南苏丹“东兴派出所”的新生

文/张敏娇

东兴派出所 (Dongxing Police Station) 以一名中国维和警察——孙东兴的名字命名，位于南苏丹西加扎勒河州首府瓦乌市。13年前，孙东兴目睹前苏丹警察在几近废弃的可荣果警察局办公，自筹经费修缮了警察局。为了感谢孙东兴的无私帮助，苏丹人民以他的名字命名了派出所。13年后，历经岁月洗礼的东兴派出所在中国第九支赴南苏丹维和警队的修缮下重获新生。

13年前的无悔选择

孙东兴现任江苏省徐州市公安局经济技术开发区分局巡特警大队副大队长，说起13年前在前苏丹的维和经历，他说：“中国人总讲‘做好事不留名’，我只是做了一点事情，却得到了太高和太大的荣誉……”

2008年7月，孙东兴作为一名中国维和警察，被派往联合国苏丹任务区，开始了维和之旅。他与南苏丹的缘分也从此开始。抵达任务区后，孙东兴被分到了第二战区瓦乌，主要任务是对当地警察进行监督、指导和培训。

据悉，东兴派出所并不是孙东兴援助修建的唯一一所警局。第一个引起孙东兴注意的是娄可娄可的警署，他看到警员都在一棵大树下办公，而警署却闲置不用，感到很奇怪。经过询问得知，原来是警署的房子年久失修，严重漏雨，根本无法使用，虽经多次申请，却苦于政府没有经费，无法整修。得知原因，孙东兴当即从生活费中挤出500美元，帮助警署修缮了房屋，解决了困难，为此受到时任战区司令萨芬女士的表扬和一些外国同事的好评。

在瓦屋战区，孙东兴和其他同事的主要工作地点是瓦乌警察局，然而他发现大家最不愿来的地方恰恰是这儿——不是工作繁重，也不是路途遥远，而是警察局里所散发出的气味。由于警察局办公室有大量蝙蝠居住，天花板上遗留有大量蝙蝠的粪便，散发的难闻气味不仅令人窒息，还对人体有很大损害。当地警察很少在里面办公，而维和人员则每次都是匆匆工作后便迅速离开。联合国经费有限，无暇顾及，而且在瓦乌警察局所资助的一个小项目已被搁置了两年。恶劣的环境对孙东兴触动很大，他主动找到时任警察局负责人雷诺局长，将准备出资清洗房屋的想法和盘托出。没想到由于蝙蝠的多年居住，仅靠清洗已经无法解决问题，只有将房顶和天花板全部更换，墙体全面清洗、重新粉刷才有效，资金则需要5000多美元。巨额的费用让孙东兴只能暂时放弃念头……

然而，后来他每次到瓦乌警察局，闻到那种令人作呕的气味，想要为当地警察做些什么的想法却越来越强烈。“作为一名联合国维和人员，只有真正去帮助当地的警方，为他们做些实实在在的事情，双方的关系才能更加融洽，才能真正开展合作，他们才能更好地配合联合国的监督、指导、培训，才能真正达到维和的目的。”孙东兴说。

他开始省吃俭用，把从国内带来的生活费全部拿了出来，又向同事借了一些。经过一段时间的筹集，终于凑齐了5000多美元。竣工典礼时，西巴尔嘎扎州分管安全的领导，州警察厅、郡警察局的所有高官，以及很多当地知名人士参加了庆典，并且对此都给予了很高的评价。当得知是一名来自中国的维和警察无私地帮助了他们时，他们对联合国、中国政府和人民的帮助表示了诚挚的感谢。

2008年11月，前苏丹西巴尔嘎扎州时任警察厅厅长佛朗西斯将军又找到孙东兴，恳请再次帮助他们修建可荣果警察局，因为它的主要建筑已近废弃，根本无法使用……

孙东兴利用回国的时机，拿出了家里一些积蓄，又向维和同事借了一些，加上所有补助的生活费，先后花费了8000美元。为了节约成本，除了完成联合国的日常工作，孙东兴要顶着酷暑冒着各种危险在充满战乱的国家到处跑，到远离任务区几十公里外的一些村落采买便宜的材料，小到一颗螺丝钉都得自己操心。此外，还要自己找施工单位，自己监工，事无巨细，他俨然成了集设计师、建筑工人、工程监理于一身的“超人”。

