To Post, Or Not To Post...
on Blog From Beyond (Rwanda), 30/Nov/2009 18:26, 34 days ago
Create your owntravel maportravel blogFindcheap flightsat TripAdvisorI've been playing with FaceBook :) Pinpointing the places I've been to.Had a lovely call the other day. Cathryn, Martine, Ruairi, Giudi and everyone were down Stella and decided to give me a bell. Was excellent to hear from them. Giudi and Maxime got married the other week - wish I could have been there.In not so grate news, Cathryn was recovering from a second bout of malaria and Martine somehow managed to contract typhoid! I dunno, leave people alone for a few weeks and look what happens...Sadly I'm in the grumps at the moment regarding another friend who was recently arrested on a charge of assault, for which there was no evidence and the victim tried to ask for a bribe to drop the charges.It became apparent that there was no evidence and so Madam Prosecutor released him. They're allowed to hold you for five days, but don't count the weekend - so often seven ;o/He has just been arrested on another charge. Again, one for which there appears to be no evidence and a charge so unpleasant that it has shocked his friends and the people who care about him (including his fiancé and people who have known him for years) to suggest he could have done that.It bothers me a great deal. I got very upset recently when I read a glowing report about Rwanda's prisons, stating how inmates had clean cells and televisions.Well yes, if you go to the showcase prison in the centre of town. Not if you go to any of the other minor holding cells like the one our friend was in: 100 people to a floor and you only ate if your family was kind enough to bring you food. No family, no food.If you could afford to pay the equivalent of£5 a night (unlikely) they'd give you a blanket and move you to a smaller room.But even if the prisons were something to glow about, arresting people without evidence appears sorely common and it's often defended as holding someone whilst the police 'investigate' - meaning find evidence for charges often brought about due to the malicious rumours of families who think there might be a quick buck in it.And I know that there are a lot of genuine crimes going on and a lot of genuine criminals - the police often do a very good job and I've met some very nice police men through what happened before. But even so, the police can only work within the system - and it's the system that needs consideration.His family hired a lawyer the first time, who cost a lot of money and did very little (some may say the same about lawyers in the UK...) but there's a deep-seated belief that 'you only hire a lawyer if you're guilty'.My way of looking at it would be to say 'if the system is out to get you' (and it certainly appears to be) 'then you might as well hire one.' No point not having one to try and look innocent if they're out to put you in jail anyway - best take your chances that someone can defend your case.For those of you who don't know, a few days ago Rwanda joined the Commonwealth. I was a bit miffed when I saw this title: "What would the Commonwealth do for Rwanda?" - miffed because I couldn't help wondering "What will Rwanda do for the Commonwealth?" - and then I read the article and realised it was skirting that same issue itself.The section on "Oppressive Laws" was the part I read with interest.And it's important, before going further, that this doesn't just become 'a Rwandan thing' - it's symptomatic of many developing countries and political regimes thatstrugglewith embracing freedom of speech and expression.But when we talk about the Commonwealth (and I now know this because I went and did some reading) we're talking about adhering to a set ofmembership criteria- one of which is adherence to Human Rights. And Human Rights include 'liberty' and 'equality before the law'.So whereas the Commonwealth may bring financial benefits, it's important that member states make a monumental effort to tidy up their attitude to personal liberty (although the amount of biometrics in Britian may suggest we're going backwards...).For instance, one group of people in Rwanda who often seem to get a raw deal before the law are Rastafaris. It has been known to occur that when a Rasta is arrested, the police cut off his dreadlocks. This had happened to a few people I knew.Worse, in 2005 (I believe it was), a talented young Rasta singer called Matt, was kicked to death by police for no other reason than being a Rasta (not that there's any reason that should happen). He told his friend 'I will see you tomorrow'...and never saw her again. It caused a bit of a storm apparently and much stricter rules have come into place about not being allowed to beat prisoners.So change does happen for the better.But it's slow.And when someone you care for is imprisoned on the say-so of rumours, without solid evidence... it does start to make you wonder why the system is so stacked against the defendant. Someone can be locked away because someone else doesn't like them - and the moment they accuse you, you're presumed to be guilty, or treated as such, to the point where you fear that hiring a professional to defend you will automatically label you for life.Sometimes the family making the accusation ask for money to drop the charges. Sometimes it is suggested to the defendant that if he (or his friends) can find the real purpetrator, then it will get them off the hook - so effectivly doing the police's job for them out of fear for your own liberty.It's an extremely scary prospect. And this system is separate from Gacaca (the community Genocide courts) - we're talking about every day incidents.And I know, in writing this post, I may have kissed goodbye to any future VISA to the country - I know people who have lost theirs for less. Which is sad. Because I really like Rwanda, I have a lot of very fond memories about the place and I think it's making amazing progress. I also know that narrow minded bigots may use this post to further their own political agendas (as happened before with a post), but they're entitled to go swivel. This is not a political post, it's simply a human one. A person who is concerned for their friend and all those who find themselves in similar situations across the world.I just hope this situation sorts itself out as it's causing a great deal of distress and heartache.So, not settling in well just yet. Frustrated to the back teeth - when you've got your mind on the dirt floor of a prison somewhere in Africa and your heart in a little bar called Stella with a cold Primus, you find you'd rather stay in a room and talk to yourself than talk to others. A lot of people aren't interested anyway, which is fine. Others make comments such as: "So, have they all stopped killing each other yet" and "Were there many white people where you worked?" - to which there aren't that many answers you can bring yourself to give.With all that going on you find yourself getting too 'intense' for a lot of people. They're talking about a loved one who has passed away and for some reason you find yourself having a flash-back toGisozi and a thousand peoplestanding by the mass graves in total silence whilst the flame burns to commemorate a million killed.And it's not that someone's problems aren't bad, or sad, or important, theyare. It's just really hard to engage, or not to engage so much that you say something fierce and off-the wall which doesn't fit the situation. It's a scale of size and proportion which I can't always hit spot on yet and which, in getting wrong, I resent forhavingto reduce and 'fit in'. Square peg, round hole.So on the whole it's another element of being back that's pretty sucky. I think it's the combination of re-settlement in a place you don't want to be - and not entire re-settlement because you're constantly working towards leaving again, but without any clear time-line or direction. Limbo land.Still, put a brave face on, best foot forward and hopefully it won't be for long.Certainly won't be long before Cathryn's back - will be spending New Year with her, probably in London, and Martine's back in January and we may go visit Ruairi's mum in Tipperary :)You have to keep trying to find things to look forward to.I really feel like I should put a disclaimer on this one but I'm not too sure what I'm disclaiming about...nuff said.