Do you feel secure?

Thanks to training programme put in place by South Africa and Belgium, the Congolese police is supposed to manage riot control and demonstration dispersion. I took this photo in front of the CEI, on avenue Lukusa, on my way to Elaies...
Maybe it's because in France, facing riot police is part of all university curriculum, but I wonder who are the most scared: the police or the few demonstrators (not on the picture though: there was hardly anyone in a 10 meters radius, beside the 2 guys happily passing behind).

Seeing is believing...

When those posters appeared on the streets of Kinshasa, before the elections, it sounded like naive goodwill - or a gesture to the worried international community. After last week fightings, there is definitelly a sweet taste of irony in the message "à bas la violence".

Some blue (and white) in the streets

It was an unusual feeling when, driving on the Boulevard du 30 juin, we were overtaken by a convoy of white UN armoured vehicle. The big gun in the front is also a change from the usual APC, let alone from the usual fleet of MONUC white Toyota 4Runners flowing on the streets of Kinshasa...

At least the message is clear

This is the main gate of Bracongo, the brewery that produces most of what is drunk in Congo. I guess beers and guns don't match that nicely.

Who will shoot first?

This is when you hope there is no misunderstanding and that taking a picture will not be considered an hostile act.

Soldiers in the street

This is taken from the former Embassy of Yugoslovia (or ex-Embassy of ex-Yugoslavia), in front of the residence of the Auditeur militaire and next to one of Bemba's residence. There are always guards and armed militiamen walking around, casually holding their AK-47. Occasionally, the gun is the way to settle a dispute between guards...

At least this is better then when the house guard is armed with a rocket-propelled grenade!

Leaving Kinshasa

Three weeks ago, I left Kinshasa with the feeling that everything could work out there. The elections had happen without major trouble, people had been happy to be able to vote, for the first time in 40 years...
Too bad that the last few days are just a harsh reminded that, whatever the issue, there will always be spoilers waiting to derail the process.

3 months in the Congo and, surprisingly, I miss it a lot. Being back in Copenhagen, the difference is too obvious to be able to re-adapt. Definitely a tale of two cities... From the heart of Darkness to the rotten kingdom of Denmark (Shakespeare said it, not me), let's see if my mental sanity will last long.