How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone Page 8

  When I met the senior news producer Shelley Thakral in Iraq she was a point of calm in all the madness, and the first visiting journalist in Basra who looked me in the eye and asked me if I was all right. It had been months since someone did that. She makes the following observations:

  ‘Your personality changes the more you work in these areas. You become more laidback. When it comes to checkpoints and crowds, calmness, patience and an understanding of the local culture are the way forward. Whatever you do, the guards will still insist on going through the whole frustrating procedure and you have to be very patient to put up with it. In Sri Lanka we were crossing back and forth into the Tamil Tiger region. We were tired and hot, struggling with heavy cases full of camera kit, but the guards don’t help to haul them up onto the table to be checked, even if you’re a woman. You feel resentful as they ask you to open them. But whatever you may think, it is necessary. You have to be calm and laidback.’

  Assuming the guards are not actually hostile, there are some tried and tested ways to win them over. It starts with driving slowly and without your lights on full glare. Some countries may require you to have the lights on inside the car as you approach. Check the local guidelines.

  Leith Mushtaq recommends: ‘Be friendly, but not too friendly. Give them some cigarettes, offer them something for tomorrow, but don’t give them everything. Make a deal. Ask them to be your escort today and offer them something for the next time. Go out of your way to find information about what is up ahead.’

  Marc DuBois says: ‘The key is drinks. Often you find guys out in the middle of nowhere and a little cold water goes a long way. It opens a conversation. We also used to ask people if they had any mail to deliver to checkpoints further up the road. Nothing better than arriving at a checkpoint with mail from a little further back. If that doesn’t win over their trust, nothing will.’

  As Dr Carl Hallam observes: ‘Checkpoints are interesting if they have a gun and you haven’t. You have to be very, very humble and avoid eye contact altogether. Don’t rush them, be patient. Take off your dark glasses and turn off your VHF radio, if you have one. If it blurts out at the wrong moment, it could frighten the person checking your papers. And always wait for the second car if there is more than one of you. Don’t drive off without the others.’

  If a checkpoint isn’t a direct confrontation, it is always a negotiation. Marc DuBois has spent 12 years travelling round the world with MSF. Visiting Sudan in 2009, after 13 NGOs had been expelled by the government, was one of his more difficult recent projects. As he explains, all negotiations begin with one question – where should you target your efforts?

  ‘You have to know who is in charge. One of the biggest problems in negotiating is the failure to understand who is in charge in a given situation – whether it be a village, a checkpoint, a border or a government office. Often I see a person negotiating in vain with someone who doesn’t have the capacity to make a decision. With officials, it’s not always very clear. You can be in a meeting with someone whose political rank and title are correct, but in terms of real power it might be the national security person sitting in the corner that you need to win over. You need to understand that dynamic because it can be dangerous if you get it wrong.’

  I like to have my documents handy – I don’t like rummaging around in pockets and glove compartments at checkpoints manned by jumpy individuals. You want to spend as little time there as possible; they’re notoriously dangerous places. Chris Cobb-Smith

  /FAKE CHECKPOINTS

  There are times when you need to be more than cautious, such as at fake checkpoints. Faking a checkpoint is an easy way to make a quick buck out of bribes, or robbery or kidnapping. Sometimes the fake checkpoint will have a particular target, so you might get through, but it is not worth trying your luck at getting through unless your pass has been previously negotiated by whoever is your local fixer on the ground with the right know-how and contacts.

  Samantha Bolton recalls: ‘You are always told that you should turn on your lights and slow down. That’s the correct procedure. But I have also followed my instincts and run a checkpoint. In the Democratic Republic of Congo I was in the car with another girl. We were slowing down for a checkpoint, but even from a distance we could see they had bloodshot, bleary eyes and were moving around like they were drunk. We were out late after curfew and I didn’t feel right about it, so when they lowered their guns and surrounded our car, we suddenly sped up and went through the tin cans that were supposed to be the barrier. They tried to shoot at us, but I knew they were so drunk that it would be hard to hit us.’

