Canadian paratroopers on social patrol

Suica - Approximately once a week, members of the Canadian Company of paratroopers based in Tomislavgrad carry out patrols in the nearby villages. These patrols are carried out with a low profile with only a few soldiers walking the streets, visiting restaurants and cafes, and talking to people they meet. In the small community of Suica, 15 minutes north of Tomislavgrad, this day's patrol has two purposes. First of all the patrol is looking for kids to distribute the "Mostovi" magazine. This magazine is produced by MND-SW and aimed at children and teenagers, presenting SFOR and topics of interest for kids. The children are offered an opportunity to distribute the magazine in the village for monthly pay.

However, while waiting for the kids to finish school, the patrol visited a couple of cafés in the village. "We visit the cafés to talk to people, and if possible gather knowledge of the village's ethnic profile," Cpl. Curtis Gibson explained. The information gathered is on the ethnic composition before and during the war, and on how many people that lived in the village in the same period. "The response is good and we believe most of the information they give us is correct," Cpl. Dominic Poissant said. "They know the information actually may do them some good, so there's no reason for them to lie."

After talking to people in the local café, the patrol moved back on to the street. When the school day ended the paratroopers got in touch with some children. While talking to the first young boy, the other children realised the patrol was offering them a job so they swarmed around the busy Canadians. "No problem finding eager kids in this town," Pvt. Paddy Walsh said, while the last magazines were handed out. Finally, another social patrol is over, while young new SFOR "employees" start earning their pay distributing the "Mostovi" magazine.