Woman Police Inspector Scores a First, Appointed to UN Peacekeeping Duties
Asenior Fijian woman Police Inspector has been appointed to represent Fiji in a new United Nations Mission area. It is not only a feather in the cap for Fiji and its disciplined forces but a major achievement for women. Inspector Rusila Cakacaka has been chosen as the first Fijian to be deployed for peacekeeping duties under the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
She held the Inspector of Police administration post at the Lautoka Police Station. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) was established through a United Nations Security Council Resolution 1990 of June 27, 2011.
It authorised the deployment of a peacekeeping force to the disputed Abyei Area, which straddles Northern and Southern Sudan and has been claimed by both sides.
On December 14, 2012, the Security Council passed UNSC Resolution 2014 extending the UN presence and expanding UNISFA’s mandate to include monitoring along the entire border between North and South Sudan in line with the initial withdrawal agreement.
And marking the historical moment, Inspector Cakacaka said she was honoured to have been chosen to mark the major achievement.
“I am glad that the UN has recognised the contribution of women in policing in mission areas and am honoured and privileged to have the commissioner’s approval in representing not only the Fiji Police Force but the country as a whole in a new mission area,” she said.
Background
Originally from Nakama Village in Labasa with maternal links to Korowiri, Inspector Cakacaka’s selection to represent Fiji under the UNISFA banner will mean the mother of two children will have two mission tours under her belt.
“In 2010, I was the lone female officer deployed to UNAMID in Darfur with 14 male officers. So being in a male-dominated field is nothing new to me,” she said.
“It is more of a personal challenge because I get to show that gender should not be an obstacle in one realising their goals and dreams.”
Inspector Cakacaka is married to the Acting Officer in Charge of the Western Division Police Command Centre Inspector (IP) Joape Cakacaka. She said knowing that her children were grown and had lives of their own somewhat lessened the pain of being away from her family. “My daughter is now residing in New Zealand while my son is a chef on Mana Island, so it’ll be up to my husband to keep things in order at home,” Inspector Cakacaka said. “But with the demands of policing, we both know that time will pass by quickly and before we know it, the one year period will be over and I’ll be back home”.
Qiliho comments
The Commissioner of Police Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho, who had recently returned from a trip overseas made it a priority to farewell Inspector Cakacaka noting the significance of her selection.
“You are going to be the lone Fijian UN officer in that mission, so you will carry first and foremost your own individual flag, the flag for your family, mataqali, yavusa and yasana, and also for the Fiji Police Force and for Fiji,” Mr Qiliho said.
“As a United Nations representative, you are also a global ambassador and that carries a lot of weight for us as a nation because any negative or positive issues will be communicated through New York and back to us here”.
The Police Commissioner also challenged the senior women inspector to pursue greatness in light of the opportunities that were opening up for women officers.
“That’s the beauty of things, the UN is giving a lot of emphasis on women participation and if you go there and excel it will open up the doorways for other women officers here.
“I have always told women officers that I want to see the next Unaisi Vuniwaqa, she has set the standards for all of us and especially for you women officers, and if doors open up for you with the UN know that you will have my support.”
Inspector Cakacaka attended Holy Family Primary as well as All Saints Secondary and completed her secondary school education at Dudley High School.
She then chose a life of service as a young member of the Fiji Police Force.
With a career spanning three decades, the soft-spoken officer says life of a Police officer had been challenging but rewarding.
As she prepares to fly out on Monday morning to open a new chapter of Fiji’s proud United Nations Mission Service history books, she hopes her achievements will inspire young girls and her fellow women officers.
“Nothing is impossible, set your priorities right and you’ll realise that nothing is impossible, especially in the Fiji Police Force,” she said. Inspector Cakacaka will fly out of the country on Monday with the 17 officers bound for the
United Nations Mission in South Sudan
(UNMISS)