I guess at least there is hope if he felt ashamed. Honestly if I were in their position, I'd probably be trying to get the most out of it as well. OK maybe not but I understand the temptation.

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Yeah. He was terrified that our organisation would pull out from working in his village. And also terrified that people would find out about it. He probably has only half thought the whole thing through when he did it all. A rather silly attempt at making money quick as there was no way he could not get found out.

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I can't believe that he would charge his own people a whole days wage for something that was free and would benefit them in the long run! I suppose he just saw it as a business opportunity. I just hope he returns the money as promised. :(

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Yeah, it's all a bit rude, isn't it!

We are going to check that he has returned all the money. But I think he will because he was so deeply embarrased.

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I think I want to know more about where these village heads come from. The bloke I met as Sisarahili was a fine man, and well-respected. Don't know much about him, but I would be very surprised (and disheartened) if he was ever up to anything like this.

But this isn't the only time I have heard about abuse of this position. I think we were talking about wells being placed closest to village heads' households and stuff like that.

After a couple of months in Indonesia I was tempted to start characterising the culture that I was living amongst. It struck me as practical, generous, and good-humoured, but perhaps also opportunistic. And that opportunism, while not enjoyed by those without too many opportunities to take advantage of, is for the most part accepted (if not condoned). (I think I have also been influenced by Kingsbury's discussion of corruption.) Is this too simplistic.

Another thing: lessons learned. Studying conflict resolution and primary environmental care these past few weeks has really impressed upon me the importance of the whole "lessons learned" thing. Development, aid, peace, whatever - this seems to be a field of work which is striving for humility when faced with complex issues. I guess this is a relatively recent thing, and far from universal, but I think it is promising.

For example, a more black and white approach to your problem here would be to get the police involved, take legal action against the village head, then continue the program unchanged in other communities. Chances are the problem would arise again. Instead, you are looking to prevent the harm that will be caused by a repeat performance. Punishing someone for acting in a way that is largely acceptable within their society is a secondary goal. Or am I seeing this a little too academically?

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Oh dear. I guess I should have made a cuppa before dribbling all over your post. When I said,

...a field of work which is striving for humility when faced with complex issues

I was referring to the ability of field workers and academics to admit mistakes and build on their new knowledge. I guess, as a student of politics until now, I was surprised that such a "scientific" (if that's the right word) approach was being utilised in the field. Especially when pre-fabricated ideas would be so much easier and less damaging to the ego.

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Especially when pre-fabricated ideas would be so much easier and less damaging to the ego.

As per some of my recent emails to you, I think there is very little space for ego in development work. Or rather, I think there SHOULD be little space for ego in development work. Best intentions often don't work. There are many variables to consider, and we can't always consider them. So it's about being humble and trying something else.

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Twas not the Sisarahili guy. :)

More later...

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Aye, I know it wasn't him. He's a good bloke, and I would be shocked if he ever did anything like this.

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So many things to discuss. Which probably means that we should be in the SAME country... *huff*.

I was tempted to start characterising the culture that I was living amongst

Yes, I tend to start characterising cultures too. And I do think that one can generalise about a few broad characteristics about a culture. Compared to other cultures I have experienced, yes, Nias culture appears to be much more egalitarian, fair, honest and generous. At the same time, I really don't think the act of one individual should detract from that.

Then, it also occurs to me that someone once said to me, "In your culture, you use money to get power. In some other cultures, people use power to get money". And it is so deeply embedded in our values that it is okay to do one and not the other, than we call the other 'corruption'. Whilst perhaps other cultures may not see this as a moral problem.

importance of the whole "lessons learned" thing

Yep. I certainly know that I have my own personal lessons learned databank in my head. I think it is very much about humility. And also about realising that there can always be improvement to our practise.

a more black and white approach to your problem here would be to get the police involved, take legal action against the village head, then continue the program unchanged in other communities.

Woah, that sounds like it would be a disaster. We would ruin the kepala desa (rightly or wrongly), and would make people cautious about working with us. I dunno... it seems like that should be used as the last resort when we have no other options rather than step one.

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Hmm.

Much musing.

Umm, was way not suggesting that the village head should be brought to book. Agree with what you said about that. Think I was kinda feeling out what the other responses could be.

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It's sad when something like this happens; our illusions are crushed a little. But it's better to know, when something like this is happening, than to not know. Checks are important - and I hope you will check back to see that the fellow in question has, in fact, returned the money. Trust, but verify.

My line of work does not instill in me trust of my fellow human. Some people in any group will attempt to turn circumstances to their advantage whether legal or not, fair or not. It is my guess that aid and development work represents many opportunities for such opportunism, if checks are not assiduously maintained.

It's a pain that people who are providing aid should have to spend time and resources on checks to reduce unfair opportunism, but this is the world we have.

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How frustrating... it must be really too much to take when things like this happen without you flying off the handle!!!
I wonder if this particular crappy act is any different to what any one with a smidge of power does every day in other societies. How sad.

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Heh. I did fly off the handle for about two minutes. Then I calmed down. Was pretty damn grumpy that a kepala desa would violate the trust of his community like that. A clear misuse of his power.

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