"Thank you very much, sir." "Hello, everybody." "It's a pleasure to be with you warm, wonderful people." "My name is Mr. Cortzen." "I'm a businessman, I'm a diplomat." "I make matches." "Soon I'm going to the Central African Republic   to represent the interests of Liberia there." "I hope you will pray to God to watch over me there." "It is a dangerous place, but I will do my best to accomplish my mission." "Praised be the Lord, and it's wonderful to be with you today." "I hope to see you again soon." " Hey, Mads." " Colin, nice to see you." " Likewise, likewise." " Let's go." " Wow!" " This here..." " This is..." " It's like a castle." "Leave our jackets, because it's going to be quite hot." "I'd appreciate it if you left your mobile phone." "I'm going to leave mine." " And your bag." "Just leave everything." " Yes, okay." "I've asked you to leave your mobile phone and everything   because I don't want this conversation to be recorded." "This conversation that we're about to have never happened." "I have a good feeling   that your interest in the Central African Republic goes deeper." "I think that your goal is   you want to have uncluttered access with diplomatic credentials   in and out of a diamond-producing zone." " That as well." " Okay." "From this point there's no going back." "Here ends my life as a Danish journalist." "What awaits me is a life where I can operate freely   beyond all moral boundaries known to man   while still being a respectable member of society." "A life where I can indulge myself in secret state affairs   enjoy red carpet treatment   and travel the world with a suitcase full of diamonds." "What I'm talking about is, of course, a life as an African diplomat." "Welcome to the Central African Republic (CAR)." "I'm having sundowners with a Sudanese diplomat   overlooking the capital Bangui." "In my tuxedo pocket is a diplomatic passport which says " " I'm the Liberian consul and ambassador at large to the CAR." "As such, I did my very best to represent Liberia." "On behalf of Liberia, I'd like to welcome you all to this soiree." "To be frank with you, I'm not a very skilled diplomat." " I'm bad at protocol." " Mads is not a talented diplomat." "But I'm very good with alcohol, which I hope you will appreciate." "How did I become a diplomat in the CAR?" "The story begins in Portugal." "Here on the outskirts of the town of Coimbra reside the Evans brothers   a second-generation British diplomatic title brokerage   headed by the oldest brother   former Royal Marine commando Colin Evans." "A white European with a reason to travel back and forth out of Europe   to a diamond-producing country in Africa   and back again on a regular basis with diplomatic credentials   is a very, very, very valuable piece of kit." "And I know exactly how valuable it is." "I could put that up on the brokerage as a definition." "For a million euros it would go in a week." "Working as a freelance diplomat " " Colin Evans inhabits a highly bizarre unchartered netherworld." "For lots of money he brokers diplomatic titles   between cash-starved, desperate third world countries   and people who desire to become diplomats." "My concern is this:" "If there is any monetary transaction   between you and me or you and the brokerage   and you do get involved in anything that is nefarious   it will come back on us badly." "And we're frankly not prepared to take the risk on that." "But we have a plan." "Not wanting to put my eggs in one basket, I contacted another broker   the Dutchman Willem Tijssen." "He met me in a hotel in Copenhagen for a quick business lunch." "Did you have a nice flight?" "That's great." " I didn't have to do it myself." " So it's a success already." "Tijssen represents a brokerage called Diplomatic Services." "He's the go-to guy for diplomatic positions   from the small, poor West African country Liberia   which has begun recovering after many years of civil war." "Willem says he works for a secretive, highly influential power broker   in African state affairs named Dr. Eastman." "I don't know exactly what he's doing." "He has extremely big influence   into heads of states." "How mysterious." "I really like the name Dr. Eastman." "It has a spy thriller ring to it." " A spy!" "Don't think he is a spy." " No, no, it's just the name." "He is very close to..." "You know, in the world   you have the underworld, the criminals   you have the upper world where we live, business people   and the back world, the people who are very influential " " who actually most of the time pull the strings." "Tijssen was sure he could set me up as a Liberian diplomat to the CAR." "This would cost me $135,000, but the full package would also include   an honorary MBA from Monrovia University   as well as a Liberian driver's license." "We discussed all the opportunities I could have as an African diplomat." "You can travel with your suitcase with $10 million in cash." "I cannot do it." "Nobody can." "But a consul or an ambassador can do that." "If you are going to do what I think you're going to do..." "If you do it the way we will set you up to do it   you have a very high probability of success." "If you do it any other way   the best that you can hope for is to be arrested and go to jail   and lose everything you've got." "That's the best you can hope for." "The worst you can hope for   is that you end up dead in a ditch in Africa." "I'm giving it to you on a plate." "As the name says, the CAR is situated in the middle of Africa." "It offers itself as a Jurassic Park   for people who long for Africa of the 1970s." "If the Congo was the heart of