Local Law Enforcement Activity
We have two pilot houses here in Kin. The one I live in is about 60 meters as the crow flies from the other one which is on the other side of the same block.
A house across the street from the other pilot house was recently refurbished and empty until about 3 weeks ago. Then it was occupied by a large number of English speaking guys, mostly black, but some whites.
Our guards were suspicious of all this because they said there was no activity at the house during the day but much activity during the night with many cars coming and going. The cook for that house was also complaining about having to cook meals for up to 25 people (the domestic staff, guards, cooks, gardeners etc. all talk to the others in the neighborhood about what is going on).
Last Friday, May 19, the guards said FARDC (Congolese Army) troops surrounded the house at 0400 and arrested the occupants at 0600. 17 men, 15 blacks and 2 whites, all English speakers were taken. The house is unoccupied now and there is a big padlock on the front gate.
A couple of days ago, the arrests were announced by the DRC gov. A total of 32 were arrested, across the street from our pilot house and at 2 other locations in Kinshasa. They were accused of being "mercenaries" (a loaded word around here) and of, essentially, plotting a coup.
According to news reports, there were 19 South Africans, 10 Nigerians and 3 Americans; one of the Americans being a former Secret Service agent. All were working security either for a Congolese port or for a Presidential candidate who is from the U.S.
The local and international opinion at this time, seems to be that these guys were doing legitimate security work and were picked up in an attempt to discredit the presidential candidate with whom some of them were associated.
Last I heard, they are still being held.
If the local and international view is the correct one, this is not a good thing; the gov being willing to go after ex-pats in order to influence local political opinion.
I am very glad my organization has worked so hard to establish itself as being a neutral party. We go so far as to prohibit body guards of various gov ministers we occasionally fly around from carrying any sort of weapon. Sometimes they get a bit annoyed with us "Yes we know the bodyguard can't carry his pistol. You told us that 3 times already."
We see what happens next.
A house across the street from the other pilot house was recently refurbished and empty until about 3 weeks ago. Then it was occupied by a large number of English speaking guys, mostly black, but some whites.
Our guards were suspicious of all this because they said there was no activity at the house during the day but much activity during the night with many cars coming and going. The cook for that house was also complaining about having to cook meals for up to 25 people (the domestic staff, guards, cooks, gardeners etc. all talk to the others in the neighborhood about what is going on).
Last Friday, May 19, the guards said FARDC (Congolese Army) troops surrounded the house at 0400 and arrested the occupants at 0600. 17 men, 15 blacks and 2 whites, all English speakers were taken. The house is unoccupied now and there is a big padlock on the front gate.
A couple of days ago, the arrests were announced by the DRC gov. A total of 32 were arrested, across the street from our pilot house and at 2 other locations in Kinshasa. They were accused of being "mercenaries" (a loaded word around here) and of, essentially, plotting a coup.
According to news reports, there were 19 South Africans, 10 Nigerians and 3 Americans; one of the Americans being a former Secret Service agent. All were working security either for a Congolese port or for a Presidential candidate who is from the U.S.
The local and international opinion at this time, seems to be that these guys were doing legitimate security work and were picked up in an attempt to discredit the presidential candidate with whom some of them were associated.
Last I heard, they are still being held.
If the local and international view is the correct one, this is not a good thing; the gov being willing to go after ex-pats in order to influence local political opinion.
I am very glad my organization has worked so hard to establish itself as being a neutral party. We go so far as to prohibit body guards of various gov ministers we occasionally fly around from carrying any sort of weapon. Sometimes they get a bit annoyed with us "Yes we know the bodyguard can't carry his pistol. You told us that 3 times already."
We see what happens next.
posted by Carl at 7:24 AM
2 Comments:
I think I read about those arrests in the newspaper the other day. I sure am glad your house has guards.
All the houses around here have guards. They are watchmen really. Ours are not armed in any way, but there are two at each house and they have radios to call for backup from the other house if there is any problem.
Some of these guards are pretty gutsy. Two men armed with knives came over the wall of a neighbors house last year and the lone guard fought them off. He got cut but he drove the two off.
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