blogolobThe BBC has dug a little deeper into the Sudanese political scene, particularly with regard to overseas aid workers and ex-pats, in this article by Jonah Fisher.
During the two-and-a-half years I lived in Sudan, expatriates were regularly targeted by the authorities.
Aid workers who provided information about human rights abuses in Darfur were often arrested or expelled as spies.
On one occasion a small private party of aid workers and peacekeepers in Darfur was violently broken up by national security and one of the women was sexually assaulted by an officer.
The story that appeared in newspapers the next day was of a Western orgy having been halted.
In view of some of the incidents reported in this article and the apparent naivety of Gillian Gibbons, I wonder, “Does the Foreign Office issue sufficiently strong warnings and adequate guidelines to those British citizens who work or intend to work in this region?”
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Chaz | 20-Dec-07 at 10:08 pm | Permalink
Do the people going out there bother to actually find out about conditions and customs before they go (many agencys can provide you with info if you ask)
Too easy to panic and demand the Gov to get you out of trouble when you go holidaying in a recent war zone that flares up again or get in trouble when in a foreign country because of ignorance or stupidity.
Do the decent thing and check before going look at recent history and use your own head and judgement then suffer the joys or trepidations of your decision not think oh this seems like a lark and go then cry when the nasty stuff happens.
Steve M | 20-Dec-07 at 10:18 pm | Permalink
You’re right Chaz. The first thing I would do is check but the first place I’d check would be the Foreign Office web site.
Of course if I went despite strict Government warnings, I would expect to take full responsibility.