darkness, this is the appendix." "Some call it a failed state, but this would only be true   if there at some point had ever been a functioning state structure." "Instead there's a lawless territory the size of Texas   where a couple of thousand poorly equipped soldiers try to protect   the capital Bangui from the horrors of the wilderness." "Here, a small political elite spends most of its time   being involved in criminal activities   while waiting for the weekly flight to Paris, its former colonial master." "Of course, a country such as this works as a magnet   on white men with hidden agendas." " Wonderful, wonderful." " I'm a Liberian, Paul." " So now you're a Liberian?" " Yes, I'm a Liberian." " You know how to struggle." " Yes, I've been working a lot on it." "Paul is my charge d'affaires in Bangui." "He is a diplomat fixer." "We share a fascination with the former Central African tyrant   the cannibal Emperor Bokassa who went mad as a hatter." "Here we're touring the ruins of Bokassa's jungle castle." "Magnificent." "People in Europe think of Bokassa as an evil dictator   but how is he to people here?" "Bokassa as such is very humanist, because his first goal is   to develop the country." "To save the area." "So he used force   to remove those who tried to make an obstacle." "He tried to put them away, so they say that he killed them." "So with this passport we can go to the Foreign Ministry to show it   and another department as diplomat." "In the diplomat world they say, if you're not at the table   you're on the menu." "So we have to get to the table." "To the places where decisions are being made." "Because I don't want to be like an air guitar diplomat." "You've been working for the Chinese?" "They're difficult to cooperate with." "Very difficult." "Tell you what." "I think there's a war going on between the West and China." "It's a cold war, but it is a war, and the front line is right here in Africa." "Because the Chinese are coming." "They want all the minerals   the natural resources." "They have no moral." " They have no moral!" "Exactly!" " Now my head is bursting with ideas." "I have so many ideas, so many visions." "We must work on the diamond mining." "A diplomat at heart, I wanted to get as many diamonds as possible." "Diamonds are a popular, secret side business amongst Bangui diplomats." "Some years ago the Spanish and Greek consuls were charged   with massive tax fraud with diamonds." "The Spanish consul had to flee at night assisted by the Italian consul." "Don't touch any weapons." "Don't touch any diamonds." "And don't touch the employees' women." " Everything else goes." " That's the advice I need." "I wanted to follow in their footsteps with my business partner to be " " Monsieur Dalkia Gilbert who came to my hotel late at night." "Also there to greet him was my secretary Maria." "M. Gilbert, an old, seasoned diamond miner   had been traveling for days from his mines to meet with me." "Like most of the diamond miners in Central Africa   he'd been close to bankruptcy after the collapse of the diamond market." "Another problem was his attachment with the former President Patasse." "He was removed after a coup by the current president, General Bozize." "Now Gilbert was busy sucking up to President Bozize   who had accepted him as a candidate for member of parliament." "Gilbert was looking for business angels from abroad and proposed " " I should bring him a bulldozer to assist his men in the mines." "Now he can choose the one he likes." "When he tells me "I like that one," I will call Europe   and it will be flown into Bangui." "Today, or when you choose a bulldozer " " M. Mads will call Europe." "M. Gilbert and I meet with the lawyer and make a contract." "Let's talk about the contract." "In two weeks, you can have millions of stones." "Because of the water." "It has rained a lot this year." " Understand?" " No." "He says that the work with that mine is so far   that as soon as the water is gone, they'll dig out the bloody diamonds." "He needs about 10m CFA francs in cash." "That could get the diamonds out of the ground in a few weeks." "I tried to mine some, but I need..." "I met with some businessmen today..." "I can meet with many others, but I trust you." "Many businessmen want to cooperate with him." " Gentleman deal." " But he believes in you." "Thank you, M. Gilbert." "Now it begins for real." "Business for businessmen." "Of course, diplomats in Africa can not openly deal with diamonds." "My cover was a plan to open up a match factory in the CAR." "A brilliant business idea, since the country is so undeveloped and poor   they even have to import eggs." "For this I brought in a match-making expert from India named Sumeet." "It's not very difficult when you take a matchbox construction..." "A matchbox is very small   but the construction of a matchbox involves a lot of processes." "Making the splints, and then you make the outer box, the inner box   dipping the splints in chemicals..." " A lot of processes." " That's why we brought you here." "The former Safari Hotel in Bangui is the best example   of how time moves backwards in the CAR." "Here, in an old recording of Emperor Bokassa, you see the hotel   overlooking the Obangui River that borders the Congo." "The hotel was known as "the Jewel of Bokassa"." "Since the fall of the crazy emperor, it's been crumbling to pieces   barely holding its shaky structure together." "In my ambassador suite to be there used to be a nightclub." "Now it was going to be the headquarters of a Liberian diplomat." "Did you have this framed down here?" "Damn, it's crooked." "I