I wrote earlier that the mayor in Kisangani visited the prison with a TV-team and took the credit for what the Red Cross has tried to do in the prison. Now, the Domestic Minister in Congo has been for a visit as well. He travels around the provinces to make sure there is peace and quiet before the election. Pep-talks in the prison are important as well because prisoners often start riots when there is election time. He also visited Joshua and Tjostolv in their cell, and they spoke a few words.
Saturday October 15th Joshua and Tjostolv got a big surprise. A white prisoner arrived at the prison. He is French, a former paratrooper and well known with Africa. He is apparently involved with forestry on a private level, and his visa had expired. The warden said that he had to pay 50 dollars to get a cell with “nice” prisoners. If he didn’t he would be put in a locked cell with criminal and violent prisoners. The Frenchman didn’t have anything, so Joshua and Tjostolv paid the 50 dollars for him from the Inmate-account.
He also got a “survival package” from them. This includes clean water, water purification tablets, mosquito net, soap etc. Josh said that the Frenchman has a lot of contacts and he will probably be free today or Tuesday. They spoke a lot with him, and Joshua and Tjostolv feels that they got an unexpected and nice visitor.
The Frenchman couldn’t believe that the Foreign Ministry hasn’t gotten them out yet.
Kari Hilde French, October 17th 2011
