We are all very tired, but we still want to bring you some news. If you look at “Inmate to Inmate” you will find more information and a piece written by Rune Edvardsen.
Attorney Morten Furuholmen arrived at Gardermoen Airport today. He has asked for a meeting with the Foreign Ministry on Monday. One of the matters they will discuss is the possibility for the Foreign Ministry to send a psychiatrist to examine Tjostolv.
Rune Edvardsen is planning for a delegation to go to Kisangani. There will be a possibility for someone from both families to go with them. The delegation will be protected and that should work out ok. Doctors are also included. The trip is planned to depart around 10th-12th November.
According to the media the doctor who treated Tjostolv for malaria and who got arrested is now released. But this arrest created fear in the public, and others will be scared to get involved.
News on Tjostolv:
Yesterday I wrote that Mathilde and Knut Moland did not hear anything from the Foreign Ministry about how Tjostolv is doing. As I write this now Saturday evening they still haven’t heard anything. I’ve called the Foreign Ministry’s “secretary” tonight, and they know nothing. I have on behalf of both the families contacted someone in Kisangani again to see if we can find out what’s going on. With no luck. On the other hand, in the online newspapers we can read that the Foreign Ministry’s representative told the media that Tjostolv was restless last night and got another dose of sedatives. How do the doctors think they will find what is wrong with Tjostolv when they just give him one knock-out shot after the other. And how do they think that the doctors are going to be able to communicate with Tjostolv when he doesn’t speak French and few people in Congo speak English? In these extreme situations the patient needs someone he can trust and feel comfortable with in his own language, and then maybe feel some security. It’s incredible that in this extreme situation the Foreign Ministry doesn’t inform the Moland-family at all. But the press get informed… but that is just little information and the Moland family needs more details.
Kari Hilde French October 24th 2009
