Anyone living in a big city knows the dangers are constant. Anyone living in Kinshasa knows exactly what to worry about, which places in the city require extra vigilance and which places are probably best to avoid and when. And of course there are the everyplace worries about car accidents. I think car accidents are the number one cause of death in African cities. If not number one- very high on the list. Drivers are crazy- self-centered and full of the intoxication that comes with suddenly being able to travel faster than the speed of a pedestrian (when not stalled in the tangled threads of traffic created by aforementioned intoxication that is.)
In light of the recent fight across the river, a new concern has popped up on the radar. Not for me but for my guy from Brazza. He's been working at a local school here in Kin for the past 7 or 8 years and people know him well. He's got a solid reputation around town and everyone from high ranking generals to affluent ex-pats call him for dance lessons, wedding preparations or special events. He knows how to light up a dance floor and he's magic with his students. Which inevitably brings a bit of jealousy from those on the fringe.
He's had endless difficulty with the security at the school despite his every effort to create a genial atmosphere (and constant gift giving of shoes, hats and francs.) After a break-in last year, the school turned to police security and that's when most of the confrontations began. However, despite a few dramatic escalations, its always been something he's worked around (installing one of his dancers at the gate to open for students so the police aren't bothered with this menial chore- that happens to actually be their job...) or muddled through (ignoring comments, glances or other affronts in an effort to make his students feel welcome and create a tension free atmosphere.)
Since the Kin-Brazza conflict however, things have reached a new level. Several times last week the comments weren't so harmless and the insults weren't restricted to just a few but instead spread to an angry mob. Chauffeurs and security personnel were caught up together in a band of ethnic hatred. Christian became a target for all the perceived wrongs of his government and countrymen. Threats of violence and death were hurled and repeated with increasing detail. They promised to invite the kaluna and suggested any dark night they could be waiting in the shadows after a class.
It's hard to know when threats are idle or should be taken seriously. I'd hoped to have a conversation about this with him to try and figure out how the next few weeks should go. Did we really have something to worry about or were they just shooting off steam? News stories flashed through my mind and I sensed with horror the ease in which a mob mentality could overrule any personal connections or logical thought an individual might have. Mobs are scary, powerful things. And kaluna need very little to ignite their raging hostilities that simmer constantly just beneath the surface. They harbor a volatile sense of injustice and are ready to act on it for any cause, real or imagined. And a few well placed francs goes a long way.
Before I could gather details and get what I'd hoped was an accurate perception of the danger, I found myself seated at an outdoor table greeting a colonel and his group of military men. The colonel made a point of not getting up when I reached over to shake his hand, a sign of his apparent importance. He was interested in purchasing Christian's car and this meeting was intended to secure the details and arrange a final selling date (which has since come and gone.) While the men waited for cold beers to presented, they engaged in small talk and eventually things got around to the situation at the school.
I felt a small ray of hope to hear these men recognizing that the world of politics should not play out in the hands of the masses- citizens are not their government policies- but that idea was quickly followed with recognition of the general ignorance of the population and the willingness of certain groups of people to get caught up in these kinds of affairs as an excuse for aggression and violence. In short, the colonel advised Christian to stay home. At least for the night classes. No need to risk it. Hearing a colonel suggest retreat kind of put things in a different light. Perhaps it was wise to take the situation seriously. At least for the next few days. After all, the first confrontation had resulted in being accosted by the police and taken as far the 'beach' where the ferry leaves port for Brazza. It would have taken mere minutes to be thrown on a boat or tossed in the river- never to be heard from again. Luckily, he is a gifted talker and somehow managed to get out of that situation. But there's no counting on luck.
Eventually the beers were presented, though warm and were since rejected (wait...what?! rejected beers in Kinshasa??? preposterous! I have never heard of or seen this before- and it is only just now in the writing that little puzzle pieces of suspicion are beginning to fall into place. No beers, no follow through on the deal, hmmmm. Could all those words about the error of politics being played out by the masses have been a polite but insincere front? A mask of the colonels? This is how the seeds of doubt and hatred get spread and continue to grow- in the fertile grounds of suspicion and incomprehension.The ease in which the emotions and sentiments of man can be manipulated is alarming.)
Things do seem to have calmed a bit since then. For caution's sake he had his dancers teach one night class but has since returned to his regular schedule. The lull of routine taking over as the persistence of fear is not one that can be continually sustained.
A residue remains however, that feeling of being trapped in your own skin- proud of who you are but powerless against those who harbor hate for no other reason than the very skin you inhabit. It's the story of human societies in countries all over the world- this flame of hatred both powerful and senseless- based on little more than the chance of birth.
UPDATE: Christian says there are plenty of people in Kin who would refuse a warm beer- including himself. See how easy it is to spread misinformation and undeserved suspicion...?
