Retired army officer relives hostage memories to inspire others
MALAYSIANSKINI For most people, traumatic experiences are something that we would like to leave behind. While we may learn lessons from it, most would not want to talk of it ever again.
But for lieutenant-colonel (rtd) Ganase Jaganathan, formerly of the Kor Armor Diraja (Royal Armoured Corps), sharing some of the most traumatic episodes of his life is what he does regularly.
He often recouns what it was like having to face a drunk whiskey-bottle-wielding Sierra Leone rebel commander in control of dozens of gunmen, being whisked away in a pink Mercedes full of rifle-wielding rebels, having a gun barrel pressed against his head and having a sharp knife held to his throat while being told that he was going to be killed.
“I accept the reality that I have gone through it, and I feel that I am fortunate that I came out of it alive so that I can share my experiences with potential military observers who will be deployed for missions,” said Ganase.
He was referring to his experience being abducted and held hostage when he was a UN military observer during the 1991 - 2002 Sierra Leone civil war.
Ganese, then a major with over 20-years of service in the Malaysian army, was deployed as a UN military observer with the UN mission in Sierra Leone (Unamsil), from 1999 to 2000.
He served a one-year tour in Sierra Leone, being stationed at government-held Kenema for the first half, and rebel-controlled Makeni for the second.
While serving in Makeni, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels attacked one of the UN demobilisation camps. He was sent to scout out the status of the camp when communications were cut off after reports of an approaching rebel force, and was subsequently taken hostage.
Ganase was threatened, humiliated, starved, and physically assaulted while he was held for 21 days following his gun-point abduction.
He and a group of other UN military observers and peacekeepers were held hostage at a rebel barracks, where they spent most of their days in captivity.
After being released by the rebel forces following negotiations with the UN, the hostages - those that lived to tell their tale - eventually made their way back home.
Scarred but not silenced
One of those fortunate enough to make it back, Ganase continued to serve his remaining two-month term in Sierra Leone with Unamsil despite his traumatic abduction, and later went home to continue to serve in the army until he retired in 2013.
While the events certainly scarred him, he often recounts his experience in detail, in talks to army personnel, mainly those going overseas for deployments, as well as to civilians in motivation courses.
“I’ve been giving talks on my personal experiences regularly at the Malaysian Peacekeeping Centre in Port Dickson. Local universities like Universiti Malaya, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia have invited me for talks.
“I also gave a lecture to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao last month, and gave a talk last November to a group from the Youth and Sports Ministry,” said Ganase.
The retired lieutenant-colonel said that he is dedicating his time to providing mental training to military personnel in preparation for dangerous situations.
However, he admitted that his lectures also allow him to talk about and deal with what he’s been through. This, he says helps buffer him from mental anguish and other problems common to people with traumatic experiences, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Ganase has also written a book about his experience, first published in 2005, titled ‘21 Days: A True Story of a Malaysian Hostage in Sierra Leone’.
Skipped over for award
Asked if he received awards or honours upon returning from Sierra Leone, Ganase humbly shared his UN field efficiency report, signed by his Unamsil team leader in Makeni, Col JJL Poraj Wilczynski.
Part of the report read, “Major Ganase is a most able officer who has the highest standards. He is also a very resilient and courageous man, who has handled a most demanding situation in a totally professional manner. I judge that he will achieve promotion to lieutenant-colonel quickly and have a most successful army career.
“He is a credit to his service and country. His performance has been truly outstanding and he deserves the highest commendation for his performance during the mission.”
However, despite being recommended three times by his superiors to receive the military's highest bravery and gallantry award, he was rejected each time.
The only stipulation for the award is for one to have demonstrated an “act of extreme bravery and valour”, but according to Ganase, when he was rejected for the award, the reason given was that he was never directly in the line of enemy fire.
He, along with many other army representatives appealed that he was present when rebels opened fire at the demobilisation camp, although he did not carry arms, which was prohibited for UN military observers.
The case was even brought to Parliament in 2015, though it has yet to be tabled to the House.
However, Ganase said that he has since made his peace with the decision, and is grateful to live to see his retirement and to be able to spend time with his loving family, as well as to have recognition from his peers and society.
Looking back, Ganase said when he joined the army in 1980, it was to fulfill his childhood dream of serving his country as a soldier. He only wanted to do an honest job and perform his duty, with or without official medals of recognition.
Malaysians Kini is a series on Malaysians you should know.
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