Mission to Afghanistan

I get a call from Craig Andrews, my Task Team Leader for a project in Nigeria. Well, THAT project is on hold until after the elections. Don't I want to do a quick mission in Afghanistan? Why not, anything, even Afghanistan to change the scenery of Juba. I get there after I offer myself a treat, a day in Dubai.

Kabul…An interesting city, struggling between its tortured history and the desire to become modern. It is also struggling between trying to approach normality and the overwhelming presence of security concerns or relics of the Taliban past: armored cars, armed military and civilian personnel, in incredible numbers, the ruins of buildings destroyed by war or Taliban fury, and the WALLS. The walls in Kabul are no ordinary Walls, separating properties from each other and from the streets. They are fortress walls, made of huge sand bags, aimed to stop blasts, shrapnel or bullets, suicide cars, you name it. The poor city is trying to become normal…it is partly succeeding: there are shops and restaurants doing a flourishing business…there is a huge traffic problem, with road blockages of hours sometimes…

The project I work on is interesting: a huge copper mine, in Aynak, to be developed by the Chinese, and whose benefits for Afghanistan would allow it to finance its security and development for quite a while. The Government wants to develop the mine the right way because of future mining and other economic ventures where they want good investors to come in. So they ask the Bank how to communicate about it. The question is in fact how to manage the risks associated. And this is where I come in.

The Aynak site is just great! About 40 km South of Kabul, on the Logar Valley, it was first discovered by Buddhists monks which used to mine the deposit until the 5^th century. It was re-discovered by the Russians in the 70's which started some sort of mining camp there used to house the exploration miners. After the Russians left, the place was taken over by Al –Qaeda as a training base. It is probably the place which gives Al-Qaeda (The Base) its name. The villages around the valley are empty of men. It is believed these were all Al –Qaeda members, which have started families here. And the whole area is known to have an increased level of "activity" compared with the rest of the region.

The big issue here are the Buddhist temples, on the footprint of the mine, and which need to be excavated and moved as much as possible, to a museum. And of course , the jackals are here, smelling blood and a good slanderous article. Here on the Aynak site the security remains the concern number one. The 'defenses' nearly remind us tautologically that the Chinese ARE the authors of the Chinese walls as you will see in the pictures…But also that he Buddhist temple and the finds here are remarkable and that this strong security also guards the site from looting.

In the ten days I spent in Afghanistan, whether in Kabul or on the site I never felt threatened. But then, people that get in trouble seldom do…

Nimule pictures 4.

Please see my story about Nimule lower down

Alte poze din Nimule

poze nimule 2

Nimule pictures

 
 
 
 

Visit to Nimule National Park

I have wanted to visit Nimule since I first heard of it, soon after I arrived in Juba. I was stimulated to do this by Sabin Muresan who told me interesting stories about it. My first attempt was dismal failure. I put up a sign-up sheet in the WB Office with the question: who wants to come to Nimule Park. In two hours nearly all the secretaries (girls) and one driver had signed. After the first "management" meeting, when they understood this was not a paid vacation but they were supposed to pay for the trip and sleep in a tent, I was left alone. The second attempt was with my group who had joined me in Uganda, in Jinja. They said OK, but when? Timing was not right for anyone. Third attempt, with Bill Kosar and the Egyptian Consul and the Honorable William started promising. I went to the Ministry, got the info, when to pay for the entrance fee, nobody could come: Bill because thre was no armed escort with us and his babysitters wouldn't let him, William was out, the Consul wanted more people, etc, etc. Alone I could not afford 500 dollars for the car…But I tried, and I got a good car for 300 for two days, no driver! In the bargain with the Ministry of Wildlife also came Louis, a public servant there, who joined for the ride, and in the end was more useful than a hindrace and proved a good companion who knew when to be silent, although not in the wild, where he had absolutely not a clue how to move or how to behave.

Nimule is a great place. Not because it has an incredible number of semi-tame animals, ready on display, because it hasn't. Neither does it boast of good accommodation - it has a series of new buildings, "the lodge", which are closed because of lack of management capacity or lack of resources, most probably both - the "Park office " is a chair under a tree, where a ranger was expecting us. Neither does it have many tourists - I was the only one that week. Nor amenities for visiting: you just use your feet, walking and stalking and you have to rent a boat from a private boatman for an astronomic (by Sudanese standards) price. But it has REAL, UNSPOILED NATURE! And the contact between the nature and you as direct as it can ever be! In my stalking of elephants I was stopped only when the ranger got nervous…and the elephants! When looking for the hippos, one just "popped up" near us! And I could have stayed there for days watching them, nobody to tell me we have to go…On one of our trips we crossed the track of "John" a famous very large, and very wild, unpredictable elephant. We tracked him and saw him as he was uprooting trees about two hundred meters away but couldn't approach him because of swamp and vegetation…Not because of insurance issues! And the term "nature trail" has a different meaning: it is the track of a hippopotamus, who makes good tracks between their feeding grounds and the river- that' how we could get across in the western part of the park. And there, in more than 100 skm , wildlife abounds: in one hour of stalking I saw four distinct groups of game! Not alarmed, I could stalk an impala until I was 20 meters away, a warthog stopped and challenged me from 20 – 25 meters away…

I also saw Fula Falls, an incredible show of energy! Nearby I tried to fish, and a monster just walked way with my lure. I felt it maybe ten seconds in my rod who bent like grass, and then everything went loose. The locals then showed me how it's done. See the pictures! A hook no 1, about ten cm long and chain for 50 cm and the bait is a fish of about ½ kg.

Two things threw a shadow over this trip. The fact that my zoom broke down and I could only take pictures with my regular objective, which is why I always wanted to get closer than the safe distance and secondly the guest house where I stayed, who proved to be one of the two places in town where there was television. And in the evening it filled up with young bucks, full of beer and hormones who watched soccer and became aggressive, I was ready to leave and go spend the night in the ranger's tukul, but they left in the end. Anyway it was a fabulous weekend!!

