Bahai Beach 29

Bahai Beach 29

December 11, 2006

Ganatir Oasis welcomes all!

The rebel leader Mohammed Nouri has surfaced near Biltine. In fact at Ganatir the proposed site Oure Cassoni was going to be moved towards by UNHCR. In a fine frenzy Chadian Army rolled in only to get butchered. Now the president himself has come down to lead his troops personally. A decisive victory waits!?.

War is ugly but the only thing positive I can think of in this struggle is that the combats take place in swats of desert. Then again most of the soldiers probably are not even 18 yet. One can wonder if it is a choice. The Sudanese rebels and Government troops in the hospital are very similar. They come from very poor families and did not really have an alternative to earn money. Forced conscription is common as well.

The boys in the hospital are happy and almost hoping a bout as their traction has been removed. Most were about to walk out despite the metal pins so better do it in a proper way than in a bush way. Some how they must know or sense that Bahai may not be the best place to hang around a long time. Let us see if the Red Cross can solve their issue. Tomorrow we will have a crutch dance session. Let us see if the Old School Whodini or Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five are known here yet. If not my plight is to teach them some break dancing and electric boogey. I foresee a great afternoon,

A young girl in the hospital in the mean time with a splinter of wood in her eye was about to be sent to Abeche to a proper eye surgeon. If only she and her father could have waited 2 hours more the paper work would have been fixed and a flight to surgery arranged. They bailed; need to find them in the camp tomorrow. While she left a 23-year-old lady rolled in thin as a broomstick, vomiting, 4 months pregnant. We will do some laboratory tests tomorrow. Just today a newspaper article was published that HIV is on the rise in Darfur. We shall see. Slim disease as HIV is commonly called in parts of Africa will be popping up in the camp in the foreseeable future. It does not make it easy that extramarital sex is a topic that cannot be discussed. The same goes for family planning.

In the camp Agar, my three-year-old buddy has popped up again, His mother has a mental condition and sometimes he roams around to get as much food as he can. Other mental cases are still isolated at times. They are not allowed to live near the camp or are tied to wooden poles so they cannot hurt themselves or others. Luckily SOS Kinderdorp has a program to address these issues. Unfortunately they have left Bahai for security reasons.

Osman Imam, our administrator was very angry with me today as I had refused him entry in our vehicle yesterday while he had to go to Bahai. It made we happy because he trusts me enough to tell me in my face he is upset. We sat and talked and I could explain him why our rules are the way they are. Also that on Thursday he could raise the issue with our Field Coordinator, Country Director and Deputy Regional Director who happen to be on a visit.

Lunch today was camel meat and bread. Afterwards Umda (their tribal leader), Osman and I stayed behind and discussed the history of the Zaghawa people, Sufism and the differences between mystical Hinduism and Islam. The Zaghawas may have the name to be a difficult people, but to me they know very well what they want and they maintain their traditions. An environment to learn from the people I work with and the job I do.

So far outbreaks of disease are not taking place. Transportation of complex cases to Bahai and Abeche is ongoing. Two months of medication & materials is available in the camp. If we are forced to pull out I am sure the refugees will manage to do their own business. The only thing that worries me is the water supply. It is easy to sabotage and rebels and Sudanese government troops alike are using the lake.

Ashis himself is getting tired. I am not 99% cheerful as mostly. But when standing between my chickens or talking with Umda and Osman I know I am in the right place. Tired is a state of mind. Just need to sleep, take my cold showers, eat my meals and count the days. My next Rest and Recreation is due the 16th of January but depending on the developments I might take it a bit early so Dr Ponce can come into the project (or Sylvie)

Talking about my chooks or with them at times gives immense pleasure. Yesterday I talked to them about Beyond Borders. This is an Angelina Jolie movie about a doctor working in places like Ethiopia, Cambodia and Chechnya. They seem to think it was a sentimental tearjerker. I beg to differ. Yet to so many chooks one needs to listen.

No news from Mimi. I guess she is chasing the cats downtown. Wish the blessed cat a beautiful free spirited life.

Namaskar,

Ashis