孙东兴无私的帮助和诚意打动了当地警察，佛朗西斯将军对孙东兴说，“对于你的无私帮助，我们无以回报，只有以中国人的名字命名警察局才能表达我们的谢意，苏丹人民要让你的名字和中国人民的友情永远留在苏丹大地上。”在警察局揭牌庆典上，无论是苏丹政府、苏丹人民，还是来自世界各国的联合国同事，都给予了中国维和警察很高的评价。孙东兴的行动进一步加深了当地警察对维和警察的信任，表示一定会更好地配合联合国的工作。

中国维和警察的大爱接力

2021年4月，中国第九支赴南苏丹维和警队到达任务区执行维和任务，两名队员部署在瓦屋战区后第一时间前往东兴派出所了解情况。13年飘摇岁月，历经风吹日晒、岁月蹉跎，派出所外墙出现裂缝、室内墙体脱落、屋顶出现漏洞，当地警察不得不再次在门前的大树底下办公……这让所有警队队员心情都十分沉重，纷纷表示决不能让孙东兴付出的心血、见证中南友谊的派出所就这样荒废下去，于是警队决定集体出资修缮该派出所。

据中国第九支赴南苏丹维和警队队长廖洁介绍，本着在联合国框架下工作的原则，警队向联合国南苏丹特派团警察部门汇报了东兴派出所的来历和予以修缮的想法。特派团警察代理总监对中国维和警察孙东兴的善行表示肯定，并对中国第九支赴南苏丹维和警队修缮东兴派出所的想法予以支持，还要求特派团警察各部门和瓦屋战区警察部门予以积极配合。

在警队的安排下，在瓦屋执行维和任务的卢小伟、刘戈两名队员主动利用休息时间实地前往调研，查看派出所损坏情况，并与当地警方负责人交流，收集对方需求建议，多方咨询了解修缮所需材料、经费，制定修缮方案，联系施工单位等。

中国维和队员在东兴派出所了解情况

修葺一新的东兴派出所揭牌仪式

中国维和警队与当地警员在记载东兴派出所历史的牌子前合影留念

由于南苏丹常年战火纷飞，当地工业发展十分落后，加上东兴派出所位置偏远，无论是购买建筑材料还是寻找施工方，都困难重重。警队跑遍了当地大小地方，都找不到合适的解决方案，翻新工作一时陷入僵局。中国驻南苏丹大使馆得知该情况后，对中国维和警察孙东兴的无私奉献、维和警队的勇于担当精神表示赞赏与支持。经大使馆介绍，警队联系到在当地援助的中国企业天元公司。天元公司被警队的初心想法深深打动，立即决定全力支持并配合警队需求，并抽调业务骨干投入修缮项目。经过与当地警方反复沟通确认，最终敲定了施工方案。在修缮过程中，警队多次前往现场沟通、协调并关注进度和质量。最终在各方的共同努力下，仅用10余天的时间，就完成了派出所内外主体结构翻修，还捐赠了一些急需的桌椅板凳，极大改善了当地警察的办公环境，为更好地开展当地的执法工作提供了便利条件。

中国维和警队无偿捐助、不求回报的行动引起了强烈反响。东兴派出所的当地警察对中国维和警队所做的工作表示由衷地感激，也为自己能够在这个派出所工作感到骄傲。西加扎勒河州警察厅代理厅长由衷感谢中国维和警察向瓦屋警察局提供的帮助，称赞中国维和警察用实际行动再次证明中南友谊是历久弥新、绵绵不断的。联合国南苏团特派团瓦屋战区维和警察总指挥对中国警察的所作所为表示由衷地钦佩和赞赏。中国驻南苏丹大使馆表示，东兴派出所修缮完工是中南警务合作的良好开端，希望维和警队在联合国框架下，继续与南苏丹警方开展广泛的警务交流合作，增进中南友谊。联合国南苏团特派团还刊发专文向各国维和警队宣扬中国警队的模范行为，各国维和警察对中国警队的实干精神表示钦佩。

在看到翻修后派出所的视频和照片后，孙东兴激动地说：“看到焕然一新的派出所，却依然难抑心中的激动和愧疚——自己做得太少，得到的却已太多……”

翻新东兴派出所只是中国维和警察对维和精神传承的一个缩影，据悉，下一步警队将继续关注东兴派出所发展变化，协调东兴派出所后期扩建工程的有序推进，改善其硬件环境。不定期选派警队业务骨干到东兴派出所实地交流、座谈，为派出所在社区警务、执法办案、保护妇女和儿童等方面工作的提供帮助。

正如警察总部时任参谋长罗莎女士所说，对东兴派出所而言, 东兴已经不再是一个人的名字,而是联合国的名字。■

Renovation of Dongxing Police Station in South Sudan

by Zhang Minjiao

Recently, the China 9th UNPOL Contingent in UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) celebrated the completion of a renovation project for the Dongxing Police Station. Located in Wau, capital of South Sudan's Western Bahl el Ghazal state, the police station (formerly known as the Khor Khorongo Police Station) had been christened after former peacekeeper Sun Dongxing 13 years before, when the Chinese officer helped restore the institution with his personal savings during his service in the African country.