The Third Sudanese War?

There is a funny feeling in the air these days in Juba. Initially there was growing tension. The separation rallies were more frequent and more energetic, the mass-media was focused and still is only on the separation related issues and the negotiations on oil revenue, the consultations and negotiations on the future of the oil rich Abiey region and related to that, the Dinka – Mysereia tribal relations.
Then things started getting more serious: the North, the Sudanese Armed Forces deploys 70,000 troops along the North Sudan – Southern Sudan border and concentrates them around the oil rich and strategic region of Abyei. The SPLA moves an alleged 50,000 in response and an unknown number of armored units, anti aircraft units, etc.
Then the provocations start all over the spectrum: Warlike declarations by Al Bashir and his puppets and an intransigent position by GOSS President Salva Kiir, who in a very smart political move, pardons all armed rebel groups, who now are becoming integrated in the regular army or disbanded, freeing his back from a potential second front to be fueled by the North, according to an old and tried tradition.
Bashir offers to buy the Southerners with promises of wealth and development, in the 12th hour. Kiir calls all political forces in a three day marathon congress and makes them declare publicly full and total support for referendum and eventual war.
Some observers, me included, think that Al Bashir is fighting for his life here, or at least for his liberty. So he will never let the referendum, at least in Abiey, to take place, whatever it takes, but he will try the negotiation and political maneuvering first. However, at this game, unexpectedly, Salva Kiir seems to best him. The latest bombshell is the “defection” of one of the most popular and successful soldier of the Northern Sudanese Army, general Tanginya, a South Sudanese Dinka by birth, who arrived today from Khartoum to join the South.
But the most impressive fact is the casual, calm manner of the Abiey traditional leaders the chiefs of the various clans of the Dinka tribe. In a private interview, they confessed that in the past they were fooled with false promises by the Northern, Arab leaders to remain in an united Sudan. Now, no more. They are adamant they don’t need anybody to organize the referendum, they will organize it themselves and show the world they are part of the Southern Sudan. And if anybody will try to stop them, they will fight. In the past they have always fought the Arabs. For centuries. And since the independence in 56, for 40 years in two wars. It is a traditional past time, fighting a war is something expected of every man, it is as normal, more normal even than peace. In the past they used to fight with spears, now they have graduated to Kalashnikovs and whatever else the Government of Southern Sudan will provide.
UN peace keeping forces have made a timid show of bravery until now saying they will take positions in the hotspots to prevent conflicts and avoid civilian casualties. The Security Council has made all the right noises, but…I doubt the UN troops will move, if they move I doubt they will fight. It would be a first!
Making bets when the war will start has become a favorite topic here in Juba. Less and less people believe the South will get out of it without either giving away Abiey or fight for it.

Security issues in Juba, Sudan

Dear friends,

I have just returned from Kabul in Afghanistan. Friends, colleagues ask me how dangerous is Kabul compared to Juba. Well, the email alert I just received I think explains it all. In Afghanistan, the Taliban, will choose a target and then shoot it or send a suicide bomber (although I understand they are getting to be a scarce resource). Here in Juba two Sudanese soldiers get into an argument and chose to decide who is right by employing their government issued Kalashnikovs. Their training being what it is, they chose as dueling ground the busiest market place in Juba, Jebel Market, (in the picture) and they kill four people and wound nine others but don't manage to shoot each other...Now I can explain the difference between security issues in Afghanistan and in Sudan...
"Hello All

Violence in Juba continues to escalate. All staff should exercise extreme caution.

02 October Four people (foreigners) were shot dead on spot and 9 others were critically injured at the JEBEL market, Juba at the afternoon hrs between 100 -200pm. The gunshots were between the 2 armed Sudanese military men engaged in a personal issue. The victims who perished in a bloody crossfire are confirmed to be 2 Ugandans and 2 Congolese citizens. The remaining casualties were Sudanese and Kenyans. The gunshot victims were transferred to Juba Teaching Hospital."

Gender Story

Young girl expressing in wonderful, simple words her vision of life: to learn a trade, to have a good job, a family, opportunities…Obi was listening and I know she heard her.


He is a university graduate and works for a multinational company in Juba. He is a Southern Sudanese and a Dinka. His girl friend of many years is also a university graduate and she works for the Government. She is also a Dinka. And she is tall, very tall, again like most Dinka. They were planning to marry at one point but were not yet ready and they didn’t have enough money for the wedding. And then her father “gives” her, or rather auctions her. She fetches a good price because she is very tall and educated. She is to be the third wife of a man rich in cows. So now, this nice modern couple is faced with a terrible dilemma? How can he outbid the other candidate and get the girl ? He has no money! Well, that’s what families are for in Africa. All his uncles chip in and he gets “pledges” for 200 cows. Then he goes and places his “bid” and… he wins!! The final contractual agreement is now for the price of 150 cows. Cash down or cows down, it doesn’t matter and the other 50 are “on call”. He now owes his relatives the equivalent of 200 cows or about 80,000 dollars. More than 10 years of work at current labor price. Whenever one of his cousins will want to marry he will have to provide cattle, or money. He is terrified eventually this will happen.
This trading goes on all the time. Girls are nurtured and raised to be tall ( the main attribute to set a high price) because they bring in cattle. And CATTLE means everything to a Dinka! Education is also good for price , but not too much!! Fathers ( if they can be called that) have learned that if the girl gets too educated , she starts being “uppity” and wants to be ‘in love’ with the man of her choice, not of HIS choice.
There are only 8 (eight, it is not a typo ) trained midwifes in South Sudan. 2000 young women out of 100,000 die every year giving birth. You can also put it that a girl has more chances to die giving birth than finishing high school.
What can be done about this? Human rights organizations and the whole humanity rises against slavery and the fact that approximately 200,000 Southern Sudanese were taken into slavery during the war is considered to be a horrible crime. But how can we define these everyday occurrences in Southern Sudan ? The work the Bank and other NGOs are doing here are a drop in an ocean. The Bank finances a project for vocational training for young girls that have dropped out of school. They will train about 3,000 girls. Let’s hope at least these girls will be able to make their own lives as they want , not to become the third or fourth wife of a Dinka or Bari man rich in cattle…And maybe they will raise their daughters to be independent and in turn…

