Joshua and Tjostolv are now celebrating their third national day in captivity. It will probably be a modest celebration; they don’t have anything to celebrate with, and nothing to really celebrate. They are probably remembering the day, and happier national days in earlier years.
A few years ago Tjostolv was duty officer at the castle on the national day; he was an officer in H M the King’s Guard and stood guard with a sable in front of many other guards outside their headquarters at the castle. When the King and the Royal Family came out to greet the parade His Majesty went to the side of the balcony and greeted the Guard. Several of us in the family were there watching, and we were very proud of the fabulous Guard officer!
It’s unbelievable to think that he is now sitting in captivity sentenced to death for being an officer in the Royal Guard among others. The Congolese designated to be a “secret and criminal organization!” in their verdicts. It’s not easy to celebrate the national day with this in mind.
During the trials the Congolese spat at Norway and the Norwegian King. They didn’t even see what the King’s Guard is on the internet. The verdicts even suggested that they entered Congo in Guard’s uniforms! Joshua hasn’t even been in the Royal Guard. Can anyone picture two guys in Guard’s uniforms on a motorbike in East Congo? So much for the seriousness of Congolese judges!
There is no doubt that the boys are very tired, and I fear they will be scarred for life anyway when they get out.
The facts of the case are as following, and I don’t think anyone can argue with this:
1. 2 Norwegians are sentenced to death in Congo for espionage in favor of Norway. The verdict is of course just a fantasy.
2. They are sentenced for murder without any technical evidence, just based on testimony from a criminal person that changed his story 4 times and demanded a huge settlement, and he weren’t even sworn in.
3. They were sentenced to death for forming a criminal association. A fantasy based on loose allegations and pure nonsense.
4. They don’t get food and necessary medication in prison, and have to pay for everything themselves. They have used about 1 600 000 NOK until now, and can’t spend much more, despite a lot of help from nice people who have supported us.
5. They have suffered a lot of abuse and severe human rights violations. The fact that they don’t get food, water and medication is abuse on a daily basis.
6. This nation that has committed and are committing these severe violations against Norwegian citizens get over 200 million in aid from the Norwegian state!
The Foreign Ministry has for a long time worked on a transfer to Kinshasa and a solution in the case. A lot of promises have been made, and they have been disappointed every time. Someone is holding back, probably a hope of money. When nations operate like this are they better than the pirates in Somalia? Hostages for money are the same if they are government or pirates!
Norway has compared to its number of citizens a large Foreign Service, and Norwegian diplomacy is active in peace work, and bilaterally cooperation all over the world. Because of this it’s incomprehensible to us that it’s not possible to solve this relatively minor case before its too late. It’s not a minor case for us next of kin, but for instance compared to the problems in the Middle East it is.
It will take more than words to solve this case. There has to be strong pressure, where the Congolese understand that if they don’t solve this case it will affect them, and cost them. That will be uncomfortable for them in one or many ways. Norway and Britain has similar interests in this case, and has no doubt resources to implement what they want. Beyond the pure human aspect of the case it has to be important to show that a nation can’t treat Norwegian and British citizens anyway they want in hopes of making money. It has to be an important message, not just to Congo, but other countries where similar things can happen.
Knut Moland May 16th 2011
