Make Way for the Pope

"...a backdrop of press reports that he had set up a fraudulent network to squeeze money out of Cameroonians in the name of preparations to welcome the Pope...

...all sites retained to host major events during the visit... would be tidied by the State."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200903021549.html


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So, the Pope's coming to town. We heard about this within our first few days in the country, but we have begun to see the preparations over the past week.

When the G-8 was hosted in Glynn County when I was in high school, our roads were improved and lots of pretty new flowers were planted. Preparations here aren't like that.

Instead, parts of the city are being bulldozed and crumbled with sledgehammers. "Tidied by the state" is a euphemism for state police knocking down any market stalls or temporary buildings that they see unfit. They don't seem to give much warning, and crowds gather to watch the destruction. No one seems to be terribly upset, as if it was all inevitable.

Many roads have been closed already, and so the traffic is horrible. Next week we are leaving for Kribi for two days, and we will return on Thursday, the day of the open air mass - I can only imagine what the traffic and crowds will be like then.

When heads of state descended on my hometown several years ago, we prepared for riots. When the Pope comes to Yaounde, the people prepare for demolition. For all the obligatory talk of peace, an awful lot of tumult accompanies the travel of world leaders.


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On a much cheerier note, Kribi is on the coast - so, in addition to visiting Baka pygmies, we're going to the beach. Yay!


Love you all,
Kayce