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...?
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
18.5.14
1.5.14
When Brothers Fight
I've been reading In the Time of Madness: Indonesia on the Edge of Chaos by Richard Lloyd Parry. I haven't found it to be great writing- though I am admittedly very much near the beginning still. It has received good reviews in terms of being an accurate portrayal of a country's decent into war and strife.
So far I am feeling like it is just a string of horrible events only slightly related and without much story line. I can't put anything in context. Maybe it's coming.
What I am struck by, however, is how fast or perhaps how deeply two ethnic groups become opposed to one another. How entire groups of people can be overcome by fear and loathing to such a degree they are blinded to the humanity of the other. One reviewer on the GoodReads site mentions that current state of Indonesia being such that it is "ripe for future strife and mob mentality..." I am not exactly sure what conditions she perceives as creating a culture more likely to cave into mob mentality. It seems to me any group of people are prone to this when faced with uncertainties that have been allowed to grow to mythic proportions, i.e. the deliberate or unintentional perpetuation of ignorance about a situation of group of people deemed "the other." It could happen anywhere.
And it's happening now in Kinshasa. While I can't seem to find much in the news or anywhere online (a few videos of demonstrations and the predictably disturbing graphic photos that reveal no source or caption to confirm contextual information that so often pop up on FB) word on the street is prolific. There's a fight going on between Brazza and Kin and it's not real clear who the bully is- depends on which side you're talking to.
Previously, whenever I'd heard mention of the sister cities, I'd always heard it in the context of 'we're all one country, just separated by a river. They are our brothers." Family ties have severed in what seems like a matter of weeks (actually appeared like an overnight phenomenon to me but it's probably just due to the lag time in my ability to get information from informal sources. I don't really have numerous connections. Just an American girl in Kinshasa.)
I was able to unearth a bit of history while fact searching and, as it turns out, this isn't the first time tensions have erupted between the countries. In April 2011 there was an attack on the Presidential Palace on Kinshasa- with said attackers reportedly coming from Brazzaville. While I'd heard the story at the time, what I neglected to understand was that the alleged attackers hailed from Kinshasa but had been taking refuge in the Republic of Congo. The incident brought up renewed interest in trying to have General Munene returned to Kinshasa where he is wanted to serve a life imprisonment for his part in a rebellion. Tensions go even further back to the time of DRC's first President, Joseph Kasavubu.
What has been particularly disturbing to me this round has been the surprising sentiments from people I thought I knew (realizing of course, that you can never really know someone. If there is one thing I am learning in Africa, it's this. Beyond the masks used for dance and ritual lie a myriad of socially constructed masks behind which one can never be sure what is hiding.)
Statements of outright hatred and prejudiced made against an entire country of people. After reflection, it is really not so new. When I was traveling in Guinea just after the assassination attempt of their president, it was often remarked, " Oh, you're American? Ok. Good thing you're not French." And on one occasion, "No, she's American, not French," was called across a backyard we happened to be passing through as an introduction and request for continued passage. Good thing I guess, because citizens are not separated from government policy and when in a foreign land you are no longer just your own person.
While it may be nothing new (kidnappings of foreigners across the continent serve as a daily reminder of this phenomenon- how quickly one can be turned into a pawn in the game of political chess and warfare)- it is fairly cliche to admit that because it is now something I can hear with my own ears and witness with my own eyes, it is ever more surprising.
I've heard several versions of the story- from the idea that the Kinois in Brazaville are there without proper documents and are accused of thug-like behavior and as such have been asked to leave. Only they haven't necessarily wanted to leave and haven't exactly been arrested and deported but have been beaten and even killed on the streets. A populace that has risen up and taken their frustrations into the immediacy of the moment.
This has incited Kinois both in Kinshasa and living abroad. They are rallying against the violence, calling for Congolese from Brazzaville living in Kinshasa to go back home as well. There have been threats from both sides of the river. The biggest problem seems to be no one is exactly sure how it all got started. This article suggests an affront towards President Nguesso in March, with the expulsion of the Kinois from the country as a retaliation in saving face.
In the end, it seems unlikely a true story will emerge, impossible in fact. Politics has no truth. And it is always the ordinary citizens, caught up in the uncertainties, the deceptions, and the insecurities of the 'big boys' who will suffer.
I keep hearing that voice in my head, as I sat with two best friends, one from Kinshasa, the other from Brazzaville. "We are brothers. There is no difference between us." So they said then. One can't really be sure what will happen now that the brothers are fighting.
So far I am feeling like it is just a string of horrible events only slightly related and without much story line. I can't put anything in context. Maybe it's coming.
