Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide, Second Edition Second Edition | Page 61

Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide
should be aware that individuals may have ulterior motives when providing information (such as
to undermine a rival), and they should be cautious about trusting a source completely. Any
information received should be cross-checked with other sources when possible.
c. Open-source information should be managed within an intelligence section, a joint mission
analysis center (JMAC--found in UN peacekeeping missions), intelligence fusion cell, or other
central point for collection and analysis. A system may be developed to indicate the credibility of
information and reports (for example, “1” may indicate a rumor from a questionable source, while
a “5” may reflect information from multiple credible sources).
d. The intelligence center must also have the ability to sanitize information so that it can be
released to other actors when necessary. The military force will have to exchange information with
other actors to cultivate productive relationships, obtain a common understanding of the situation,
achieve common objectives, improve operational effectives, avoid duplication of effort, and
support information activities.
Task Challenges
Information sharing will depend upon the level of mutual trust, and it will require time and
dedicated effort to build this. Information that is shared with others can always be compromised,
either through maliciousness or carelessness, thus endangering either operational security or the
sources of the information.
Task 8: Conduct Assessments
Task Description
Assessments are conducted to compare the current situation with benchmarks that depict the
desired standard. An assessment framework includes monitoring, evaluating, and recommending
or directing action. Assessments are conducted to enhance the unit’s understanding and to provide
meaningful reports to higher headquarters and other organizations.
Task Relevance to PoC
PoC assessment has two purposes. The first is to understand the situation and identify
problems, capabilities, and gaps that need to be addressed to improve human security. The second
purpose is to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the military force (and other relevant
actors) in their implementation of a PoC strategy to determine if any changes are required. Changes
could include a revision of the PoC strategy, modifications in the military force’s employment,
additional training or resources, or transition from one phase of an operation to another.
How the Task is Accomplished
Assessments should be conducted on the general situation, including the operational
environment, actors, conflict dynamics, and vulnerabilities and threats described earlier. A general
assessment also helps gauge progress towards the desired outcomes described in Chapter 4.
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