In the midst of the arid land of Africa and the tight security of the perimeter of military posts, there is always a gap for humanism to flourish. A short video recording that went viral on social media recently managed to steal the public’s attention in Indonesia. The video does not show the roar of war machines or the tension of patrols, but rather a simple interaction but full of togetherness values between a man called “Papa Indo” (allegedly a member of the Garuda Contingent Peace Force from Indonesia) and a local woman named Mbak Bela.
Mbak Bela, dressed in traditional bright green patterned clothing, was seen walking across a dusty red dirt road. In both hands, he carried several large packets of white bread. His presence was greeted by witty banter from the video recorder, triggering multilingual dialogue that was both stomach-churning and heart-warming for anyone who witnessed it.
Humanitarian Mission Behind a Packet of Bread
Life in peace mission areas, such as in Central and East Africa, is often faced with limited logistics and access to food that is familiar to Asian tastes. For TNI soldiers who are members of the United Nations (UN) Task Force, adapting to a new environment is a must. However, that doesn’t mean they close themselves off from their surroundings. In fact, it is through daily necessities such as food that bridges to cultural diplomacy are often built naturally.
In the video clip, it is revealed that Mbak Bela had just returned from the market or local shop after being asked by “Papa Indo” to buy fresh bread. Uniquely, this transaction involves a third party referred to as “Papa Uganda”—a local term for local traders or suppliers in the area.
“Mbak Bela bought white bread with Papa Uganda, because Papa Indo ordered Bela to bring bread,” reads the caption that accompanies the video upload, complete with laughing emoticons.
For Indonesian military personnel serving far from their hometowns, plain bread is often the main alternative choice when they miss rice or home staple food. This bread can be processed into a variety of simple breakfast menus to fill up energy before carrying out heavy patrol duties under the hot African sun.
Language Diplomacy and Transnational Jokes
One of the main attractions of this video is the verbal interaction that occurs. The Indonesian personnel fluently spoke relaxed Indonesian, mixed with a distinctive regional accent, while Mbak Bela responded with extraordinary understanding. The phenomenon of local residents in UN mission areas being able to speak Indonesian is nothing new, but every time it is caught on camera, it always manages to amaze netizens.
“Where’s my bread?” asked Papa Indo when Mbak Bela started to approach.
Mbak Bela then placed the package of bread on the ground, right near the barbed wire fence that separated the perimeter of the security post. While adjusting her sitting position on the grassy ground, Mbak Bela prepared to “negotiate” the price with Papa Indo.
This is where the excitement of Indonesian soldier-style diplomacy lies. Instead of making a stiff transaction, Papa Indo started teasing Mbak Bela about the purchase price of the bread.
“How much is the bread? Did you lie to three thousand?” asked Papa Indo in a joking tone.
Mbak Bela, who felt that she was not lying, immediately answered with a spontaneous expression of surprise, “Three thousand, how about it?”
The jokes continued when Papa Indo asked for a share of the profits or intended to haggle the price so that he too could profit from the transaction. “Eh, I said first, I’ll take the profit too, I said… Take a profit of two thousand, right?” said Papa Indo.
Mbak Bela could only smile and blush when she saw the annoyance of the soldier who continued to grill her with witty questions while pointing at two packets of white bread lying on the ground.
Hesco Bastion and Barbed Wire: Contrasting Humanist Sides in Military Areas
If you look closely, the background of the video shows the walls Hesco bastion (high-strength baskets filled with soil or sand to withstand the explosion) and barbed wire coils (barbed wire) which is sturdy. This indicates that the interaction occurred in the outer perimeter zone of a military installation or guard post.
In a place where vigilance must be at the highest level, the presence of local residents like Mbak Bela carrying logistics shows a level of trust (trust) between peacekeepers and local communities. The Garuda Indonesia Contingent Troop is known internationally to have a humanitarian approach (civil-military coordination / CIMIC) which is excellent. They not only came as armed forces, but also as friends for the local community.
Through a humanist, friendly and distanceless approach, TNI soldiers succeeded in winning the hearts of local residents. Asking local residents for help to buy daily necessities such as fresh bread is not just a micro-economic transaction, but a form of empowerment and building relationships so that residents feel involved and appreciated.
Netizen Response: Proud of Indonesia’s Global Hospitality
This video of Mbak Bela and Papa Indo’s togetherness was immediately flooded with positive comments from netizens in Indonesia. Many people praised the flexibility of TNI soldiers in socializing, and admired Mbak Bela, who seemed very friendly and understood the joking culture of Indonesian people.
“An extraordinary combination, Indonesian ngocol culture has been brought to Africa,” wrote one netizen in the comments column. “That’s great, Mbak Bela found out that Papa Indo was being nosy. This is proof that the TNI’s presence there was truly welcomed with open arms by the local residents,” chimed in another netizen.
It is hoped that this kind of closeness can continue to be consistently maintained in every international assignment area. The image of a nation that is friendly, polite, but still firm in maintaining world peace, is perfectly reflected in how a soldier spends his free time: sitting with residents, enjoying the afternoon, and laughingly discussing the price of a pack of white bread.