What I am struck by, however, is how fast or perhaps how deeply two ethnic groups become opposed to one another. How entire groups of people can be overcome by fear and loathing to such a degree they are blinded to the humanity of the other. One reviewer on the GoodReads site mentions that current state of Indonesia being such that it is "ripe for future strife and mob mentality..." I am not exactly sure what conditions she perceives as creating a culture more likely to cave into mob mentality. It seems to me any group of people are prone to this when faced with uncertainties that have been allowed to grow to mythic proportions, i.e. the deliberate or unintentional perpetuation of ignorance about a situation of group of people deemed "the other." It could happen anywhere.
And it's happening now in Kinshasa. While I can't seem to find much in the news or anywhere online (a few videos of demonstrations and the predictably disturbing graphic photos that reveal no source or caption to confirm contextual information that so often pop up on FB) word on the street is prolific. There's a fight going on between Brazza and Kin and it's not real clear who the bully is- depends on which side you're talking to.
Previously, whenever I'd heard mention of the sister cities, I'd always heard it in the context of 'we're all one country, just separated by a river. They are our brothers." Family ties have severed in what seems like a matter of weeks (actually appeared like an overnight phenomenon to me but it's probably just due to the lag time in my ability to get information from informal sources. I don't really have numerous connections. Just an American girl in Kinshasa.)
I was able to unearth a bit of history while fact searching and, as it turns out, this isn't the first time tensions have erupted between the countries. In April 2011 there was an attack on the Presidential Palace on Kinshasa- with said attackers reportedly coming from Brazzaville. While I'd heard the story at the time, what I neglected to understand was that the alleged attackers hailed from Kinshasa but had been taking refuge in the Republic of Congo. The incident brought up renewed interest in trying to have General Munene returned to Kinshasa where he is wanted to serve a life imprisonment for his part in a rebellion. Tensions go even further back to the time of DRC's first President, Joseph Kasavubu.
What has been particularly disturbing to me this round has been the surprising sentiments from people I thought I knew (realizing of course, that you can never really know someone. If there is one thing I am learning in Africa, it's this. Beyond the masks used for dance and ritual lie a myriad of socially constructed masks behind which one can never be sure what is hiding.)
Statements of outright hatred and prejudiced made against an entire country of people. After reflection, it is really not so new. When I was traveling in Guinea just after the assassination attempt of their president, it was often remarked, " Oh, you're American? Ok. Good thing you're not French." And on one occasion, "No, she's American, not French," was called across a backyard we happened to be passing through as an introduction and request for continued passage. Good thing I guess, because citizens are not separated from government policy and when in a foreign land you are no longer just your own person.
While it may be nothing new (kidnappings of foreigners across the continent serve as a daily reminder of this phenomenon- how quickly one can be turned into a pawn in the game of political chess and warfare)- it is fairly cliche to admit that because it is now something I can hear with my own ears and witness with my own eyes, it is ever more surprising.
I've heard several versions of the story- from the idea that the Kinois in Brazaville are there without proper documents and are accused of thug-like behavior and as such have been asked to leave. Only they haven't necessarily wanted to leave and haven't exactly been arrested and deported but have been beaten and even killed on the streets. A populace that has risen up and taken their frustrations into the immediacy of the moment.
This has incited Kinois both in Kinshasa and living abroad. They are rallying against the violence, calling for Congolese from Brazzaville living in Kinshasa to go back home as well. There have been threats from both sides of the river. The biggest problem seems to be no one is exactly sure how it all got started. This article suggests an affront towards President Nguesso in March, with the expulsion of the Kinois from the country as a retaliation in saving face.
In the end, it seems unlikely a true story will emerge, impossible in fact. Politics has no truth. And it is always the ordinary citizens, caught up in the uncertainties, the deceptions, and the insecurities of the 'big boys' who will suffer.
I keep hearing that voice in my head, as I sat with two best friends, one from Kinshasa, the other from Brazzaville. "We are brothers. There is no difference between us." So they said then. One can't really be sure what will happen now that the brothers are fighting.
23.5.13
Political education
For a second, I forgot that I don't believe in politics. I forgot to be cynical and realist (or perhaps negative as many like to argue the difference with me.) I went around the room asking teachers to symbolically stand up in a vote of no confidence for the appointed leader. President of the board. I had no desired outcome in mind, already having spoken directly to the outgoing president who confirmed that teachers had no grounds to oppose the "voted" president. Of course, he ran unopposed and so, how could one really argue.
