The day started out nicely enough for Ibrahim Gemeda, former Corporal with the Ethiopian Federal Police, and current bodyguard of His Excellency Adam Teshome, former Minister of the Interior and the new Ambassador of Ethiopia in the City of Jakarta, Indonesia. The run rose over the City of Samarinda, in the East Kalimantan region of Borneo, Indonesia, promising a lovely day in the beautiful Southeast Asian nation.
With growing tension between the Muslims and the Christians in his homeland of Ethiopia, Ibrahim Gemeda opted to stay in Indonesia for his much-needed vacation instead of going home. It was the cheaper option anyways. Traveling the world after the abrupt end of his illustrious police career taught Ibrahim Gemeda that life was about much more than the petty conflicts involving religious, ethnic and sectarian differences, which seemed to plague much of Africa and the Middle East.
Everywhere that Ibrahim Gemeda looked in the Islamic world, there was conflict. In Egypt, persecution of Coptic Christians remained at an all-time high, even though the new government was secular. In Somalia, the people of metropolitan Mogadishu were mourning the loss of hundreds of lives, thanks to the actions of radical nutcases. In Lebanon, there was tension between Arab Christians and Arab Muslims, due to shifting demographics. And the list goes on...
Proudly Muslim and fiercely secular in his thinking, Ibrahim Gemeda couldn't understand the madness that seized so many people of his faith and drove them to do such tragic things. Ibrahim, who was born in Jimma, and raised in Addis Ababa, found his fellow Ethiopians puzzling. One of the oldest, and most stable civilizations in all of Africa, Ethiopia was magnificent in its day, and Ibrahim would like to see it become truly great again. He wasn't holding his breath, though...
"Ibrahim, I rejoice about your leaving Ethiopia even though I will miss you, my son, these are strange times, the Creator made all human beings, I strongly doubt He would approve of Christians, Jews and Muslims fighting over nonsense," said Ibrahim's father, Imam Yousef Gemeda, leader of the Main Masjid of Addis Ababa. Father and son were having a heart-to-heart talk before Ibrahim's departure for distant, forbidden Indonesia.
"Baba, you worry too much, we have always been a united people, we will get through this," Ibrahim said, and the younger man clapped his father on the shoulder. Imam Yousef Gemeda looked at his son who looked much younger than his thirty four years. A year after retiring from the Ethiopian Federal Police due to a scandal, thanks to his dalliance with a fellow officer's wife, Ibrahim Gemeda was sullen and forlorn, unsure of his place in the world. When the Minister invited him to join the Ethiopian Diplomatic Corps, the ex-cop jumped at the offer.
"Be safe, my son, who knows? Perhaps you might find a lady in Indonesia who might encourage you to settle down," Imam Yousef Gemeda said, and Ibrahim rolled his eyes, wishing the old man would stop chiding him about his marital status...or lack thereof. Ibrahim had been involved with a few women in his time, beautiful Ethiopian women from both the Christian and Islamic faiths, but none that he cared to take as wives.
Fast forward a year, and Ibrahim Gemeda had adjusted fairly well to his new digs in the City of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Indonesian people were a unique bunch, friendly and easygoing, if intense at times. Sure, he got stared at everywhere he went, but the people were far from hostile. Ibrahim laughed when some Indonesians asked him if he was an NBA player, due to his physical stature.
The City of Jakarta was pretty cosmopolitan, with a sizable population of European and Arab expatriates living among its indigenous Indonesian population. Ibrahim Gemeda still stood out in a crowd, but he was far from the only foreigner in town. He spoke the language fairly well at this point and knew enough of the local customs to venture on his own. He felt comfortable enough to start exploring life outside Jakarta, and that's when everything started to go wrong...
"Tolong bawa saya ke Hotel Aston Samarinda dan konvensi center, please take me to the Aston Samarinda Hotel and Convention Center," Ibrahim said to the cab driver, who pulled over in front of the Samarinda International Airport, a big grin on his face. The little man nodded, and then stepped out to help Ibrahim with his luggage. Flying from Jakarta to Samarinda hadn't taken very long, but Ibrahim was still a bit sleepy. The in-flight food had been something else...
