In the United States tipping is a sport. But in many parts of the world it’s an art. An open display of generosity is frowned upon in some parts of the Middle East and China, while other places applaud displays of wealth and philanthropy, on however small a scale.
People in many parts of the developing world are often paid little and kept on a tight employment leash through a bonus system (just like those who wait tables in the USA). As a visitor, you will be expected to tip. But as my good friend and colleague Stefanie Dekker found out on her first trip to Iraq, it is how you do it that counts:
‘I was in Halabja with two Peshmerga bodyguards. I wanted to give them both a big tip after a long day in the mountains. I handed over the money – it wasn’t obvious, but it wasn’t subtle in the slightest. They shouted, “No, no, no – we couldn’t!” I know now that you have to fold the cash into a tiny square or scrunch it into a ball and hand it over very carefully at the right time to avoid offence. Of course, they took the money later.’
/DEALING WITH SURVEILLANCE
One former UN worker tells me: ‘In countries such as Sudan they like to observe in a very obvious 1970s’ sitcom way – blacked-out windows, aviator sunglasses, kerb-crawling behind you… It can be fun to lead them on a merry little dance.’
But keeping an eye on people doesn’t always mean cloak and dagger stuff: it’s as much about your nosy neighbours or a potential house burglar as it is about government surveillance. If you think anyone would be interested in your movements and you are a potential target, there are some obvious first precautions to take.
Make your movements unpredictable: change your routes and travel times daily; find six routes to work and roll a dice each day to choose one; switch vehicles occasionally; send out your normal vehicle as a decoy; occasionally stay in a hotel or with a friend overnight.
Use several different phones and SIM cards. Keep one of each purely for emergency calls that the surveillance people will never have heard you use before. Avoid using a landline.
Whenever possible, use third parties to meet people. Send written or recorded messages via your carefully chosen go-between.
If you have to meet people yourself, do so in public places – a park, or a café or restaurant with large windows on three walls.
Open and close new e-mail addresses every day if you have to. Communicate a code to your contact so they know what the next e-mail address will be.
Radio producer Shadi Alkasim recommends: ‘Try to send any important documents, video or audio clips you have acquired out of the country immediately. Do not keep them with you as they may put your life in danger, or get you arrested.’
Turn on loud music before making any calls if you suspect the line is bugged.
Assume that your computer and instant messaging are insecure. A keystroke copier might have been installed on your computer.
‘Clean’ your communications equipment. Delete anything ‘dodgy’ from your phone and laptop, including online instant messaging. Delete messages and ‘last calls dialled’ daily.
Give contacts different names in your phone. Labels such as ‘Home’, ‘Mum’ or ‘Dad’ should not be real. Place the number of your security guard under those labels, or the number of a friend whom you have briefed to know you are in trouble if someone strange calls.
Leith Mushtaq has a warning for anyone who is working with both sides in a conflict: ‘Potential enemies have intelligence-gathering abilities beyond your wildest imagination. Assume you are being watched and be cautious who you talk to about your mission. Avoid government or local contacts unless absolutely necessary. Retain your independence. Any mistake, any contact with the wrong person, and no one will trust you.’
Mohammad Tahir Luddin is one of a handful of eminent Afghan journalists working in Kabul. Or at least he was until he fled after being held for seven months in captivity by the Taliban with a New York Times reporter, David Rohde. When it comes to being observed, he has some clear advice for anyone visiting Afghanistan:
‘Be careful with your words. Stay independent. That is the only way to protect yourself from being kidnapped, killed or tortured. People working in war zones should not repeat the words of their government – “terrorist”, “dictator”, “terrorism” – as some US media do. These are government judgements. People attack journalists because they are biased. You can call the Taliban what you like if it is properly sourced to someone else. They won’t mind and they won’t pin it on you.’
Sebastian Junger’s work has inspired a generation of storytellers. His reporting of the Afghan War in particular hit me hard, with its vivid illustration of the well-equipped, professional US soldier’s struggle in the face of guerrilla-style warfare against an invisible army. He has some advice on how to avoid unnecessary suspicion in countries where paranoia and conspiracy theory are rife:
‘In Liberia I was accused of being a spy. The US embassy got me out. It’s easy to be accused of being a spy. Be very, very careful with all your e-mail…there’s no reason why the security won’t ask you open your accounts. Take care to clear your phone of texts too. A friend in Lebanon got into serious trouble over a racy SMS text. Be aware that the government may be monitoring your e-mail or phones. Delete all signs of military or intelligence contacts before you arrive.
‘Also, be careful what you carry in a war zone. Take no detailed maps, no compass and no binoculars.
‘And when it comes to questions, keep away from anything the enemy might find useful. Back in 1993 in Sarajevo, when I asked a commander on the front about troop strength, he accused me of being a spy and I got into a lot of trouble. Stick to human questions, stuff about what they and the civilian population around them are going through, stuff that will be relevant back home. Specifics about the military machine will get you in trouble.’
/PASSING UNDER THE RADAR
Spies are supposed to be people who can pass through a room, meeting and chatting with everyone, but no one remembers their name or even what they look like the following day. I am not suggesting you put on your tuxedo or slinky cocktail dress and make like a James Bond character, but if you want to pass under the radar, you need to find a way to become invisible. And if you can’t manage that, you must become so harmless and boring that you would never be considered a threat.
If you are going under cover, the best thing to do is perfect the art of looking innocent. This is a lot easier if you are a brown girl! Never look directly at soldiers, look down if you have to, smile a lot and cook up stories as you go along. In Myanmar I smiled a lot, but I was very reliant on my fixer’s local knowledge. He was amazing, a real pro at making up stories, so we had plenty to tell people as we went along.
The Nepal-based journalist Subina Shrestha told me that she and her husband have perfected the art of looking lost and pretending not to understand: ‘When we were doing a story in Uttar Pradesh in India, the cops and the politicians were threatening to kill us. They had goons with sticks, so we played simple, lost tourists. That helped, I think, or maybe we were just lucky.’