Bahai Beach 12

Bahai Beach 12

Grandfather Ashis,

Dear all. It has happened. Three little chicklets have popped out of the eggs and are cruising the compound. They look like daredevils as there are hawks in the air looking for fresh meat. A contraption is made so there is protection against the predators. And yesterday as well a Sudanese refugee came to give me 2 birds of an undefined status. They look like waterbirds and have huge feet, eating grass and insects.
I feel like a grandfather and the owner of a bird orphanage. It is an elating feeling I assure you. I have been in the camp for two days after my stay in the capital and there are as usual some problems. What is new?. At the distribution of yesterday the 4000 peoples who do not have a ration card and therefore do not get medication/tents etcetera where about to revolt. It took calm explanation of the UNHCR coordinator Angele to calm down the masses.
The dicotheques in N Djamena are places jam packed with French soldiers, beers, women and doumbolo (African music). The Meridien was a nice place to swim whilst looking at the cruising hippotami floating bye in the Chari river. In a way N Djamena reminds me of Khartoum as it is also built at the conjuncture of two rivers. Yet Chad is much less rich than Sudan. In N Djamena I managed to visit two of our referred patients. A 8 year old Goran boy who did not even cringe when his leg was dangling. Now his amputated half leg is curing well. His father a commandant in the army is looking for an orthesis. The other patient was a lady of 25 years with breast cancer. This morning the operation was done. It is palliative care (not meant to cure) but it is the best we can do for her. Even for Chadians chemotherapy is often beyond the means. The rules with UNHCR dictate that refugees get the same level care as the local population and not better.
The end of the week I spent counting tablets and reorganizing the pharmacy in our base, in the camp health center and health post with the help of the logistical team. The business is still unfinished but perhaps on Sunday I can do some mental relaxing exercise to either Wim Mertens or Dj Tiesto. Will see how the mind state is. The pressure over the last week has been building up, but finally on Monday Dr Kaboo is coming (the medical hospital director, who is more often on holiday/or piss drunk. Thank godmy colleague Dr Pounce will be his counter part and I can finally focus on the camp only .It has been a hard time and as some have noticed very straining. The smile on my face is back however especially when my rest and recreation was approved for October. London, Paris and Holland beware. Next holiday may be skiing in the Himalayas or diving on Zanzibar.
Tomorrow also I wish to finally built a house for my chicken they cause stress to my fellow expatriates and I can no longer protect them from the cooking pot. The shitting and the noise pollution is just too much. It seems tonight we will have a projected flick under the starlight.
Our Muslim staff is gearing up for Ramadan. They are eating a plenty and are eagerly looking at the moon as it is to be decided at which day Ramadan will start by spotting of the moon. Our working hours will change and they say also the workload. It is said that because of the cleansing effect of fasting less people fall ill. The fasting is one of the pillars of Islam and the inhabitants in the camp take it very serious.
From Sudan nothing but bad news, more and more fighting and in 15 day the African Troops from AMIS will be withdrawn leaving no peace keepers as the UN is denied entry. All ready the fighting has picked up. Even in Chad between Abeche and Bahai there are pitched battles between Chadian rebels and the Chadian Government. As stated in the last letter a lot of people may come or they may decide not to cross the desert and stay with there animals. There remains inside of me a feeling that this conflict will not be resolved soon and that the real political will to address the Genocide is lacking. Possibly because unlike the situation in South Sudan these people in the conflict are not Christians but both warring sides are Muslims. The Government of Sudan is clearly out to boot out what they call African elements and Arabise Sudan. Making sure they get their fare share of oil out of it. Well to end on a more positive note.
The kid we sent to Abeche with the appendicitis has been returned as the man with the hepatic abces (almost dead on departure)
Life throws some ugly curveballs but some beautiful ones as well.

Namaskar,

Ashis