Now Deputy Chief of a Patrol and Special Police brigade in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, Sun Dongxing was all modesty as he recalled his experience 13 years ago: “I have been given too much credit for what I did. I believe in the old Chinese saying that the only reward for a good deed should be the good deed itself.”

Back in July 2008, Sun Dongxing was deployed to Wau, Headquarters of the Second Sector of the former UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), where he and his UN colleagues supported the capacity building of the host police force. From then on, the Chinese officer has developed a deep attachment to this northeast African country.

Before funding the renovation of what was later known as his namesake, Sun Dongxing had already supported a renovation project. In his visit to the Lokoloko Police Station, Sun Dongxing noticed that the local officers spent hours working outdoors under a tree, while leaving the police station nearby vacant. He later found out that the roof of the building was badly deteriorated and leaking water, causing an unhealthy work environment for the officers. While the police had been pushing for a new roof for years, the renovation project had been shelved by the government due to budget difficulties. Having learned about the situation, Sun donated 500 dollars out of his mission subsistence allowance to have the roof renovated for the Sudanese colleagues. His charitable act was both highly commended by the Sector Commander and well received by his international colleagues.

Following this initial endeavor, Sun found another project where he could effect a difference: the Wau Police Department where he himself and other UNPOL officers worked for the most part of their mission. The Chinese officer noted that, compared with the common workplace challenges such as high workloads and long commutes, his workplace itself posed a more serious problem. The offices were infested with bats, which contaminated the ceiling with mounds of reeking droppings, exposing everyone inside to health risks. As a result, the building was practically deserted, with the Sudanese officers hardly working there at all and the UN peacekeepers staying away from it as much as possible.

Despite the direness of the situation, the Wau Police Department received little help from UN then, when financial constraints had prevented the latter institution to even help its host fund a minor project in the previous two years. Deeply concerned, Sun consulted the director of the police department about the possibility of paying for the cleanup himself. To his frustration, this project turned out to be more costly than he had expected: after years of bat infestation, the building needed thorough refurbishing with an estimated bill of over 5,000 dollars, covering roof and ceiling replacement, disinfecting, vacuuming, and repainting of walls, and so forth.

The prohibitive cost gave Sun pause. However, his urge to help the local colleagues only grew stronger every time he visited the odorous offices of the Wau Police Department. The Chinese officer later explained, “to accomplish my mission as a peacekeeper I needed to collaborate with my local colleagues closely in building their capacity; I could never achieve this without establishing a good rapport with them, and there was no better way to build rapport than to address the real issues that affected my colleagues' well-being.”

Undaunted by the challenge, Sun began to raise funds for the 5,000-dollar renovation project: he cut back on his expenditure, borrowed from colleagues, and donated all the cash he had taken from home. Thanks to his unrelenting efforts, the renovation project was finally carried through. At the completion ceremony, Sun's selfless endeavor was highly commended by law enforcement officials of the Western Bahr el Ghazal state, high-ranking officers from the state police headquarters and the county police department, and local celebrities. When the Sudanese learned Sun was a Chinese UNPOL officer, they expressed their sincere gratitude to the United Nations, the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

In November 2008, another donation request was made to Sun Dongxing, this time by the state's Police Commissioner and Director, for the 8,000-dollar renovation project of Khor Khorongo Police Station. Long out of repairs, the main building of the police station had been largely deserted and in dire need of renovation.

To fund the new project, Sun donated all his daily mission subsistence allowance, borrowed from colleagues, and even took out some of his family's savings while on home leave. Moreover, the Chinese officer had to wear many hats while off duty to keep the budget under control: to buy materials cheaper, he risked his life in the war-torn country by making numerous excursions tens of kilometers away from the mission area in the sizzling weather. He was ready to fill any role big or small, be it procurement manager, architect, contractor coordinator, construction worker, or engineering supervisor.