Except the turn out at this particular meeting was the largest the school had ever seen. And the analogy is only fitting when one equates it to the presidential votes in the US. People only come out when they think it matters most. People showed up to vote for a change in the constitution. The proposed change concerned the title of 'missionary member' and amending this to be simply 'member at large.' While there were some surprising speeches in favor of opposing the change, in general it seemed a small turn of wording. While one parent spoke of roots and tradition, in general it seemed that, were the missionary community to rally its members, the change could benefit them as well. They needn't be limited to one post, but could occupy many seats on the board- if so organized. The very fact that this proposition was offered to the community twice and twice it passed seemed to speak volumes for the changing demographics of the school. We are not a religious school; we are an American school.
In exploring exactly what that means, members of the board spoke strongly for a sense of community, regardless of skin color, regardless of religion, regardless of country of origin. They spoke of the reality of students that we face in our classrooms everyday- Muslims whose best friends are Hindus and Indians whose best friends are Africans. We are a community of learners who transcend racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds. Our board should reflect this.
For the teachers, a greater issue was the vote for president. Our preferred nomination was not allowed due to regulations that require an American citizen to be president. Initially, I could agree. But the more I reflected, the more I questioned this policy. My preferred candidate greeted us in more than 5 languages. He demonstrated clear effort in conflict resolution and showed respect to all parties present. He appeared more than qualified and presented a global mindset.
It required me to reflect upon what our school offers that is uniquely "American." It is easy to respond quickly with "American education system" or "American philosophy of education" but as time passes and our school evolves I wonder if that remains true. We are more than an "American" system of education. We have surpassed many of the problems that continue to plague the majority of American teachers. We have begun to arrive at a truly global system of education and I began to wonder if our board shouldn't be able to reflect that fact. It is not only an American who can guide us, but someone who truly understands the nature of an international society.
As I roamed throughout the room, asking teachers if they would symbolically stand against the vote for president, not to make change but to express our displeasure, I was confronted with a surprising fear of speaking out. Many teachers agreed to rise, but refused to be the initial voice. Many teachers made comments like, "But is 'so-and-so' really going to stand? He's over there talking to the future president's wife?" and "Well, I'll stand but I'd feel awkward speaking out since I am working here next year" or, "Well, I am going to an event at his house next week so how can I speak out against....oh, ok. I guess I can stand with everyone else. Are you sure they are going to stand?"
And in the end, we all stood but were represented by a voice that wasn't as clear or concise, or nonvolatile as we needed. Perhaps I could have been that voice, but it hadn't really occurred to me to be the one. I don't have the fear that others expressed- perhaps naively so- perhaps due to my limited exposure to personal contact with said candidate- but mostly because I feel invisible. When it comes to the board, I see them twice a year as I present a state of our school. I try to make them understand what it's like to work in this country, with our resources, with our vast population of students and variety of parental support, with challenges we face everyday trying to educate and guide our students - their children- along the path of responsible, knowledgeable and involved citizens. But otherwise, I feel vastly on my own. With my partnership of colleagues to support me. The board is a separate entity that makes decisions based on values completely different from my reality.
It's entirely too much like voting for president. It is possible to get passionately involved for a moment, but in the end, after it all works out the way politics do (that is to say along familial, friendly and money lines) life seems to carry on pretty much the same for us common folk. We toil along, largely unnoticed, hugely unappreciated and often with small but steady results. For a moment, I thought making a stand could make a difference. But to truly make a difference, one needs dedication, perseverance, planning and a long term vision. One needs organization and a strong supportive network. And one needs to be doing it, not for personal gain, but for the greater good. Yeah. Sounds like superman to me. Or maybe that Mustafa guy that holds a British passport and therefore doesn't qualify to lead an international school into a truly global mindset. What it doesn't sound like is what happened tonight.
A "vote" with only one candidate running and too many write-ins of 'no confidence" that really led nowhere. What we learned this year in our 5th grade government unit is that a democracy is really just a "majority rules' system- the bullies can knock your door down and confiscate your house if that's what most of the people want to do. Majority rules.
The real problem is apathy. Why weren't there more candidates to chose from? Where were all the American families concerned about their child's education and the direction of the school? It seems the truth is, most of the long term inhabitants of Kinshasa, who are able and willing to send their children to our school, are not Americans by birth or upbringing but Americans by passport. Americans who may have passed minimal time there and returned to Kinshasa to continue family businesses. And so I argue, to myself, why not a Brit or a Chinese or any other ethnicity that has chosen to live and raise their children here and seeks an education that reaches beyond the boundaries of this country or their home country but seeks to integrate a truly world wide exposure and experience for the future generation.
They were truly great. The future generation who provided music and song for us, to relieve the tension, to celebrate our fragile sense of community, to remind us of why we had all gathered in the first place.But in the end, it seemed politics as usual.
