Kokrobite, Ghana 8th August 2013
Election court comments:
Taxi driver says they won’t kick the Pres out now because the UN said the elections were free and fair. Also, the police don’t want it because the top officers would have to be demoted, and others promoted over them.
5-day training exercises against ‘insurgency’. Yesterday there were route marches from the major towns to ‘demonstrate the unity of the various security agencies, army, navy, air, police, firemen and prison officers, and to ‘reassure the public that security is under control’ – Priscilla’s translation: “they want to frighten everyone”.
Travelling and music – a multimedia experience. Normally going to Kokrobite I feel slightly tense, crammed in a full taxi watching the way he drives and the potholes, but one day, we were returning at sunset, and the driver was slow and playing the station called Sweet Harmony, which is like English pastoral music, ambient and other very calm religious tracks. Suddenly I realized I was leaning back and looking at the landscape for a change, as if it had been a summer day in England. Similar thing in a tro-tro going to Koforidua with a reggae album playing, I started noticing the striking forested hills.
Kokrobite hassles, violence that tourists don’t see
I just had a meal at Big Milly’s the beach place for overland travellers where I am staying, and refused to pay more than the menu price. Tony, shouting about the price, throwing money at me following me into Big Milly’s bar and then calling a guy to threaten me: “are you a policeman?”, I say. Don’t question me, this is not your country, we don’t like you people here, go back home” Gimme the money, don’t make me touch you”. Big Milly was very annoyed that they hadn’t changed the prices on the menu and that the bar staff hadn’t helped me.
On another day, Betty the Ghanaian girlfriend of an English guy who lives here was insulted and attacked, police demanded money, hands behind her back beaten by woman and caused cuts. She’s afraid to go out. This was about squatters invading the house next door to where she lives while the owner was away. A couple tried to put the house up for sale, and there was a ‘for sale’ notice painted red on the wall, then it was painted out, then re-painted. Betty protested and someone contacted the owner who was in the US. Mustn’t tell brother because his wife is friendly with squatters.
Squatters moved out after hearing guys paid by the owner were coming. People said they would have killed them if they caught them.
John Collins talked about witnessing a murder years ago when he first arrived, with a 6-inch nail hammered through the guy’s head as he lay on the ground, because he was a thief. And police only wanted to see his passport.
Kokrobite has a great atmosphere and there are live music and drum sessions at weekends, but there is no running water for the ordinary people who live here. The campsite pays for a tanker to bring it.
Then there is Rocky, the lovelorn Ghanaian guy who was once Big Milly’s lover, and now goes from bar to bar begging money to get drunk.
There is more - maybe later…