"Fishing" trip

Professor William Kosar, Honorable Lawrence Kamilo, and yours truly set out on a fishing expedition…I bring the initiative, the fishing tackle and the car an old Mitsubishi wreck; Bill brings the Honorable and the breakfast (coffee and rolls); Lawrence brings the local know-how of the terrain and the authority of the Government. Thus equipped we set out for Rajaf, a village near the Nile, about ten miles upstream.
During this exciting day Bill makes a great statement, aimed to comfort us from the frustrating attempts to catch fish: “ Fishing is not about catching fish, because it would be called catching fish! It is about bonding together people that engage in similar passions, make things together …” Well. I would say we surpassed any record at bonding! Not only did we indeed bond together, but we managed to bond my Mitshubishi Pajero with a Toyota Landcruiser! My car decided to go on strike in the middle of a puddle in a swampy area and got bogged down. We left it in charge of a kid and went fishing and at noon decided to do something about it. In the calm, quiet, slow African way a cable was brought from several miles away, a Toyota Hardtop came and we pulled my reluctant car out. The remarkable thing followed when I pulled my wallet out to pay for the services and Lawrence said: ” No, Dan! don’t give them anything. The community has decided to help you and for that you don’t pay”. I insisted to pay for the cable at least, which had been destroyed in the process, and I gave 30 pounds as prize to the kid that found my knife in the water. Another quiet ceremony, in which a big boy brought forward a small kid to receive his prize. These people are Bari, a really nice, proud but hospitable tribe.
Oh! And I forgot to tell you guys: We didn't catch any fish worth mentioning...but we bought some and grilled them later...wihtout mentioning any origin!

New school in Sudan.

Schools in time of war and procurement guidelines

David is a grumpy retired procurement specialist and construction engineer. Does some part time consulting here. He is always very critical of any inefficiency so you can imagine how in love he is with the super Sudanese administration. Today we drive together and he tells me a story which I feel had left him quiet and thoughtful.
He was lambasting an official of the Ministry of Education for failing to open some bids and delaying thus the procurement process. The official looked at him for a long time and said:
“David, let me tell you something about education in Southern Soudan. When we started the civil war against the North, there were very few schools and in the areas we controlled, most of the country, rural areas, there were none. Our leaders, John Garang and the others, recognized that if nothing was done they were condemning the whole nation to illiteracy and obscurity.
They decided then to do something about it and they turned to their soldiers and asked which ones knew English and how to read and write. These soldiers were pulled out of their units and they were told each to take his gun and go in a village and there to set up school and teach the kids how to read an write. I was one of those soldiers, turned teacher overnight without any training. We went to the villages: Of course, we found no schools, but we found a big tree, which gave nice shade, and some rocks for the kids to sit on. And then, we needed a black board, but there were no blackboards. So I sat with the village elders to see what we can do. And we came up with the idea to stretch the skin of a black cow over a frame. And that is how we did the blackboard. But we had no chalk. So with the village elders we thought about it and we came with the idea to boil cassava root and we tried to write with it. Well it went very fast, but we could write. So, throughout the war, I served as a teacher instead of serving as a soldier, without any pay, working on a cow hide and cassava root. And if today you still find Dinka’s and Nuer and Bari, and all the other nations still speaking English and the few literate it is because of these teachers.
But David, nobody taught us in the bush about the procurement procedures…”

Bush trip to Djebel

Working in Sudan …hotel, office, hotel, office…air conditioning , indifferent food, I could be anywhere…I decided Sunday I am going to break the pattern. Got other guys crazy enough to come with me and make a hike on the ridge of the Djebel, a mountainous outcrop east of Juba. Picture 1. Hard work in the heat of about 30 – 38 .In the begining, going up, there were quite a number of good paths, made by the poor stone workers ( people who bring stones from the Djebel and then crush them with hand hammers to make gravel) . You must be really poor to do this…( see picture)
Later the paths disappeared and to come down we went straight through the bush. I saw a pair of monkeys , a pair of Guinea Fowls, a couple of snakes. I was using the old technique to make sure I don’t surprise any snake, beating the earth ahead of me with a stick. We exited the Djebel at a modern quarry, where the foreman told us they don’t go up there because of mines left from the war. I could assure them there are none in view of our own experience …We had only found a fragment of an artillery shell. Of course, I had checked before but still it was an unpleasant moment. I rather think they spread the word so that they don’t have to worry about unwanted visitors and eventual accidents.

Sudanese Dancers

Serious Civil Society is coming to Juba. Rotary Club is chartering its first club in Southern Sudan, at the Juba Grand, my hotel. A white bull was sacrificed, in good Sudanese custom and then dances!! What fun! The Rotarians are donating the meat of the Bull to the local orphanage. Good for them, and for Juba!

"Wanting a meal" wins a war!!

