Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
by the fighting. On September 25, American troops arrived in the city
of Yamoussoukro, the central capital of the Ivory Coast to help evacuate
the more than 300 American citizens trapped by the fighting in the city
of Bouaké. More than 100 French soldiers had reached the International
Christian Academy, where 200 Westerners, including 100 Americans, had
been trapped. Fortunately, the presence of the French and American sol-
diers prevented the deaths of foreign nationals in the country. However,
we must ask why those trapped Americans chose to disregard the frequent
and clear warnings that a situation of this sort was not only possible but
actually probable. Warnings, updates, and warden messages are useful only
when they are heeded. All the people who sought refuge in the school
could very well have been killed. The fault would not have been with the
State Department but with the victims themselves who had chosen to
ignore the advice of trained security professionals and diplomats.
It is inexplicable to us as to why situations like this happen. Some
people listen, act, and avoid the worst. Others prefer simply to hope for
the best or trust their own luck. It is somewhat analogous to the reaction
that people have to posted hurricane warnings. Again, at the time of this
writing, people along the coast of Louisiana are bracing for Hurricane
Isadore, which is expected to make landfall within hours. There are, of
course, many reports of heavy traffic on roads leading away from shore as
most people evacuate. However, there are also reports of folks who refuse
to pay heed and are staying despite the issuance of an evacuation order.
Hurricanes kill people, most often by drowning. It simply does not make
sense for anyone to stay put during a hurricane, just as it is irrational for
people to remain in a war-torn region where there is a high probability
that the violence will lead to their own deaths.
If you think this situation in the Ivory Coast was an isolated occur-
rence, you are mistaken. On October 12, 2002, at approximately 11:00
P
.
M
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local time in the Indonesian city of Bali, a car bomb exploded outside of
the Sari Club at the Kuta Beach Resort. Approximately 200 people, mostly
foreign tourists, were killed. That it was an act of terrorism was immedi-
ately apparent. Currently, no group has claimed responsibility for the
attack, but it has been linked to Al Qaeda by many law enforcement
authorities. Could anything have prevented this attack or, at the very least,
enabled people to have acted in a manner as to avoid becoming one of
the victims?