sent out invitations to meet with my fellow diplomats in Bangui   and high-ranking people from government." "You have your business cards?" "As a dedicated diplomat, I didn't mind filming my meetings in secret." "This comes with the territory." "Hello, Monsieur." "One of my first meetings was   with the head of state security of the Central African Republic." " A little gin tonic or a vodka tonic?" " Vodka." "Straight?" "I'm in charge of all missions   regarding the interior security of the state." "Espionage, counter-espionage, surveillance and counter-surveillance." " He's a former Foreign Legionary?" " I served 26 years in the Legion." "He served 26 years in the Foreign Legion." "The French made me a French national for services rendered in 1986." "They took away my passport in 2006." "That says it all." "In December 2006 I was indicted by France for mercenary activities." "France has always considered the CAR as its savings bank." "They believe that everything in the ground is theirs." "And no one else's." "It's a bankbook that you don't touch." "It belongs to France and no one else." "That's still the attitude." "In the underground we have copper, iron, manganese   cobalt, uranium, red mercury..." " They have all kinds of minerals." " We know where it is." "But every time we ask for a grant or aid to start mining it   we encounter problems." " You're stopped?" " But how?" "What do they do?" "When you want to stop someone from running   you put a stone in their shoe." "If you want to stop a state from developing..." "The resources used to run after the rebels can't be used for development." "This is Ernesto, my tennis coach." "We're playing a double against the Indian consul Paul   and a man from the French energy consortium Areva who was in town   because the French, now backed with Chinese money, were ready   to explore the legendary uranium mine at Bakouma close to Bangui." "Emperor Bokassa used to threaten to sell the uranium to the Chinese   whenever he wanted to put a squeeze on the French." "But now the French and the Chinese have joined hands at Bakouma." "Paul, the Indian consul, was almost an exact copy   of the man I was making myself into." "He was also mixing business and diplomacy in bewildering ways." "Thank you, Paul." "Fantastic to win my first tennis match in the CAR." "To my amazement, he'd also had plans to open a match factory here." "Start with the matches." "I'm curious why you didn't do it." "I told you it was extremely difficult." "The country is not secure, so..." "Everybody's got a gun, so anything can happen any time." "This country is really complicated." "Be careful." "They'll eat your money and kick you in the ass, so be careful." "People have lost millions of dollars over night." "I saw them." "They turn up at your house and hold a gun to your head   until you give them all your money." "They say they're acting under orders." " And they raid your office." " Who did that happen to?" "This has happened to all the diamond people." "They lost all their money." "One company lost 1.5 million dollars over night." "Don't tell anybody about your plans." "You're just opening your consulate." " I mustn't mention my business plans?" " No." "It's not the time." "You can talk to the consuls   but be careful with the consul of the Netherlands." "Be careful with Belgium." "With all the Europeans." "Because they report to the ambassador of France." "And I want to steer clear of France?" "The other African consuls are no problem, but be careful with the rest." "The Central African Republic is murky waters for white men   and the mere sight of a Caucasian pigment-challenged male in Bangui   can ignite wild speculations   about mercenaries and plans to overthrow the president." "A group of Slovakian safari tourists were arrested and charged   with plans to commit a state coup some months ago." "Therefore, being a traveler in dire straits, I had to take great care   that my travel papers were in absolute order." " This is Mr. Cortzen calling." " Yes." "How are you doing?" "I'm okay, Willem, but I just found out..." "I've bought the Diplomatic Handbook for Liberia, and it says   that Liberian diplomatic passports are ECOWAS passports, biometric." "And they're black." "But mine is red and not biometric." "I thought you had a new passport   because I didn't unwrap it." "I'm just worried, if someone here sees my passport and calls Monrovia   and asks: "Who is this guy?" What will they tell them?" "They will not phone   because who will they phone?" "Who the hell will they phone?" "To explain why I chose Tijssen as my diplomatic title broker   it's because Colin Evans, my preferred choice, could not deliver." "Put them in my office." "Tray of tea, something like that." "I'd like a cup of tea." "When I went to see him in Portugal with my secretary Maria   he said he had difficulties finding a country   wanting to establish diplomatic connections with the CAR." "The major problem with the CAR at the moment is   that those nations that wish to be associated with them   are already represented there in some form." "And those that aren't don't wish to be." "This was a personal matter to Colin Evans   because he actually works for the CAR as a diplomat himself." "Here he is in front of a painting of President Bozize   with a suspicious-looking Asian guy." "It is the forgotten country of Africa." "I know." "I work for them." "I also know, if I can say this in front of you, Maria   what a complete pain in the ass the CAR can be." "I don't go there." "I represent them externally in a number of levels." "But I don't personally go there." "I