In 1993, South Sudan went into a famine. Until then, Operation Lifeline brought in food in 80 feeding points, in agreement with the North, which also received the same amount of food. In 93, the North saw its chance to hit badly the South and allowed only 4 (four) feeding points. Today I spoke to Lise Grand, the lady who negotiated in those days with the Northern official government the feeding points. She is still under the spell of those days. The whole country started the trek towards those four feeding points. 500 000 people died on the way. Imagine a medium sized town , Constantza, let’s say, being wiped off. The picture taken by Kevin Carter, above, in 1993, is entitled “Wanting a meal” and won the Pulitzer prize in 1994. That picture , a small, famished girl being stalked by a vulture, probably did more than anything else to turn the tide of war. The whole public opinion was enflamed by it. It projected the Northern Government of Sudan as the image of EVIL. It encouraged US military to actually bomb Khartoum (even if it happened not to be an Al Queda base). It attracted the attention of the world towards the Sudan situation and led ultimately to the peace agreement and today’s prospects for independence. There are few chances that the girl in the picture is still alive. If she is her health is probably damaged by the famine. But, in the same way as the Unknown Hero of the First World War, she is a symbol of the struggle these people went through. They really need peace and a bit of prosperity now…
P.S. Kevin Carter committed suicide in 1994, soon after winning the prize. He was deeply depressed because of personal problems but he also couldn’t let go of what he had seen in the war.

Scrisoare pentru prieteni (Letter to friends)

29 mai, 2010
Juba, Sudanul de Sud

Iata o scrisoare din Juba si , evident o sa incerc sa-ti descriu putin locul si viata aici. Dar trebuie sa-ti fac o mica introducere despre istoria acestui loc. Am citit cite ceva, desi sigur istoria Sudanului este foarte complexa, un lucru apare ca un fir rosu din vremea faraonilor pina acum. Sudanul de Sud a fost intotdeauna privit doar ca o rezerva inepuizabila de marfuri : in special sclavi, pina in prezent chiar, fildes, lemn, produse agricole, aur, acum petrol. Este o tara cu niste resurse naturale extraordinare : pamint foarte fertil, precipitatii, riuri, paduri de esente pretioase, petrol, tot ce vrei. Tendintele astea de exploatare se contiuna si astazi. Initial au exploatat egiptenii, apoi au venit arabii, apoi consortiu egipteano-britanic, adica de fapt numai englezii si arabii pentru sclavi, apoi dupa independenta, sudanezii din nord, majoritatea arabi si musulmani, i- au exploatat cit au putut pe astia din sud, crestini si animisti majoritatea. Sudul se rascula din cind in cind, se mai bateau, adica erau iar batuti, iar era un pic de pace, etc. Ultimul razboi a inceput prin 1985. Si de data asta au cistigat sa zicem. Odata pentru ca strategia sefului lor, John Garand de Mabyor a fost ca intii sa nu se bata cu nordul, ci sa-si alature prin toate metodele, toti sefii locali astfel incit sa nu mai fie dezbinati, si apoi cu ajutorul Etiopiei, a Keniey, in general a tarilor africane mai comuniste , a rezistat intr-un razboi de guerilla timp de 20 de ani. Intre timp, ca sa nu moara toata populatia, o mare parte s-a refugiat in alte tari sau in Nord, si o alta parte a fost aprovizionata si servicii au mai fost mentinute de Natiunile Unite si de Organizatii neguvernamentale internationale, intr-o operatiune faimoasa, numita ‘Operation Lifeline’. Cu toate acestea, razboiul a dus la moartea a peste 2 milioane de oameni. Omoriti in lupte, foamete provocata special de cei din Nord, etc, etc. In timpul razboiului au fost capturati si multi oameni in special copii si folositi ca sclavi. Chestia asta o faceau triburile arabe din Nord, genul militiilor Janjawa de acum. Tot in perioada razboiului au fost omorite si aproape toate animalele. Cei din sud ca sa aiba ce minca, cei din nord ca sa-i impiedice pe localnici sa manince.

In 2005, in urma unor negocieri duse in principal prin intermediul Statelor Unite, au incheiat un acord de pace care a fost si ramine in vigoare. Conform acestui acord, daca partile, nordul si sudul nu ajung sa se impace si sa convietuiasca timp de 6 ani atunci pot sa tina un referendum si sa se desparta tarile. Nordul nu a reusit in acesti ani sa faca uniunea o optiune viabila. Nici nu este de mirare avind in vedere ca de la independenta, din 1966, s-au luptat in total mai bine de 30 , 40 de ani. Asa ca autonomia destul de avansata care o au acum se va transforma in independenta totala dupa referendumul care se va tine in ianuarie 2011 , asta daca se repecta in continuare acordul de pace. Aceasta inseamna sa se rezolve niste neintelegeri de frontiera, care sunt importante pentru ca acolo sunt zacamintele de petrol, percum si alte probleme pe care le au de impartit. Aceasta independenta nu este vazuta cu ochi buni de multi altii, inclusiv de Uniunea africana, care se gindesc la miscarile de autodeterminare din alte tari africane, din care majoriatatea sunt cauzate de modul arbitrar in care englezii sau francezii au trasat granitele atunci cind au facut-o. Reinceperea razboiului este posibila, mai ales ca amindoua partile s-au inarmat cu disperare din banii care ii iau de pe petrol. Sudul a cumparat sute de tancuri. Sper sa rugineasca in pace !

