Reykjavík Grapevine - 08.04.2005, Side 20

On June 1st 2004 the Icelandic
foreign minister was present
when Iceland took over control of
Kabul International Airport from
Germany. Hallgrímur Sigurðsson
was made overall commander of the
airport, and many other command
posts were filled by Icelanders. But
even though they were still civilians
by Icelandic law, they had to be able
to defend themselves like soldiers,
and in fact were told to stand and
fight if attacked.
Iceland and other NATO countries
provide the manpower to run
KAIA airport, with equipment
and machinery being provided by
NATO. A deal was made with the
Germans before they left that they
would leave behind their security
equipment and lend it to NATO.
However, the Germans felt insulted
at being relieved by Icelanders, and
removed all their security equipment.
Fortunately, apart from a few mortar
shells, the airport was not attacked
during the Icelanders’ stay. But
danger still awaited on the streets of
Kabul.
The Chicken Street Massacre
On October 23rd 2004, a suicide
bomber blew himself up on Kabul’s
shopping street, known as Chicken
Street. An Afghan woman and
an American woman were killed,
and eight other people wounded,
including three Icelandic peace
troopers. The Icelanders were
shopping for carpets, and had been
in the store for upwards of an hour.
Commander Halli was in the store,
but escaped unharmed. His response
to the attacks was: “Shit Happens.”
The three wounded Icelanders were
sent home on sick leave, and were
met at the airport by their wives.
All three recovered, although one of
them suffered the permanent loss of
a testicle.
Commander Halli was recalled in
November and is currently working
as an air controller at Reykjavik
Airport. Kabul’s International airport
was placed under the command of
another Icelander, Garðar Forberg.
Turkey took over control of KAIA
when the Icelanders’ shift ended
on February 1st 2005. The last
Icelanders are set to return on the
1st of June, a year after they had first
arrived. Thus ended Iceland’s first
armed venture since the Viking age.
Valur Gunnarsson is the former editor
of the Grapevine, and is currently
working on a documentary about
Icelandic involvement in Afghanistan.
ICELAND’S FINEST
ENTER HISTORY
AFGHANISTAN / ICELAND
Comparisons*
By Valur Gunnarsson
Area:
Afghanistan: 647,500 sq km
Iceland: 103,000 sq km
Population:
Afghanistan: 28 million
Iceland 395,000
Median age:
Afghanistan: 17.5 years
Iceland 33.8 years
Life expectancy:
Afghanistan: 42.46 years (male:
42.27 years, female: 42.66
years)
Iceland: 80.18 years (male:
78.18 years, female: 82.27
years)
Population growth:
Afghanistan: 4.92%
Iceland: 1%
Birth rate:
Afghanistan: 47.27/1000
Iceland 13.83/1,000
Literacy:
Afghanistan: 36%
(male: 51%, female: 21%)
Iceland: 99.9%
GDP growth:
Afghanistan: 29%
Iceland 2.6%
Below poverty line:
23% (Iceland officially does not
have poverty. It does, however,
have more than 100 homeless
people).
Major exports:
Afghanistan: Opium (around a
third of GDP), fruits and nuts,
handwoven carpets, wool,
cotton, hides and pelts, precious
and semi-precious gems. 80-90%
of heroin in Europe comes from
Afghanistan.
Iceland: fish and fish products
70%, animal products, aluminum,
diatomite, ferrosilicon
Afghanistan External Debt:
$8 billion in bilateral debt,
mostly to Russia.
Iceland External Debt:
2.6 billion
Telephones:
Afghanistan Main Lines: 33,100
Iceland Main Lines: 190.000
Afghanistan Cellular Phones:
15,000
Iceland Cellular Phones:
280,000
Internet users:
Afghanistan: 1000 (.af
established as Afghanistan’s
domain in March 2003)
Iceland: 195,000
Afghanistan Military: 7,000
men
Iceland: 17 men
*All data retrieved from the CIA
World Fact Book.
Valur Gunnarsson reports on Afghanistan
In late 2000, a decision
was made by the Icelandic
government to form a
peacekeeping force comprising
25 individuals. Volunteers
were sought, and the demands
set for applicants were that
they be 25 years of age, have
a very good knowledge of
English, have the ability
to engage in human
interaction and be able to
cope with stressful situations.
Knowledge and/or experience
of working with emergency
relief or humanitarian
aid was preferred but not
mandatory. Women, in
keeping with the governments
equal opportunity policy, were
especially requested to join.