake, and they are still not being punished.
2015 there where reports of UN peacekeepers "bartering goods for sex" (AKA coercing, AKA sexual assault) in africa too.
I want aid for gaza and palestine, but i don't want it fron UN, who know what they will do. We need to keep them under scrutinity and leash.
*about how it changed my godfather's life. He became 100% devoted to learn about geography, history and politics. He got a degree in Law, and another in Geography, making a profession of teaching geography/geopolitics!
Also my godfather was and still is very against military everywhere, specially brazillian (yes even though he volunteered and went to Suez Canal)
He had a DEFINETELY NOT GOOD TIME during 1964-1985.
As being a teacher already put you on dictatorship persecution list but SPECIALLY if you taught: philosophy, sociology,history, geography, politics, and other similar subjects.
