Another day is over in the courtroom, and it only came to be a meeting regarding Tjostolvs mental condition. The good thing is that the doctors think it’s a psychosis, not malaria in his brain. The way I’ve understood it, malaria in the brain is more likely to cause permanent damage, so that’s a good thing. Malaria is so common in Kisangani that I believe the doctors there probably have a lot of experience in that area. The judge ruled that three specialists (psychologists?) will be brought in from Kinshasa. Basically a good thing, but I’m not sure there are 3 psychologists in Kinshasa, much less if they want to come to Kisangani. When the court has trouble paying 400 dollars in rent for the location, how can they finance these psychologists and their airfare? I doubt we’ll see them at all. I think the Norwegian doctors and Edvardsen will arrive first. Let there be no question about it, as Furuholmen also said today: the boy needs to come to Norway. Otherwise he will never get out alive. The same of course applies for Joshua.
The Congolese state attorney wanted to arrest the defence attorney Likwela. He meant Likwela medicated Tjostolv to loose his mind, and by that disrupt the litigations. When these psychologists arrive they should investigate the state attorney as well. He can’t be mentally well. I refuse to believe that a state attorney, even in Congo can be that stupid. The vultures (the other lawyers) are of course afraid to loose their leverage. They were afraid he’d be sent to Kinshasa. Have they thought about how much they can gain for the body if he dies in Kisangani? What a pitiful gang!
This hasn’t been easy for Joshua, to se his friend like this, where he changes his personality and becomes totally unreasonable. In my opinion what was the final straw for Tjostolv were the speculations in Dagbladet where they were accused of planning a bank robbery. He had been under so much pressure and this on top of everything else. So totally against all of his principals and nature. Totally out of the blue. It was unusually cruel to make these kinds of speculations. It hit him hard, I know that. Maybe he was afraid that I or his family or friends would believe this. I think this was the drop and he suddenly had enough of it. It should hit the lowlife of a journalist who wrote it hard, and the editor that approved this crap just as hard.
Almost 1 300 000 people have visited the website so far (on the other web-site before we changed the address). That says everything about the interest this case has. It should be a wake up call for Støre as well. I wonder what he’s going to do when the claim for many billions will come, delivered as a note to the ambassador. They can smell the money. They have hostages, they can demand, or so they think. Maybe they’ve been in training with the pirates in Somalia. It’s the same principal; they think there is money to collect here. I think is amazing that a man as intelligent as I believe Støre is, doesn’t understand how the game is played in Congo. He probably does, but doesn’t know how to handle it. To be passive against blackmailers never work out. He must get more involved. The notes and his meeting with the Congolese foreign minister in New York have not changed a thing. It’s been totally disregarded in Congo and the government has said there will be a huge claim against Norway. There needs to be negotiations, and quick before 2 Norwegians must pay with their lives.
The Foreign Ministry came in early in the case. That was important to prevent torture and to get thing organized. Many representatives have been involved from the start, and during the first trial there were 2 people present there the whole time. They’ve been able to help with many things. Some of them have been very good, other more passive. That’s normal. They report to the Foreign Ministry of course, so they are fully aware of what’s been going on the whole time. Ambassador Jon Vea is as far as I know the main-responsible in this case. He has done a good job, and gives reasonable answers when asked. The person responsible for information at the Foreign Ministry is not working at all. I’ve had 3 or 4 calls from her in 6 months. It’s about 6 weeks since I last heard anything. The “communication-secretary” at the Foreign Ministry is often just a little or not updated at all. It’s clear that the communication within the Foreign Ministry could be better.
The Foreign Ministry and the minister have objected heavily against the death sentences with a note. He has also sent a note that Tjostolv and Joshua are not spies. The government in Kinshasa has taken no regard to this as they have a huge claim against Norway in the appeal. This must be a concern for the minister who also had conversations with Congo’s foreign minister in New York. Norwegian notes and inquiries are not taken into consideration. This is quite scary, and tells us that the foreign ministry needs to try something else. The Foreign Ministry says that no country can be sued in a national court. That is of course true, but there is no reason to doubt that they will claim this money either in a note or via an international court. It’s hard to figure out how the government works in this case. Norway has contributed 1 billion and 43 millions over the last 10 years and faces huge investments in Congo with others through the Rain Forest Found. Does Congo think they can get both aid and this blackmail at the same time? It’s clear that the Norwegian government needs to do more. The way I see it the governments must negotiate directly. To be passive against abuse has never led anywhere. It’s urgent. The boys are sick, and they will not last a long stay in Congo. If they die there, it will be premeditated murder from Congo, and if the Foreign Ministry doesn’t do anything they will be at fault in the end.
The press
The press was on this case immediately, and that was a good thing. This case has all the right “ingrediences”. I would think that there has been written more than 10 000 articles in Norway, and there could be just as many before the end. It will probably be the biggest case the Norwegian press has ever seen. Some papers has been decent, while others haven’t. Everybody knows who they are. The worst story for the families and the guys were the speculation that they’ve planned a bank robbery. Two Norwegian guys, 27 and 28 years old with no criminal record were planning a bank robbery in Kisangani! How much money is in that bank? 100 dollars? 500 dollars? And filled with armed guards everywhere. 600 kilometres (370miles) on a motorcycle to get out of the country. People don’t get that stupid! They were in Kisangani; did they try to rob a bank? Of course not! It was a totally unreasonable speculation, and it hit the boys very hard. I think it was the main reason for Tjostolvs psychosis. He was worn down and sick when that story hit him. It affected him. That speculation was incredibly mean.
The Seaman’s Church and Christian organisations part
In contrast to their mothers I’m not what you would call a “personally Christian”, but I will commend these organisations. Rune Edvardsen was involved in the early days and he had and still has a lot of useful inputs. He’s going down there again soon, and Tjostolvs mother will join him on that trip. Missionary Bregård helped with food and practical needs, and his helpers still help with that. That the Seaman’s Church sends someone down there only for the guys I think is incredible. Seaman’s priest Knut Lyngseth is going down there again soon. I can’t tell you how much this means to us. As a sailor for over 40 years the Seaman’s Church has followed me, and they are there when you need them. They deserve eternal praise!
Lawyer Furuholmens part
Lawyer Furuholmen got involved when a person from Vinstra donated money to his account. We owe this man many thanks. Furuholmen got engaged right away, it’s not a coincidence that he is one of the best lawyers in Norway. He has taken a firm grip on the case, and said that a spade is a spade. Furuholmen has been in Congo twice already, and put things in a different perspective. He has focused on the “evidences”, and had meetings with the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, so they can’t say later that they didn’t know. He has coached the boys, and advised the local lawyer in Kisangani. Furuholmen will be there for the boys if they come home to Norway. I’m impressed with Furuholmen. It takes a lot for me to say that about someone.
Knut Moland, October 29th 2009