Except the turn out at this particular meeting was the largest the school had ever seen. And the analogy is only fitting when one equates it to the presidential votes in the US. People only come out when they think it matters most. People showed up to vote for a change in the constitution. The proposed change concerned the title of 'missionary member' and amending this to be simply 'member at large.' While there were some surprising speeches in favor of opposing the change, in general it seemed a small turn of wording. While one parent spoke of roots and tradition, in general it seemed that, were the missionary community to rally its members, the change could benefit them as well. They needn't be limited to one post, but could occupy many seats on the board- if so organized. The very fact that this proposition was offered to the community twice and twice it passed seemed to speak volumes for the changing demographics of the school. We are not a religious school; we are an American school.
In exploring exactly what that means, members of the board spoke strongly for a sense of community, regardless of skin color, regardless of religion, regardless of country of origin. They spoke of the reality of students that we face in our classrooms everyday- Muslims whose best friends are Hindus and Indians whose best friends are Africans. We are a community of learners who transcend racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds. Our board should reflect this.
For the teachers, a greater issue was the vote for president. Our preferred nomination was not allowed due to regulations that require an American citizen to be president. Initially, I could agree. But the more I reflected, the more I questioned this policy. My preferred candidate greeted us in more than 5 languages. He demonstrated clear effort in conflict resolution and showed respect to all parties present. He appeared more than qualified and presented a global mindset.
It required me to reflect upon what our school offers that is uniquely "American." It is easy to respond quickly with "American education system" or "American philosophy of education" but as time passes and our school evolves I wonder if that remains true. We are more than an "American" system of education. We have surpassed many of the problems that continue to plague the majority of American teachers. We have begun to arrive at a truly global system of education and I began to wonder if our board shouldn't be able to reflect that fact. It is not only an American who can guide us, but someone who truly understands the nature of an international society.
As I roamed throughout the room, asking teachers if they would symbolically stand against the vote for president, not to make change but to express our displeasure, I was confronted with a surprising fear of speaking out. Many teachers agreed to rise, but refused to be the initial voice. Many teachers made comments like, "But is 'so-and-so' really going to stand? He's over there talking to the future president's wife?" and "Well, I'll stand but I'd feel awkward speaking out since I am working here next year" or, "Well, I am going to an event at his house next week so how can I speak out against....oh, ok. I guess I can stand with everyone else. Are you sure they are going to stand?"
And in the end, we all stood but were represented by a voice that wasn't as clear or concise, or nonvolatile as we needed. Perhaps I could have been that voice, but it hadn't really occurred to me to be the one. I don't have the fear that others expressed- perhaps naively so- perhaps due to my limited exposure to personal contact with said candidate- but mostly because I feel invisible. When it comes to the board, I see them twice a year as I present a state of our school. I try to make them understand what it's like to work in this country, with our resources, with our vast population of students and variety of parental support, with challenges we face everyday trying to educate and guide our students - their children- along the path of responsible, knowledgeable and involved citizens. But otherwise, I feel vastly on my own. With my partnership of colleagues to support me. The board is a separate entity that makes decisions based on values completely different from my reality.
It's entirely too much like voting for president. It is possible to get passionately involved for a moment, but in the end, after it all works out the way politics do (that is to say along familial, friendly and money lines) life seems to carry on pretty much the same for us common folk. We toil along, largely unnoticed, hugely unappreciated and often with small but steady results. For a moment, I thought making a stand could make a difference. But to truly make a difference, one needs dedication, perseverance, planning and a long term vision. One needs organization and a strong supportive network. And one needs to be doing it, not for personal gain, but for the greater good. Yeah. Sounds like superman to me. Or maybe that Mustafa guy that holds a British passport and therefore doesn't qualify to lead an international school into a truly global mindset. What it doesn't sound like is what happened tonight.
A "vote" with only one candidate running and too many write-ins of 'no confidence" that really led nowhere. What we learned this year in our 5th grade government unit is that a democracy is really just a "majority rules' system- the bullies can knock your door down and confiscate your house if that's what most of the people want to do. Majority rules.
The real problem is apathy. Why weren't there more candidates to chose from? Where were all the American families concerned about their child's education and the direction of the school? It seems the truth is, most of the long term inhabitants of Kinshasa, who are able and willing to send their children to our school, are not Americans by birth or upbringing but Americans by passport. Americans who may have passed minimal time there and returned to Kinshasa to continue family businesses. And so I argue, to myself, why not a Brit or a Chinese or any other ethnicity that has chosen to live and raise their children here and seeks an education that reaches beyond the boundaries of this country or their home country but seeks to integrate a truly world wide exposure and experience for the future generation.
They were truly great. The future generation who provided music and song for us, to relieve the tension, to celebrate our fragile sense of community, to remind us of why we had all gathered in the first place.But in the end, it seemed politics as usual.
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