Eeeeiiiii, asta a fost intre Nord si Sud. Dar sa nu crezi ca in Sud acum toti sunt intr-un acord si armonie. Anul trecut in lupte intertribale au murit peste 2,500 de oameni, mai multi decit au murit in Darfur, unde tipa toata lumea in acelasi an. Oamenii au conflicte pentru pamint, acces la apa, pe furturi de vite, etc. Insa cum violenta este pentru ei singurul mod de rezolvare a conflictelor, cum toata lumea este inarmata dupa 20 de ani de razboi continuu, orice mic conflict se transforma intr-o batalie singeroasa. Adaugam la aceste conflicte neincrederea si dusmania ancestrala intre triburi : Dinka contra Nuer, Ecuatorieni contra Nubieni, etc, etc. Iar mai nou, diversi generali care au luptat in razboiul lor de independenta si care pierd alegerile, nu inteleg sa accepte jocul democratic si se rascoala cu divizia lor cu totul. Si atunci alte lupte…Iar ca sa fie tacimul complet, uite vine si capitalistul nostru cel de toate zilele care vrea sa foreze pentru petrol. Si de cele mai multe ori este o companie chineza care acapareaza tot mai mult din rezervele de petrol. Si ca sa nu aiba dificultati cu localnicii care au probleme cu accesul pe terenul lor, sau care vor si ei parte din beneficii, chinezii sau alte companii angajeaza mercenari care 'rezolva' orice comunitate care rezista sau care ar face probleme companiilor. Si iata cum ajungem din nou la exploatarea saracei tari…Ultima forma de exploatare despre care citesc in presa este acapararea terenurilor. Fonduri de investitii, capitalisti din toata lumea se reped aici si cumpara milioane de hectare de teren fertil pentru agricultura. Nu e clar de la cine il cumpara, dar daca au semnatura presedintelui sau a un ministru, doi, e OK. Au intlegeri cu diversi generali semi independenti, care contorleaza parte din tara prin legaturi tribale, politice, etc. Acesti antreprenori nu cumpara terneul pentru specula cu terenuri, sa zici ca o sa le vinda mai tirziu. NU. Ar fi simplu. Acesti tipi asteapta ca incalzirea globala si criza de alimente mondiala sa devina acuta si atunci o sa produca alimente care o sa le vind cu profit. O afacere buna de fapt…Pina atunci insa, nu se va produce nimic pe aceste terenuri, ceea ce ar trebui de fapt, daca Sudanul vrea sa-si dezvolte armonios economia, si nu sa devina o economie bazata numai pe petrol, care este un dezastru, asa cum s-a intimplat in Nigeria sau ai alte locuri. Noroc ca tara e mare.
Deci, asa cum zice la ziarul Catavencu : Avem o tara…ce facem cu ea ?
Toate serviciile aproape erau oferite de ONG-uri are aveau finantari directe de la alte tari, de la ONU, etc. Incet incet guvernul de aici a inceput sa se ridice sa se intareasca, si a solicitat sa controleze ce se intimpla in tara lor, si sa finanteze ei aceste servicii conform standardelor lor. Asta nu convine multor ONG-uri siu acum inca mai sunt manevere pe aceasta tema. Insa intr-adevar, asta este o tara a ONG. Cred mai mult de 60/70 % din serviciile umanitare si sociale de la sanantate la educatie si la agricultura sunt efectuate prin sau de catre ONG-uri. In Juba nu prea vezi firme comerciale sau birouri de firme si foarte putine banci. Majoritatea sunt birouri de ONG-uri, de organizatii de dezvoltare bilaterale si multilaterale. Din loc in loc o cladire de birouri guvernamentale.
Este un oras foarte sarac. Este cel mai sarac loc care l-am vazut in viata mea. Exista citeva drumuri asfaltate care s-au facut recent si proigramul continua incet incet. Majoritatea drumurilor sunt de pamint, plin de sleauri, incit intelegi de ce aici nu vezi decit masini 4x4, mari. Este tara Land-Cruiser…Inclusiv ca sa ajungi in centru, la singurul supermarket din oras, care arata a depozit de materiale, cu trei galantare inauntru si cinci mici indieni care servesc. Imi cumpar de acolo apa minerala si pasta de dinti. Oferta mai include insecticid, biscuiti, pantaloni si ceva bauturi alcoolice. Intr-o zi au avut si servetele… Cine stie, poate o sa aduca si lenjerie. Daca vrei sa cumperi ceva mai special trebuie sa te duci la Nairobi. Cu avionul mai bine, ca in perioada asta drumul este controlat de banditi. Sau daca vrei neaparat cu masina, ca ai de carat, mai bine o iei prin Kampala, prin Uganda. Drumul e bun, de pamint dar a fost reabilitat de curind. Atit ca si pe aici trebuie putina atentie acum ca au fost atacuri ale unei alte armate de guerilla care bintuie zona, Lord’s Resistance Army. Insa in Juba este OK. Ca s afiu sincer este chiar surprinzator cum, dupa atitia ani de suferinte si de cruzime si de razboi, oamenii sunt senini, foarte primitori, esti in mod normal salutat pe strada de necunoscuti, ca in sate la noi. Vezi adeseori oameni imbracati in adevarate toge , legate la umar, incaltati in sandale facute de ei . Nu au bani si nici obiceiul de a se imbraca cu panataloni, camasi…dar sunt toti prietenosi, curiosi sa vada minunatiile civilizatiei : motociclete, asfalt, toyota landcruiser, oameni albi…Inca nu au aparut semafoare sau reclame luminoase. De fapt inca nu e retea de curent electric. Adica reteaua este dar inca nu a fost reabilitata si curentul si-l procura fiecare cu generatoare autonome. Insa jumatate din « oras » are apa acum.
Comunitatea de expati, de straini din toata lumea venita aici cu ONG-uri si agentii de dezvoltare locuieste in camp-uri/hoteluri. Initial acestea erau facute din containere amenajate si cele mai multe erau corturi. Mai recent este un adevarat boom in constructii in industria asta, si au inceput sa apara niste campuri facute din bungalowuri , ca sa nu le spunem baraci. Intr-o baraca din asta, impartita in doua, stau si eu. Este destul de OK. Am un pat, o masa mica, un scaun , dulap, si chiar, culmea luxului aici, o baie separata a mea, cu WC si dus. L-am mobilizat pe patron si mi-a dat dupa citeva zile o baraca mai izolata putin , unde am ‘privacy’ si o vedere mai frumoasa. Sigur insa ca au trebuit sa munceasca doua zile ca i-am pus sa-mi vopseasca iar peretii, sa repare dulapul, mi-au schimbat broasca, si…am si televizor ! Prind CNN si Aljazeera in rest timpenii sau in araba…
Suntem putini romani in Juba: Sabin, sotia lui, Ina si cum mine. Si asa acum se intimpla chestiile astea, ne-am gasit : eu fost director la Rosia Montana, iar el activist la o orgnaizatie neguvernamentala, PATRIR, care lupta impotriva proiectului. Ne-am amuzat copios, si ne-am povestit chestii asa cum o fac fostii combatanti dupa razboi. E un tip foarte misto.
Pentru acum, ajunge…o sa-ti mai scriu despre ce fac aici in alta scrisoare. Poate pina atunci ma dumiresc si eu.

