Friday, February 5, 2010

#7: My armed guard above Shibam, Yemen (Dec 2010)

The guard was not my choice or request. He came with me when I left the Seiyun Airport, and for two days accompanied me wherever I was driven

I emailed two dynamic women I met on a Sanaa Ornithological Club trip, hoping to join them on a hike to Bayt Baws or Wadi Dhahr. Unfortunately one wrote back to say they were leaving. Order came down from top of oil company X: Spouses leave Yemen now. Two dynamic women I met on a Sanaa bird club trip are already gone. Karen postponed her ticket twice; is now leaving Saturday. She does not want to leave, but is being forced to. The company will pay for the hotel in another country for as long as needed.

I learned Wednesday night that the order is not due to any change in the security situation here. Rather, the chief learned that certain security measures had not been installed as ordered. He wanted to punish.

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