  Imad Shihab is an Iraqi journalist I worked with in Baghdad and Doha. In 2007 we evacuated together to the Green Zone when our entire office of local cameramen and producers were kidnapped. Some time later we found out that our largely Sunni staff were actually arrested by the mainly Shia police forces, but the Interior Ministry, which was in charge of the police, was not the best communicator at the time.

  HOW TO SPOT A FAKE CHECKPOINT

  HOW TO DEAL WITH A FAKE CHECKPOINT

  Imad fled Iraq in 2009, when he became a target for trying to bring fair and balanced reports to the world. But he spent the worst years of the fight there, talking his way around the country street by street. He managed to stay safe, and from his hiding place he told me how to approach the most deadly of checkpoints. The advice can be applied to any country, not just to Iraq.

  Imad Shihab knows the perils very well. He says: ‘I think that many of the victims of fake checkpoints and random arrests did not do their homework well enough. I did some strange things that people thought were funny, but they saved my life. Like having a Shia friend pretending to be a member of a fake checkpoint and asking me questions. These exercises were very helpful for me as a Sunni. A lot of victims would not have been killed if they had done the same.’

  Of course there are other, more unorthodox, ways to get around checkpoints, as Nick Toksvig recalls: ‘After a bomb explosion in India an enterprising cameraman hired a fire engine to take him to the scene that had been cordoned off.’

  /SIGNS

  Aid workers don’t have body armour. The logo on our T-shirt is our protection, but can become a target too. Samantha Bolton

  Take advice locally on what type of identification to put on your car. I have been in the middle of many riots where press and tourists were supposed to be able to travel freely, but that isn’t always the sentiment on the ground. Even the authorities may not be on message. Don’t expect legal protection where the law is under pressure from a popular movement or challenged by a resistance movement.

  Nick Toksvig told me: ‘Spelling out “TV” or “Press” in gaffer tape on your vehicle used to work, but now many refugees fleeing battle zones do the same, as do local militias. Think about where you are before you attempt this type of vehicle identification. It can be meaningless.’

  /TRAINS AND BUSES

  The road from Baghdad to Basra was notoriously dangerous after the US-led invasion of Iraq. There were frequent shootings, car-jackings and kidnappings. Fake checkpoints were set up along the route, and there was no way to get around them. If someone saw you in a car, they would call ahead for their friends to stop your car and target you. The road took six hours to drive very, very fast. The trip cost $6. I was being paid $10 day, so I thought I would try the train at just 50 cents.

  The railway station in Baghdad was heaving with people – families getting ready for the long ride. The train left almost on time and off we went. We were told it would take six hours – in fact it took 16. There were no windows, and the train frequently stopped for hours at a time in the middle of nowhere or, even worse, in the middle of towns where people could look in and see my blonde hair. It was scary, but it felt like I was travelling under the radar. My friend Sebastian and I became mini-celebrities on the train, not exactly what we were aiming for. The journey ground on, and we ran out of water in the 50°C heat, so we were grateful for the hot, sandy
wind rushing past our faces like the ultimate exfoliator. We had time to make friends with a family who went on to have me to stay with them for the next two months.

  All along the way people slipped coffins onto the train, sitting on them to eat their sandwiches. And at the city of Najaf they jumped off, wailing with grief as they took their family member to the holiest Shia burial site.

  Goats were lifted onto the train by boy herders, who stepped off with them an hour later, apparently aiming for a distant flapping tent in the desert.

  We passed through the soggy marshlands and, at last, chugged slowly into Basra – safe and with enough change from our ticket to buy dinner for a week.

  The problem with trains and buses is that the situation is beyond your control. If there are criminals on board, you will be their target. On the other hand, they won’t be expecting you to use the train or bus, so maybe they won’t be looking. However, take the following precautions:

  • Lock your compartment if you can. I have used a luggage strap to fasten it in the past.