African Party...

World Bank Office in Juba fires 30 people. Cleaners, maintainance mechanics, people that have worked for the office for the last two - three years. They are to be replaced by a company. For the bureaucrats in Washington it's easier to deal with one company than with 30 individuals, insurance, etc, etc.
The monthly 'fun and games' is to be also a send-off for these people: diplomas & awards, emotional send-off. They are all decent, reserved.
And then the music starts: African rhythms. The whole atmosphere changes: bodies move in a slow, highly sensual rythm, hips sway, feet beat the floor in rythm, smiles and semi closed eyes. The music is contagious it fills you up, it pushes you off the chair. And people are happy! Music and dance changes the mood...for me too: I leave off the business..I tear up the papers I had brought to discuss with the country manager, to his undissimulated pleasure: „Fuck the Work!” I dance...I sway in the rythm with a lithe sensual Dinka, who starting with tommorow will be an unemployed...doesn’t matter: Carpe diem!
Interesting follow-up: next morning, I come to work as the model bureaucrat, at 8.20, stiff shirt, tie, black shoes, glasses but now I don't fool anybody any longer: Big smiles or even laughter: Hey, Man! You can dance!

Sat african reconstruit...Rebuilt villages...

In timpul razboiului care a durat mai bine de 20 de ani, majoritatea satelor din jurul Jubei au fost distruse, locuitorii au plecat in refugiu. Acum se intorc, incet, incet. Satul din imagine s-a ridicat in ultimii doi ani, de aceiasi comunitate care a locuit in acest spatiu initial. In general casele (tukul) au acoperis de paie dar aici au avut acces la tabla...Ma rog o fi mai buna...

The village inthe background has been rebuilt by the IDP's returned after many years from refuge, on the same space, same community. The small round houses with thached roofs called tukul are the usual habitat. More recently they may use corrugated iron...Must be hellishly warm inside...

So much can be done with so little !

…South Sudan is one of the poorest places on earth. Refugees are returning after many years, building new huts made of mud and straw…We al know education is the single most important thing that will pull this people out of the misery of struggling for day to day subsistence. I went to see an education/gender project in one of these villages set up by returning refugees. The school is maintained by an NGO (BRAD) and is a 5x3 m ‘building’ made of mud with corrugated metal sheet for roof. 30 children sit on the ground, covered by a sheet…educational devices and support are a few sheets of papers with drawings… Each child stays in school for three years. There are no vacations, the school lasts for three hours early in the morning until the heat makes the space impossible. BRAD has as many schools as they can set-up depending on their resources and teachers they can recruit. The economics of this educational system are easy. Building rental is 100 USD/month. Teacher 120 to 200 USD/month. Books and copybooks free from UNICEF. It comes to about 8 USD/child/month. And they are happy!!

