Post election lock down

I generally wake every morning to a certain bird that has a very distinctive call and the far away sounds of city destinations being called out by taxi bus money collectors. "Zando......Zando..." they sing, letting everyone know they are heading off to the large market downtown.

This Saturday morning it seemed even the birds were quiet.  Cars could be heard rolling smoothly down the street but no calls from taxis. Apparently public transportation was suspended, though police continued to roam the streets rounding people up.  Though Russia seems to be having similar election woes, DRC is not fairing so well with international attention. No one seems to really get it. (Or rather, they get it and are stubbornly looking out for their own best interests.)


We've been restricted to campus, which I guess in the big picture is a much larger and nicer place to be than some US Embassy personnel restricted to their homes. However the first notice, at the beginning of last week, left me with an odd rebellious streak. My inner 14 year old coming out I guess. I spent lots of time pondering about the effects of walking out the front gate and trying to determine the best method for scaling the barbed wire wall.

Now that they've actually announced the results we all knew were coming, I agree there is not much reason to go out there. Half the Congolese are staying in their homes as well. Its become more than just a police state. The military are reported to be on every corner and the police are armed with the latest in defensive and offensive gear (gifts from the USA apparently.)

But a huge part of me continues to wonder. Who is out there to witness what is going on? How can things really change if everyone remains locked in fear hiding behind the flimsy doors of their homes or fleeing on precarious ferries across to neighboring countries? How can the international community really pretend that the vote was fair and the will of the people is being enacted? Of course, I know the answers to these questions (money, power and greed,) but it remains a source of frustration to say the least.

Our compound was dubbed the cruise ship and teachers planned a plethora of activities including sports every day, poker nights, movie nights and a variety of potluck dinners. Time off from school (added to the confinement on campus) always leaves my mind reeling so I attended very few of these events. I felt guilty enough heading off to the pool with the kids (avoidance of warfare in our very home made this a necessity.) Though most of my Congolese friends report being tucked safely in their abodes, there is still one I haven't been able to contact.

YouTube and twitter abound with videos of demonstrations taking place outside the country along with simple reports from those locked within:

"It looks like they are preparing for war but against who? People are filled with fear - 2 police officers are in front of my house."

"The police are everywhere, the army is on every corner, the Presidential Guard is armed to the teeth."

Protests have broken out in London, DC, Brussels, France and South Africa. The Carter Center has finally released a report stating that elections lack credibility but there seems little hope that this will have any real effect. SMS capabilities have not been restored and the quiet, empty streets (for the most part) seem directly related to the heavy police presence. How long can they stay out there and what will happen when they finally get the order to go back home?