SENTINEL WATCH February 2, 2004 Issue

You can face down corruption

By Kurt Shillinger

Shortly After Crossing from Rwanda into Tanzania, I found myself being detained at a police station. A traffic constable had confiscated my travel documents at a roadblock as I drove into a small town. I was charged with failing to have the proper transit permits for a foreign vehicle.

Sitting in the police chief's office, we all knew the game. In fact my papers were in order. The border officials had already verified that. Although they didn't say as much, the police were expecting a bribe. After all, that's the normal way of things in Africa, isn't it?

We talked around the issue for a while. Finally I said to the chief, "I'm sorry, but I won't participate in anything that would support the suggestion that either you or your officers are dishonest public servants." He seemed stunned. The next 20 minutes or so passed in silence. Then the chief returned my documents, wished me a pleasant stay, and let me go.