Blocked in Chad
on 14 Jul 2008
Frontline blogger
David Axe writes on the
Danger Room blog about the joys of getting around Chad. Roadblocks equal a local road tax. He's got through $500 in just a month paying off the blockers. At least at one roadblock the 'guards' let him hold onto his wallet,
I was driving through a U.N.-administered refugee camp in Gore, southern Chad the other day when the road ahead was suddenly blocked by a huge tree limb. Two, unarmed 14-year-old kids stood at the side of the road.
My U.N. driver rolled down the window. It was all he could do to keep from laughing as he explained to these young thugs that this was a U.N. camp and we were in a U.N. vehicle. Did they really think he was going to pay to drive down his own road? link