Nigerian impressions

A few days ago I was writing in my diary: “I am willing to bet anything that there are many kind, gentle, smart Nigerians who are so irrespective of interest or duty. It’s just that I haven’t met them in the short time I have been here. However, I do see an incredible number of alfa males, with puffed-up chests and hard or arrogant looks. The violence is palpable- you feel it everywhere.” Well, I met the nice guys here in Abudja. But I have to say: Nigerians are something! Smart, very smart. But My God, what an ego!! But also many really good men and therefore also modest, kind people.
It is true that many of them have emigrated. A newspaper here was even saying that all intelligent people have left the country, leaving the country on the hands of cupid, greedy and violent leaders!
As New York is definitely NOT America, the same way Lagos is not Nigeria. At the end of my stay in Lagos, exhausted and exasperated I was writing: “Two days of driving in Lagos have opened a window into their character. It is not their abilities- most certainly not, otherwise there would much more people killed than the aprox. 200/month; NO. It is not the fact that they are not trained, because they are not- in Nigeria you don’t need training or pass an examination to get a driver’s license. You pay 5,000 nira (about $ 40) and you get it. It is the absolute DISREGARD for all the rest of the world you can AFFORD to disregard. If your car is tougher and you don’t care if you scratch it you disregard everyone and you drive wherever you see a space. Or stop in the middle of the road even if you discomfort hundreds others. And if they happen to be in an armored vehicle, then they weave and blast the horn for everybody to get out of their way because they are ARMOURED.”
The MACHO attitude is fundamental characteristic in Lagos. The ‘tough guy look’ is, it seems, a defense mechanism, still useful and an absolute necessity until very recently. A year , two ago , weapons and armed assault was commonplace in Lagos. An argument on traffic issues was resolved with guns being drawn out and often…used. The macho look ensured survival. A normal look meant you were a sure victim. You had to look the part. Many people became the part and cannot get rid of the role they played.
An interesting phenomenon: here few motorcycles have rear view mirrors. THEY DON’T NEED THEM. They don’t care if they discomfort you by cutting in front and they believe they are so fast and nimble you can’t catch them. Or that you will break not to scratch your car. And I have seen at least ten bykers pounding their fists on cars.
Nigerians seem to be very proud of their country. And more recently they seem to realize they also need to care about it. It is endowed, indeed, with great mineral resources and agricultural potential . But they mismanage in an exemplary way their resources. Actually I think the term ‘resource curse’ was coined on their situation… And it seems they have several million cattle but there are no Nigerian dairy products, and even the juice sold in stores is made from a concentrate imported from other countries…while their fruits rot…Although the biggest economy in West Africa they have a big issue on reallocation of wealth: 75% of the population is under the poverty level.
They are one of the largest oil producers, but their two refineries are out of business, and the fuel comes from refineries owned by Nigerian oligarchs but located out of the country! The local investment climate must be very unfriendly…! Actually it is estimated that out of the 1.3 trillion dollars sitting doing nothing in trust funds in the Channel Islands, a good portion comes from Africa and of course, Nigeria…
I try to discern, as part of my job, a possible civic movement on which to base an advocacy strategy for a better trade and transport environment. In Lagos I am regarded as a strange animal. No one here does ANYTHING if there isn’t an immediate profit. Nobody thinks in long term or civic duty…
In Abudja, things are more nuanced! Industries, businesses are here more mature, closer to the political center and the value of lobbying and a large power base is appreciated.
Same when I talk about the ‘legal way of doing business’. Sorry! You don’t get it! It all comes down to maximizing profit. To do business, legally or illegally you have to pay bribes!! The only rationale here is the quick buck: how much bribe versus how much profit. More than 80% of the containers arriving in Lagos contain contraband or even if not they are not cleared until a negotiation on the tax is achieved. And it can last weeks, months, depending on the demand for the product and storage costs… The best comes afterwards…the latest technique is to introduce in the container a prohibited item. The container is confiscated according to latest norms. Later it is auctioned and it gets awarded to the right guy, who pays for it less than the tarrif due.
Nigerians are proud of their ‘democracy’. Well… Poor Plato…Rule of law is somewhat of a mess. The Parliament hasn’t passed a significant law in the last 20 years!! For example the customs law is the same since 1958!! It is totally outdated, it doesn’t respond to any international agreement adopted by Nigeria. Everything works by ‘executive order’…And it is the same in all sectors…And their parliamentarians are paid huge salaries.
To work in this country you have to understand the system…A law or an international agreement, etc, doesn’t have the same value as in a rule of law country, in the sense that a law represents the expression of a political interest at a certain moment and that’s it. Next moment, another policy…

African tanker...

The mound of yellow plastic cans, which originally held vegetable oil is the latest technology in the smuggling of Nigerian oil. Believe it or not underneath there is a scooter. It will cross the frontier in Nigeria using a narrow beaten earth foot path and will return in Benin the same way, to sell the gas by the bottle, a few cents cheaper than the official gas station. It is a terribly hard way to make a living, dangerous ,etc. There have been voices raised against this practice. But it seems the President of Benin who comes from a very poor family originally was sent to school by his parents who earned a living and paid his schooling using similar means...He cannot forbid it now...
And by the way...coming in Cotonou I see a motorcade stopped in one of the slum areas: It was the president coming to visit his home and parents...I rather like the guy!

African wizards - Les sorciers d'Afrique sont bien vivants

I was thinking about informal communication vectors and I casually enter in a fascinating discussion with my driver, Richard, in Benin:

Richard, est-ce qu’il ya des sorciers ?
Oh, oui monsieur Dan, il y a en a beaucoup !

Comment on devient sorcier ? On va à une école ? On fait de la formation?
Non, la sorcière se donne…Quand on mange, le sorcier te donne a manger la viande d’un homme qu’il a transforme en poulet ou en autre animal. Et tu crois que tu manges du poulet mais tu deviens sorcier. Dans les familles ou il ya des nombreux sorciers, ils donnent aux jeunes pour qu’ils devienent sorciers aussi.

Comment tu connais qu’ils sont sorciers ? Ils ont des tatouages ?
Non…seulement si tu dors avec lui dans une chambre. La nuit, les sorciers s’en vont pour se rencontrer dans l’esprit. Ils ont leurs rencontres. Et la bas, dans la chambre il ne reste que la peau. Si tu touche la peau, il ne se lève pas parce’ que l’esprit est ailleurs. La ou les esprits des sorciers se rencontre.

Mais qu’est qu’ils discutent alors ?
Ils discutent qui tuer, qu’il faut transformer en animal, ainsi de suite ! Parce-que un sorcier peut-être veut la mort de quelqu’un qui ne lui a pas donne de l’argent mais l’autres disent que ca ce n’est pas bien et alors il ne le tue pas. Mais ils se rencontrent aussi quand ils se transforment en animaux. Chaque Sorcier se transforme dans un seul animal. Un en serpent, un autre en oiseau, et ils se rencontrent comme ca et ils parlent.

Les sorciers sont méchants ?
Non, pas toujours, si tu as fait quelque chose mal ou quelqu’un veut ta mort, le sorcier peut se faire serpent et il te mord. Dans mon village deux femmes sont mortes comme ca.

Mais l’église…qu’est qu’elle dit de ca ?
L’église catholique… C’est la que les sorciers et les hommes méchants vont chaque dimanche matin. Ils sont tous sorciers et ils parlent de leur choses mechantes.

Richard, ca s’appelle confession. Et les prêtres sont sorciers aussi ?