  • Sleep in shifts if you are with others. Stay awake if you are alone.

  • If you have to sleep, tie yourself to your valuables and sleep on top of your luggage.

  • Try to travel during the day rather than at night.

  James Brandon remembers a difficult journey: ‘Once I had to travel from Baghdad to Iraqi Kurdistan during a time of particularly bad unrest in Iraq. The 100-odd miles of road passed through several Sunni districts that were heavily infested with Al Qaeda and Baathist fighters. Despite this, I decided that the safest way to travel was by public bus. After all, I reasoned, a taxi or a private car was no safer, and might even be less so. No self-respecting bandits would bother with robbing a bus – they would assume that the passengers were too poor to make it worthwhile. Sunni fighters or Al Qaeda operatives looking for new hostages, meanwhile, would never expect a Westerner to travel through Iraq by bus. There was one problem, however: how could I carry my clothes, camera and notebook without attracting attention? Eventually I hit on the solution. I packed my stuff into cheap plastic grocery bags and headed to the bus depot. Once I got there, nobody looked at me twice. To the casual onlooker, I was just another down-on-his-luck Iraqi guy, his worldly possessions crammed into a couple of grimy plastic bags, saving a few precious dinar by taking the bus. As a result, the journey up to Kurdistan was entirely uneventful – and cheap! When it comes to blending in, you can never blend in too much.’

  /TAXIS

  When taking a taxi, sit in the back. That way you can sort your money out in secret. Never flash your cash, and try to keep controversial chat to a minimum. Remember, the driver knows where you live.

  If you want to keep your address a secret, get the driver to stop at a hotel or restaurant nearby, wait until he’s gone, then walk the rest of the way.

  /BRIBERY

  I am sure that being able to bribe people is a skill you are born with – or not, in my case. There are six-year-olds who are better than me at bribing officials to get what they want. I know how to flirt my way into most things, including trouble. But that is not always the most sensible option. In many, if not most, developing countries bribes oil the wheels. And knowing when you need to pay baksheesh, as it is called in Arabic-speaking countries, who to pay and how to do it effectively is something learnt over time. I can but imitate the masters who are born with a fully developed bribery muscle.

  Marc DuBois, who works for Médecins Sans Frontières, says: ‘MSF doesn’t use bribery, but in my earlier travels I sometimes found small gifts useful. However, you need to be subtle and approach with caution. Maybe suggesting a brand new pair of sports socks are “difficult to fit into your bag” as a security guard goes through your luggage. It’s understood what the bargain is, but isn’t clearly stated.

  ‘Don’t embarrass people by trying to bribe them openly – it can backfire. They can pretend to be highly upset, charging you with the crime of bribery in order to jack up the amount. On one occasion, when I was working with the Peace Corps, I had a visa or permit that wasn’t quite right. I was prepared with a $20 bill neatly folded in my pocket. I slipped it into the right page and asked the guard to check my permit again to see if it was in order.’

  Samantha Bolton has some other tips: ‘When it comes to getting that last seat on a plane, girls should wear a short skirt or deep v-neck – if dealing with disciplined soldiers. Be friendly, polite and respectful with others. Offering corporate gifts, pens or trinkets also helps. This last one is more for getting through roadblocks. Medicine too is always in demand – antibiotics, antiseptic, painkillers. And, of course, cigarettes.’

  In the United States tipping is a sport. But in many parts of the world it’s an art. An open display of generosity is frowned upon in some parts of the Middle East and China, while other places applaud displays of wealth and philanthropy, on however small a scale.

  People in many parts of the developing world are often paid little and kept on a tight employment leash through a bonus system (just like those who wait tables in the USA). As a visitor, you will be expected to tip. But as my good friend and colleague Stefanie Dekker found out on her first trip to Iraq, it is how you do it that counts:

  ‘I was in Halabja with two Peshmerga bodyguards. I wanted to give them both a big tip after a long day in the mountains. I handed over the money – it wasn’t obvious, but it wasn’t subtle in the slightest. They shouted, “No, no, no – we couldn’t!” I know now that you have to fold the cash into a tiny square or scrunch it into a ball and hand it over very carefully at the right time to avoid offence. Of course, they took the money later.’

