European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 27, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Officer s principles won t let him go Home Oguin. A a 1 ,. I it .1 la ii mail 4 by Ron Jensen Nurnberg Bureau Apt. Sam a Ubangi was stopped a few feet Short of going Home for the holidays barred from his goal by corrupt Border guards and the same firm principles that of Quot Quot Quot a a forced him to flee Zaire 12 years ago. He could have greeted his family on native soil by simply putting a few dollars in the pockets of the officials. He needed Only to play along with the common practice of bribery to Complete a most uncommon Circle. That he did t is typical of amiss Saml alias bin a Ubangi a defense attorney at . Darby Cavern in Furth Germany. Quot i was t exactly surprised at the stand he took Quot said his wife Philomena Quot he left his family and his Homeland because of his a Ubangi fled his country in Central Africa in 1980 after leading student demonstrations against the government of president Mobutu sese seko described by a Ubangi As a right Wing dictator. This was to have been his first visit to Zaire since his escape and the first meeting with most of his family since he left his Village for school in 1975. A Ubangi s Africa is the Africa of Public television documentaries. His native Village nya Mukungu has no electricity no running water. Life there for Young a Ubangi was not unlike life for generations before him. To better himself a Ubangi born in 1954 when Zaire was known As the belgian Congo left his Village in 1975 to study Law in the capital City of Kinshasa. Quot that was the last time 1 saw my family Quot Saida Ubangi during an interview in his Kalb housing apartment Belgium granted the country its Independence in 1960, which was followed by five years of unrest bordering on civil War. In 1965, a military coup placed Mobutu at the top of the government where he still sits. The government was immediately beset by economic mismanagement and corruption that destroyed the fledgling country s infrastructure. A Ubangi and his fellow students rebelled. Quot most of our time As students we go after the government a demonstrations strikes things like that Quot said a Ubangi described himself As the Quot underground chief of staff Quot of the student movement led by a Friend. Some of the demonstrations grew violent and a Ubangi and his cohorts were forced into hiding. They fled by night to the Congo a Ubangi and three friends were arrested there and threatened with extradition instead they were held for several. Months with Little food and few comforts. But in february 1981,Sas Ron Jensen the refusal of Sam a Ubangi of pay a bribe halted his return to Zaire with his wife Philomena. They were released and sent to Kenya. The United states had offered Asylum to the student leaders and they took it despite no knowledge of English. On july 12,1981, a Ubangi landed in new York. His sponsor was a Branch of Catholic charities in Lawton okla. There he met arts began to Date Philomena an Irish born redhead. Quot it took me about three months to begin saying a few words in English Quot he said. Quot i began going to the Library buying newspapers. On a visit to Houston he had seen the University of Houston and made it his dream to attend classes there a dream he realized in february 1982 with a helpful push from his wife. Quot every lecture was taped i would go Home an action line transcribe it Quot he recalled. This chore lasted until 2 . Many nights a Long Day for a Man also worked As a Valet parking attendant at a local hotel. In the Spring of 1985, a Ubangi was graduated Magna cum laude with a degree in political science. That fall he began Law school at the University of Houston. In 1988, a Ubangi earned his Law degree and passed the bar. He bad Many options but chose one that had always appealed to him Quot i told my wife 1 was interested in the army Quot he said. Quot that was a Bombshell. The House nearly he was accepted by the army and soon after became an american the army sent him to Europe last summer he decided it was time to visit Zaire. His Only Contact with his family had been in 1987, when his Mother visited Houston after the birth of his daughter Navarite a Quot i still feel very much a Little boy for my Mother and father Quot he said. Using his american name mrs. A Ubangi said of her husband Quot Sam is an american that s True but on paper. In his heart he s very much a the couple flew to Rwanda on dec. 17 and reached. Cya Gugu a Border town just across the River from Zaire on dec. 18. At the same time a Ubangi s family travelled to Bukavu a City on the Zaire Side of the Border about 200 Miles North of nya Mukungu to await them. A Ubangi still had reservations about visiting a country with a government he had battled but on dec. 20, he and his wife began to Cross the Border. The Border officials were unfriendly. They searched the Luggage. They told the couple that the visas they carried were not valid. Quot my Zaire Antenna went up Quot a Ubangi said. He knew what they wanted. Quot i told them look Guys i cannot give you Money in this context Quot he said. There is a Zaire tradition of giving a gift or Money but this was different a Ubangi m not against our traditions Quot he said. Quot but i m not going to bribe Quot i got angry. I said look Guys i know what you Are up to Quot. The standoff continued until a Ubangi grabbed his wife and his Luggage and returned to Rwanda. There the family had a joyous reunion with lots of singing clapping and smiling a but not in Zaire. A Ubangi said his family now knows Why he had to leave them Many years ago and Why he could not Cross that Bridge from Rwanda to Zaire. Quot i fought the bankrupt system of Zaire. I Don t see me going Back to Zaire to ratify a bankrupt system a system that i despise Quot he said. Quot it would have been a denial of my 11 years of hard work in America. Quot As an american officer bribing a foreign official would have been not Only unintelligent but deplorable. That would have been a negation of my personality. 11 Quot i chose not to do his wife listened quietly to her husband s explanation added Quot i think it would have disappointed me if he had Book sales support paper cd stateside when i bought a Book or Magazine in a military Exchange i was always charged less than the cover Price. The stars and stripes bookstores however charge full Price for books and magazines except for a few advertised specials. I believe this is wrong and that the Bookstore is taking advantage of its monopoly on Selling popular English language books and magazines. Why do the bookstores charge full Price \ sgt. 1st class Suzanne Eckhardt Wurzburg Germany _ j a James j. Gaffney Deputy director european stars and stripes Bookstore operations replies our Reader is Correct in stating that Exchange Book departments stateside discount most of their merchandise. Stars and stripes bookstores however have one responsibility that stateside outlets do not to financially support the stars and stripes newspaper. Stars and stripes has been tasked by Congress with providing overseas servicemen nobers with an informative and inexpensive newspaper. Currently the Cost of producing and delivering a single copy of the paper is approximately 60 cents. Simple mathematics indicate that at a 35 cent Price we have to make up quite a bit of ground. Since stars and stripes is a no appropriated fund instrumentality we must support ourselves. The extra funds necessary to produce the. Newspaper come from the Bookstore operation so it would be impossible to discount each and every title we carry. The bookstores do in fact discount quite extensively not just on a few advertised specials. Presently for fiscal year 1992, we have discounted merchandise a total of $1.5 million. These savings Are passed directly on to our customers. In the future we Are planning an aggressive sales promotion Campaign to include More customer appreciation sales and sidewalk sales. Readers action line which appears mondays and wednesdays strives to answer questions about life in a military environment if you Don t know where to turn for help write readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480. Apoate 09211. All letters must be signed please include address and phone number. 20 the 5tars and stripes a wednesday january 27, 1993
