Morten Strøksnes (Norwegian author) wrote a good article about the guys in Congo and the situation they are in. It has been published in Bergens Tidende among others. We got his permission to put it here as well, here it is:
Their case has gotten a lot of attention in the media. Its strong whiff of danger, excitement, mystic and awfulness, appeals to our “watching-mentality”. Maybe it’s time to remind everyone that they are not cartoon characters in a cage, but Norwegian citizens that are being inflicted a lot of suffering – for actions they supposedly have committed on behalf of Norway.
Moland and French are getting more and more beaten down. The Norwegian press left Kisangani in the beginning of December. Even the little security the heavy Norwegian existence created for the convicted are now gone.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? There are talks about a transfer to the capitol city, Kinshasa, for the appeal in the Supreme Court.
Next week, Arild Øyen who is the Foreign Ministry’s expert in the region, is going to have talks with Congolese authorities in Kinshasa. The content of the dialog is classified, requested by the Congolese.
Usually it’s a healthy principal that politicians and diplomats respect other nation’s court systems. But Congo is however not like other nations. Is it about time to let the ethics go?
Forget the impression you have about two very unorthodox Norwegian men, and what they may have planned in Uganda and Congo. It involves other aspects. After all, the state of Norway -we- are sentenced two times for having sent Moland and French to spy, kill, steal and God only knows what else. We are also sentenced to pay huge settlements.
The verdicts against Moland and French are based on an amazing mix of accusations that are revealed by an incompetent investigation executed by a very paranoid and corrupt military tribunal. Since I’m writing a book on the matter, I was present at the first trial. The fact that I asked some questions around town made me a suspect of espionage as well.
During the appeal my visit to the city was presented as another “evidence” of the Norwegian State’s criminal intention against the <
The Foreign Ministry is possibly counting on the court in Kinshasa to be more reasonable. But we have no guarantee for this. Don’t think rational, or that Moland and French automatically will get a fair treatment in the capitol city. For there they have their own corrupt and untransparent deals.
There is only one thing that will help, besides big money under the table: heavy political pressure. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry should cooperate with the EU, UN and Britain – and follow up lawyer Morten Furuholmen’s appeals to the legal authorities.
The purpose must be to create a clear understanding that Congo will come to pay a deep price if they don’t release Moland and French. Release? Yes, because when people can’t be judged in a proper way, they shouldn’t sit and rot in prison. This is a fairly central principle.
The pressure should be kept now, before Congolese colonels for the third and last time sentence two Norwegian civilians to death for military espionage on behalf of Norway. Then this case could appear as irreversible. The Congolese government must get a clear message that this is going to cost them, time, money and diplomatic trouble. It’s the only ear the Congolese will listen with.
Did I hear something about the respect for Congolese authorities? But don’t the respect for human legal rights and dignity count more? The people of Congo have little of that. It’s an ugly and a huge problem – which we actually can’t do much about. Norway has on the other hand a responsibility for its citizens, not the Congolese. Like it or not.
Imagine if it was you – even if it couldn’t be.
At least don’t think like NRKs (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) former Africa correspondent Tomm Kristiansen, who lashed out at Moland and French on TV. By not taking care of the widow of the man they claim not to have killed they “spat in the faces of the mourners”. Kristiansen seems to think that Moland and French only have themselves to blame, and that he would have magically gotten himself out of trouble in no time. Maybe they still need Kristiansen in South-Sudan. Here at home he should have lost the respect of the people by now.
The Foreign Ministry is working for the Supreme Court case to be transferred to the capitol city. That should be an ultimatum, for in Kisangani they don’t stand a chance. Transport for the prisoners has been mentioned as a huge problem. MONUC, (the UN in Congo) is more than happy to fly Moland and French to Kinshasa according to my sources in the system.
What can happen in the capitol city?
1. The Supreme Court dismisses the whole case.
2. They get sentenced again and have to spend many years in Congo.
3. They get sentenced again, but are being pardoned after a short time by the president of Congo.
4. They get sentenced again, but are transferred to Norway to serve their time here.
The first alternative is unlikely, the last is unthinkable. We can’t lock people up on such a weak judicial basis. All the evidence are gone. There is no going back.
The last news from Kisangani is that the prosecutor in the appeal, Colonel Jacob Samwaka has been deposited because of corruption. Word on the street is that he was bribed by Mathilde Moland, Tjostolv’s mother.
Enough is enough. This case is complicated for the Foreign Ministry. But it’s about time that little Norway challenge grand Congo.
Morten A. Strøksnes January 23rd 2010