  /DEALING WITH SURVEILLANCE

  One former UN worker tells me: ‘In countries such as Sudan they like to observe in a very obvious 1970s’ sitcom way – blacked-out windows, aviator sunglasses, kerb-crawling behind you… It can be fun to lead them on a merry little dance.’

  But keeping an eye on people doesn’t always mean cloak and dagger stuff: it’s as much about your nosy neighbours or a potential house burglar as it is about government surveillance. If you think anyone would be interested in your movements and you are a potential target, there are some obvious first precautions to take.

  Make your movements unpredictable: change your routes and travel times daily; find six routes to work and roll a dice each day to choose one; switch vehicles occasionally; send out your normal vehicle as a decoy; occasionally stay in a hotel or with a friend overnight.

  Use several different phones and SIM cards. Keep one of each purely for emergency calls that the surveillance people will never have heard you use before. Avoid using a landline.

  Whenever possible, use third parties to meet people. Send written or recorded messages via your carefully chosen go-between.

  If you have to meet people yourself, do so in public places – a park, or a café or restaurant with large windows on three walls.

  Open and close new e-mail addresses every day if you have to. Communicate a code to your contact so they know what the next e-mail address will be.

  Radio producer Shadi Alkasim recommends: ‘Try to send any important documents, video or audio clips you have acquired out of the country immediately. Do not keep them with you as they may put your life in danger, or get you arrested.’

  Turn on loud music before making any calls if you suspect the line is bugged.

  Assume that your computer and instant messaging are insecure. A keystroke copier might have been installed on your computer.

  ‘Clean’ your communications equipment. Delete anything ‘dodgy’ from your phone and laptop, including online instant messaging. Delete messages and ‘last calls dialled’ daily.

  Give contacts different names in your phone. Labels such as ‘Home’, ‘Mum’ or ‘Dad’ should not be real. Place the number of your security guard under those labels, or the number of a friend whom you have briefed to know you are in trouble if someone strange calls.

  Leith Mushtaq
has a warning for anyone who is working with both sides in a conflict: ‘Potential enemies have intelligence-gathering abilities beyond your wildest imagination. Assume you are being watched and be cautious who you talk to about your mission. Avoid government or local contacts unless absolutely necessary. Retain your independence. Any mistake, any contact with the wrong person, and no one will trust you.’

  Mohammad Tahir Luddin is one of a handful of eminent Afghan journalists working in Kabul. Or at least he was until he fled after being held for seven months in captivity by the Taliban with a New York Times reporter, David Rohde. When it comes to being observed, he has some clear advice for anyone visiting Afghanistan:

  ‘Be careful with your words. Stay independent. That is the only way to protect yourself from being kidnapped, killed or tortured. People working in war zones should not repeat the words of their government – “terrorist”, “dictator”, “terrorism” – as some US media do. These are government judgements. People attack journalists because they are biased. You can call the Taliban what you like if it is properly sourced to someone else. They won’t mind and they won’t pin it on you.’

  Sebastian Junger’s work has inspired a generation of storytellers. His reporting of the Afghan War in particular hit me hard, with its vivid illustration of the well-equipped, professional US soldier’s struggle in the face of guerrilla-style warfare against an invisible army. He has some advice on how to avoid unnecessary suspicion in countries where paranoia and conspiracy theory are rife:

  ‘In Liberia I was accused of being a spy. The US embassy got me out. It’s easy to be accused of being a spy. Be very, very careful with all your e-mail…there’s no reason why the security won’t ask you open your accounts. Take care to clear your phone of texts too. A friend in Lebanon got into serious trouble over a racy SMS text. Be aware that the government may be monitoring your e-mail or phones. Delete all signs of military or intelligence contacts before you arrive.