Non les prêtres sont bons. Mais l’église américaine, l’évangéliste, tout ca, c’est commercial, il y a pas des sorciers mais il ya pas d’esprit. C’est commerce…

African impressions (Romanian)

Am fost pina acum in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana si Benin, azi am ajuns in Togo. Este fascinant sa circuli pe soselele din Africa, care sunt cind asphalt cind pamint tare ondulat “tole ondule’ care-ti zdruncina matele si ficatii, cind praf si nisip, dar in fiecare localitate si mai ales la frontiere este un furnicar, o umanitate frematinda intr-o miscare browniana permanenta. Se face comert: cu marfuri, cu sex de orice tip, cu droguri si cu arme, cu bani de orice tip. Coruptia este institutionalizata : frontierele se trec cu pasaportul daca dai spaga cam 10 dolari, cu cartea de identitate si cu numai doi dolari daca nu ai maimulti si am vazut cum a trecut o femeie fara nici un act si cu numai un dolar… Eu cu acte, viza etc era sa-mi pierd aparatul foto pentru ca am facut o poza caschetei unde se stringeau banii… Camioanele ca sa treaca frontiera, cu toate actele in regula asteapta cel putin trei zile daca dau spaga mare. Altfel stau si cu lunile…

Am mai invatat ceva…loviturile de stat militare in Africa nu sunt de obicei rele. Ele sunt in general o expresie extrema a unei societati care daca nu se exprima violent risca sa se dizolve. Problema este ca dupa aia militarii nu cred ca altii pot sa guverneze mai bine ca ei…si nu mai pleaca. In Cote d’Ivoire se va intimpla in curind asa ceva : Vad cum sefii armatei vor sa faca curatenie pina nu le scapa trupa armata din mina din cauza coruptiei, iar sefii politici se opun. Cine crezi ca va cistiga pina la urma ?

Socanta si saracia de aici . Credeam ca vazusem cam ce se poate vedea despre saracie. Dar aici este o saracie amestecata cu aglomeratie, murdarie, promiscuitate. Dar este mai putin respingatoare decit ti-ai imagina pentru ca este si vesela, plina de energie, de spirit antreprenorial. M-am plimbat prin aceste cartiere, care sunt toate un fel de mare piata, fiecare vinde ceva in prag sau pe o taraba improvizata, isi lauda marfa, se cearta cu vecinul cu o vigoare latina aproape. Nimeni nu se uita urit la mine, cel mult ma striga sa ma salute, sa le vorbesc ceva. Sunt impresionat de faptul ca nimeni nu cerseste, nimeni nu ma agreseaza sa cumpar, etc…

Atitudinea asta este rezervata pentru tirgurile de artizanat pentru turisti…Vizitez unul : toti sar pe mine sa ‘Just look inside !’ Experienta anterioara intra in functie, doua trei vorbe si sunt lasat in pace sa privesc nestingherit. In general kitch-uri imprimate in Tailanda sau in Nigeria. Gasesc in Benin citeva picturi de arta decorative moderna africana. Bun gust nativ, coloristica interesanta, motive africane viguroase, tusa delicata. Cumpar arta de sute/mii de dolari cu citeva zeci. Ma simt aproape prost sa negocez dar stiu ca asta se astepta, stim amindoi pretul final dupa primele vorbe dar trecem prin ritual…

Misiunea in sine pentru care sunt aici a inceput in ceata. Am citit sute de pagini de rapoarte socio-economice si de comert ca sa realizez un pic ce se intimpla…Econometria nu minte…oamenii da ! Gradul de necunoastere este enorm, este intretinut cu buna stiinta. Ce se intimpla in proiectul asta intr-adevar exemplifica faimoasa vorba : ‘Somnul ratiunii naste monstrii’. Interesant ca atunci cind propun transparenta, dezvaluirea evidentei ca solutie, sunt intimpinat cu rezerve. Aici, a spune ca imparatul este gol este less majeste, nu bun simt ! Noroc ca am gasit impreuna cu seful echipei, o fosta colega de la biroul Bancii din Romania o posibila solutie care nu-mi stirbeste etica profesionala.

Africa ramine Africa. In cautarea mea de canale de comunicare traditionale am explorat si relatiile tribale, sefii traditionali. Interesante descoperiri : in general, cum oamenii au intotdeauna nevoie de modele, de sefi, de oameni de incredere care sa se serveasca de lideri, oamenii se uita cu sperante la liderii tribali care de cele mai multe ori se bucura de multa autoritate bazata pe traditie, de valoarea lor charismatica. Dar vai, foarte des si astia sunt corupti…adevarat insa ca sunt si omoriti mai usor, asa cum s-a intimplat in Ghana cind eram acum colo… un rege si noua ‘curteni’ omoriti de ‘succesiune’.

Spiritual Armenia

I returned from Armenia a few days ago. Part of the mission was a trip down south east, near Nagorno Karabah. On the way we stopped at two very special places: Khor Virap, an old fortified monastery where Saint Gregory is said to have been imprisoned for 13 years in a cave I saw. A sort of Oubliette in which you descended through a vertical pit. Stone walls blackened by candles and a cross.

The second was Noravank, another fortified monastery, in a wild gorge, and built on the site of a pre-Christian temple. The amazing thing about these places is that you could almost feel ‘the sacred’ the “holiness” of the place. And what is amazing is the sobriety of the churches. There are no decorations nearly. There are no icons, there is no gold and rich tapestries. There is only stone, some modest but moving carving in the limestone of the walls. A stone altar and a Cross. Candles and blackened walls. And the Holy Ghost which takes you by the hand. You feel humbled by the weight of the faith of all the people who have prayed there so intensely they left part of their faith embedded in those barren walls…
I attach a picture I took in the church of Noravank : candles…blackened walls, stone walls. But a picture cannot express the holiness , the sacred feeling of the place…you have to be there…
After I left Noravank, I was thinking about other Churches I know. Why do these Churches want to impress their congregations with the richness of their worldly assets? Large, rich buildings, sculptures, gold surrounding wonderfully painted icons…they pale when compared to the rich spirituality expressed by simplicity and soberness of the Armenian churches…