"Selamat dating di Samarinda teman Afrika saya, welcome to Samarinda my African friend," said the cab driver, flashing Ibrahim a bright smile. Ibrahim nodded absentmindedly, and scrolled through his cell phone, looking at the amenities offered by the Aston Samarinda Hotel. He was planning to stay a week or so in town, see some spots, check out local restaurants and historical sites, and then return to Jakarta, which he had begun to think of as home.
"Ini bukan hotel, this isn't the hotel," Ibrahim said to the cab driver, as the guy pulled up in front of some type of warehouse. The cab driver turned to look at him, and his eyes were narrowed, and full of malice. Before Ibrahim could say anything else, three men came toward the cab. A sense of dread threatened to overwhelm Ibrahim, but the ex-cop forced him to remain calm. Kicking the door open, he stepped outside, to face the onrushing men.
"Orang asing bodoh, foolish foreigner," Ibrahim heard the cabbie yell, and then the men waded into him. Years of training as a federal policeman in Ethiopia turned Ibrahim into a more-than-capable combatant. After dealing with everything from cutthroat thieves and bandits to radicals and crazed insurgents, he wasn't afraid of some random thugs.
"Inilah yang Anda dapatkan karena menyerang orang kuat dari Ethiopia, this is what you get for attacking an Ethiopian strongman," Ibrahim shouted as he went on the offensive. With a swift lunge, he decked the first assailant, knocking him out cold. The other two seemed surprised, and this allowed Ibrahim to kick the second man in the shins.
As the assailant yelped, Ibrahim dropped him with a punch to the temple. Before Ibrahim could reach the third assailant, however, he felt something hard strike him at the back of his head. As Ibrahim fell, consciousness fading from him, he suddenly remembered the smirking cab driver...
"Sir, sorry about the robbery, if you don't mind my asking, what brought you to this land?" Officer Zeinab Beratha of the Samarinda Police Department asked, looking at the six-foot-five, burly and dark-skinned man who sat on a bench before her. Ibrahim Gemeda, an agent of the Ethiopian Embassy of Jakarta, was having a rough night. In fact, the man looked a bit lost, and it took him several moments to finally answer.
This man looks like he's been through hell, Officer Zeinab thought, as she considered the well-dressed man who sat there, a haunted look on his dark, handsome face. Hard to believe that this was the same man who had his picture taken with the Mayor of Jakarta, a few months ago. The Mayor had personally thanked this foreigner who risked his life by diving into the ocean to save a couple of young women from drowning. Now the hero looked like he needed help himself...
"Um, I've been working at the Ethiopian Embassy for some time, and always wanted to see the interior of Indonesia, Samarinda seemed like a good place to start," Ibrahim said, and he applied ice to the back of his head, where a robber had stricken him before taking off with his belongings. That's what happens to tourists and careless diplomats, Zeinab thought, shaking her head.
"Well, thank you for visiting our fair city, Mr. Gemeda, sorry that this happened to you, here's my card, don't hesitate to contact me if you remember anything," Officer Beratha said, and the tall Ethiopian nodded and pocketed the card she offered him. Rising from his chair, Ibrahim looked at the officer, and forced a brave smile. This man has been robbed of everything on him but he still looks formidable, Zeinab thought.
"Terimakasih perwira tapi saya telah mengalami lebih buruk lagi, thank you officer but I have been through worse," Ibrahim Gemeda said, and then he asked to borrow her phone. Zeinab looked at him and smiled, then handed him her phone. Ibrahim called the Ethiopian Embassy in Jakarta, and asked them to wire him some money through western union.
"Saya harap Anda akan baik-baik saja, I hope you will be fine," Officer Zeinab said to Ibrahim, as the towering Ethiopian handed her back her cell phone. Ibrahim nodded gratefully and shook her hand, looking so damn calm, as if getting robbed and left bloodied and unconscious happened to him on a daily basis. Nothing fazes this one, Zeinab thought, admiring Ibrahim's sang-froid...
Officer Zeinab Beratha walked away, and got in her squad car. Ali, the rookie officer whom she was still training shot her a look. Zeinab shrugged dismissively at Ali, and they drove away, returning to their patrol duties. The City of Samarinda was a fairly peaceful locale, but as Ibrahim Gemeda had just found out, danger lurked behind almost every corner.