JEDDAH, 4 April 2006 — An Arab News investigation has revealed that a member of the Tanzanian Consulate’s staff has been defacing cars illegally parked in front of the consulate.
Equipped with two blue permanent ink markers, the man was videotaped yesterday as he walked out to two cars and wrote ‘No Parking’ on their exteriors.
Usama, 19, parked his mini-van in front of the consulate for three hours last Wednesday. When he returned, he found that someone had written all over the vehicle’s windshield, windows and side-mirrors.
“At first I wasn’t too upset at what happened because I shouldn’t have parked there in the first place. But when I nearly caused an accident driving home at night, the seriousness of the situation really sunk in. I simply couldn’t see the reflection of cars coming up on my right or left and nearly hit some as I drove around looking for paint thinner.” Usama wondered, “Since when has illegal parking carried a death sentence?”
Yesterday, when Arab News visited Tanzania’s Consulate and parked down the street to watch, there were already two cars in violation of the “No Parking” signs which are clearly posted on the wall.
Within ten minutes of Arab News’ arrival and as this journalist looked on, a man with two markers in hand, walked out of the consulate, straight to the two cars, and began scrawling the “No Parking” message in English and Arabic on their windshields, windows and mirrors. In less than a minute, he was back inside the consulate, closing the gate behind him.
When Arab News rang the consulate’s bell, another man answered who denied any knowledge of who was responsible. As the man’s description was being provided, he said, “There is no one here today who matches the description of someone wearing a blue-shirt and tan pants. You have made a mistake.”
When he was shown the videotape, however, he said, “Wait outside. Someone will come speak to you.”
By chance, another consular employee, arrived seconds later and parked outside. Unaware of the purpose of Arab News’ visit, he quickly walked this journalist into the consulate. We were both surprised to see the very man, captured on the video moments earlier, run out of the room as we entered.
Arab News’ initial request to speak with a consular official was denied, but upon being shown the digital photo accompanying this story, this journalist was escorted to the office of Bakari Maulid Bakari, the vice consul general of the United Republic of Tanzania.
He said: “We are diplomats representing the Tanzanian government. We cannot speak to the media without consent from our Foreign Office. You are free to go to the police if you like.”
In a follow-up telephone call an hour later, Bakari told Arab News that the street in front of the consulate was too narrow to erect concrete barriers or to use rope cordons. When asked if the Tanzanian government was going to continue with the practice of defacing people’s cars, he hung up.