Sun Dongxing’s selflessness and determination moved the local police. To express the deep appreciation for the Chinese officer's help, the state's Police Commissioner and Director decided to have the renovated police station named after him, thereby permanently commemorating the friendship between the Sudanese and the Chinese people. At the inauguration ceremony, Sudanese government officials, local community members, and Sun's UN international colleagues lavished praises on the Chinese peacekeeper. As a result of Sun’s charitable acts, the local police’s trust in UNPOL officers was further enhanced, which in turn facilitated the smooth functioning of the UN.

In April 2021, China sent the ninth contingent of police officers to South Sudan. Two officers visited the Dongxing Police Station as soon as they were assigned to Wau. To everyone's dismay, the police station fell out of repair after 13 years, with its exterior walls cracking, interior walls peeling, and roof leaking. Once again the local police officers had to desert the building and work under a tree. Upon learning the situation, the officers in the ninth contingent unanimously agreed they would not allow the fruit of Officer Sun’s painstaking endeavors and the token of friendship between Chinese and South Sudanese people to go down to dust. They decided to fund the renovation of the police station collectively.

According to Contingent Commander Liao Jie, the contingent reported to the police component of UNMISS in accordance with UN protocols about the origin of the Dongxing Police Station and the Chinese officers' renovation plan. Deputy Police Commissioner for UNMISS highly commended Sun Dongxing's charitable endeavors and supported the renovation plan; he also called upon the police departments of UNMISS as a whole and of Wau in particular to lend their support to the project.

The contingent entrusted the implementation of the project to two officers on mission in Wau, Lu Xiaowei and Liu Ge. While off duty, the officers visited the Dongxing Police Station for site appraisals and inquired the local police about their needs and suggestions. They also collected costing information to formulate a specific renovation plan and identify potential contractors.

Due to the remote location of the construction site and the industrial underdevelopment in the war-torn African country, the contingent met with tremendous difficulties in material procurement and contractor selection. Unable to either find a qualified contractor or formulate a cost-effective construction scheme, the officers had to temporarily suspend the project.

This situation was later reported to the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan. Highly appreciative of Officer Sun Dongxing's selfless endeavors and the contingent officers' determination, the embassy officials introduced the officers to the Tianyuan Construction Group, which was then engaged in humanitarian engineering work in Wau. The leadership of the Tianyuan Group promptly responded to the contingent's request by sending a team of skillful workers over to the construction site. As a result, a renovation scheme was finally formulated after the team thoroughly discussed the details with the local police.

During the implementation phase, the contingent officers visited the construction site frequently for coordination, progress tracking, and quality control. With their hard work and the joint efforts of all the other parties, it only took the construction team more than ten days to renovate the interior and exterior structures of the building. Moreover, the Tianyuan Group also donated some much-needed pieces of furniture to the police station, thereby significantly improving the local police officers' work environment and facilitating the law enforcement processes.

The Chinese peacekeepers’ charitable work was well received. To the officers at the Dongxing Police Station, their workplace both marked the Chinese colleagues' selfless contribution and became a source of pride. Deputy Police Commissioner of Western Bahr el Ghazal expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Wau Police Department, praising the Chinese peacekeepers for taking another concrete action to cement the long-standing bond between Chinese and South Soudanese people. Commander-in-chief of the police unit of Wau also expressed heartfelt gratitude and admiration for the Chinese counterparts. The Chinese Embassy in South Sudan commented that the renovation of the Dongxing Police Station marked a good first step towards the cooperation between Chinese and South Sudanese police; Looking forward, the Embassy expected to see more friendly exchanges and cooperation in extensive areas between the Chinese contingent and the South Sudanese colleagues under the aegis of the UN. Finally, UNMISS released a special report to promote the Chinese officers' work, which inspired great respect from the other international contingents.

Seeing the renovated Dongxing Police Station in video recordings and photographs, Sun Dongxing could not withhold his excitement, “I am both proud and humbled. What my colleagues did is once again a reminder of how little I did and how much I have been given credit for.”

The renovation of the Dongxing Police Station is an epitome of how the Chinese officers carried forward the peacekeeping spirit. In the future, the contingent will coordinate with the Dongxing Police Station closely to assist in follow-up expansion projects and work environment upgrading. Moreover, the Chinese officers will visit the police station from time to time to share practices in community policing, case handling, protection of women and children, and so forth.

After all, as former Chief of Staff of the police component commented, the renovation project is not only in the name of Officer Sun Dongxing, but also the United Nations.