Jura The idiot
General
something lost in translation, or ... What the Heck?!
Hungry Swedish UN troops in Mali complain of being underfed
Hungry Swedish UN troops in Mali complain of being underfed
source:Swedish UN peacekeeping forces in Mali say they are not being fed enough and often go to bed hungry, reports newspaper
"It is crazy that in 2015 we do not get enough food. It affects our mood. People get sour and angry when they do not get enough to eat," says a source from the Swedish military presence in Mali to DN.
The 200-strong task force, which will soon start their work supporting the UN mission in Mali, receives UN food rations of 1800 calories per person, per day. Not enough to meet the body size of the Swedish soldier, according to DN's source.
"1800 kilocalories, might suffice UN soldiers from Burkina Faso and Bangladesh, who are often of smaller build, but not for us," says one of the Swedes.
The Swedish UN force is in the final stages of constructing of a 42,000-square metre base at Camp Nobel in Mali, which will include a hospital, garages and service stations. The strenuous work, allied to smaller rations, is affecting the Health of the soldiers, according to some.
"Our physical shape is affected. We were not fat and did not have much fat tissue when we arrived. When the food is not enough, we burned the fat first, but now it has also affectected muscle mass. I myself know that I have become weaker," says one soldier, who has lost five kgs in weight during his time in Mali.
When the very first Swedish military came to Mali to build the base Camp Nobel outside Timbuktu, they lived on prepackaged rations in bags. These contained dried food and chocolate, biscuits, nuts and more. It meant rations of around 3,500 kcal per person per day, which met the soldiers' daily needs.
The supposed food shortage began in early March when the force got its own kitchen. At the same time the Armed Forces ceased to hand out bags of rations. The UN would instead supply raw foof ingredients to the kitchen. According to the information provided to the camp, the UN supplies has led to the meals being rationed at 1800 kg calories a day.
The breakfast may consist of two slices of cheese and two slices of sausage - if available - plus butter and two slices of bread and a glass of milk. Vegetables and fruits should be included in the UN supplies but is often said to be so overripe that they were discarded, said one of the task force to DN. workforce:
"Regarding fruit and veg, I have seen apples four times in a month, and green beans once. The chefs in the kitchen doing their best, but their ingredients are not enough."
The dining room is completely closed for twelve hours at a stretch between 18.00 and 06.00. Then there is nothing to eat at all, forcing those on the night shift to go hungry.
The head of the Swedish UN force in Mali, Lieutenant Colonel Carl-Magnus Svensson, admitted the rationing problems to DN, but said that troops serving abroad should expect to be in poorer physical shape.
He rejected claims that the diet would create health problems. The staff eat "a lot more" more than 1800 kilocalories per day. The fact that they cannot eat the same amount as at home in Sweden is "a luxury problem". he added that the Swedish force cannot expect to have more rations than other UN troops in Timbuktu.
