In addition to popular ‘knowledge’ that the UN and NGOs bring fraud or waste to a country, cats are to be considered as the next threat. The international compounds in West Afghanistan seem to have a cat-population explosion, which is why as a matter of redistribution, I have brought two little kittens from the UN guesthouse in Herat to the compound in Farah. After 4 hours in the air and a first day of reconnaissance of their new home, including ridiculously hot balcony and their first bath, they accept their fate. I have named them Bala and Buluk, after one of Farah’s most violent districts: Balabuluk. The district can do with some good PR, or should I say good Purrrrrr.
After a couple of weeks in Herat and Kabul, it’s good to be back in Farah: The balcony now has sandbags as well, the blast-walls are higher and we now have a car-slalom, to reduce the speed of approaching cars. Good investments? Yes: we’ve had a prison break, hostile take-over of checkpoints, RPGs and a couple of grenades.
Because of all that and due to the now finished international Kabul Conference we have been living under security status ‘White City’, which means that no one is allowed in or out of the compound. My staff has thus been working from another location. Compared to Kabul we should actually always be under ‘Red City’, one level up, but we’re tough guys.
Had a meeting with 8 village elders from Balabuluk district whose villages were bombed one year and one-and-a-half years ago, resulting in wounded, dead and sizeable property damage. The elders say that the Taliban used their village as a hide-out and launching pad, against their will…but how to prove that? Apparently, my predecessor wasn’t sure either and just ignored their further calls and requests. After the meeting and an investigation by my team, I am sure that they are victims though and have started the procedure to provide them with assistance, which they should now receive within the month. I apologised on behalf of my organization to these men of whom some had lost wife and children, what an embarrassment to keep people waiting this long.
The airport security guard that defied common sense and opened the box with my kittens is now walking around with very bright red scratch-marks. He did provide a service to humanity by using almost a whole role of tape in closing the box up again: dangerous cats.
In 3 separate incidents: driver of one of our transporters beheaded; 5 trucks of goods stolen by Taliban; 8 beneficiaries kidnapped and the goods they received set on fire.
Had tea with the guards from the Afghan police, something that we’re not exactly advised to do..but hey…although we could hardly understand each other is was fun.
Sigh, ok….better and real story next time….soo busy