prefer not to go." "But I think they spend most of their time here   thinking constantly about..." "black magic." "They all go to the maribu, the local wizard   to buy magic powder, to make him do voodoo against other people etc." "And the magic they respect most is the Pygmies." "Because supposedly they have the best wizards." "So I think, to give the matches a unique selling point   that they are made by Pygmies." "It'll have an attraction to the Africans." "Not for you and me, but for the Africans." "Paul, it's not to be racist, but I have a problem with Asians." "They're always very sneaky, very greedy." "Difficult to trust." "And they have bad manners." "They want to take everything for themselves." "They're very selfish." "So, I make my proposal to M. Gilbert." "Then we discuss it, and if he likes it, we take it to the lawyer tomorrow." "Paul, please translate this." "I understand   he likes the small bulldozer, but he needs a fast cash investment." "So what would he like:" "The 10m CFA francs or the bulldozer?" " Do you want the bulldozer or 10m?" " The 10m." " Perfect, M. Gilbert." " Thank you." "We're making a preliminary investment   with a man called Gilbert Dalkia." "Do you know him?" "Yes." "In your opinion, is it a good idea?" "It depends on whether you control him, or he does as he likes." "How do we control him to avoid the other thing from happening?" "Here, you have to know the relations people have with one another." "If he thinks you have good relations with people more powerful than him   he will behave." "If he thinks the contrary, you will lose everything." "... we'll end up losing everything." "Hi, Mr. Cortzen from the CAR." "How are you doing?" "The diplomatic passport I have now, can I use that here in the CAR?" "Yeah, you can use it." "But I don't have any accreditation papers with me." "Yeah, I know." "Ah, the envelope shop." "So, Paul, here's 100,000." "It'll make him happy?" "Then here's the envelope of happiness." "Then we go to the meeting with the secretary of the president." "But I don't give the envelope to him." " No, then he will feel corrupted." " I'll make him feel dirty." "But the envelope is for him, yes?" "To make him feel happy." " Let's make some business." " Yes!" "Very, very positive meetings." "I really have a very powerful feeling now." "Now, I really feel like the black albino." "White on the outside, but really black inside." "My cover as a diplomat with lofty plans to open up a match factory   brought me in contact with the most powerful people in Bangui." " Maybe you and M. Cortzen..." " Of course." "I'll take a photo." "Our last meeting was also in darkness." "Then suddenly the light came, and he said to me:" " You even bring on the light." " "You bring out the light."" "I explained to Minister Gaston   that I had imported match-making know-how from India   and was busy setting up a production of matches in Bangui." "I believe in sustainable development and supporting tribal people   so I'd like within this workshop to employ a Pygmy." "It's necessary to educate men so they can become productive." "Even Pygmies." "He says you're on to something that matters a lot to him." "Personal growth." "And that you educate." "It's important, especially when it comes to the Pygmies   to try to raise the level of human beings." "I'd be very happy if the minister could support and help with this endeavor." "I myself live in a village where the main population is Pygmies." "They're not far from where I live, so we can easily gain access to them." "If you're interested, we can go visit the chief of the village." "Meanwhile, a local artist presented the artwork for the matchboxes." "Wow!" "This is nice." "So this says: "Le Ambassadeur, he lights up Africa."" "It says that in tribal language." ""Made by the Pygmies."" "The Pygmies, how do they look?" " They're small and very black." " So we have to put black here." "And this is for the workshop to explain to the Pygmies who the enemy is." "I want to tell them they have to stop depending   on the French and the Chinese and empower themselves." "The baguette." "This is a French man, and this is a Chinese man." "He knows the Chinese are like that." "He says the hair should be more French and stand out   and the Chinese should look more Chinese with smaller eyes." "Nice!" "The only way to become a certified diamond dealer in the CAR   runs through the Department of Mines in Bangui." "To obtain the government's approval of my partnership with M. Gilbert " " I had to sign a standard contract issued by the Department of Mines." "This contract ensures   that if M. Dalkia, the cooperative, finds diamonds he wants to export   they can go out legally." "So I can take stones with me to Europe." "This paper will be like the Swiss army knife of contracts." " This paper is like the Swiss army..." " Yes." "This Swiss army knife of contracts stipulated that I'd oblige myself   to pay all M. Gilbert's expenses for ever." "To avoid this, I went to a law office recommended by Minister Gaston." "The head of the office, a member of parliament, would help us make   a modified version of the contract." "In short, business was good." " How long is it to the Pygmies?" " Only 20 minutes." "Is the minister waiting for us?" "We have soap and cigarettes for the Pygmies?" "Yes, we have soap and cigarettes." "Small, small things." "And the minister..." "As we are there   he wants to buy some wine and drinks   to make a small celebration with them, to see them dancing..." " A Pygmy party?" " Pygmies party!" " Did the minister ever meet Bokassa?" " Yes, he imprisoned me." " Really?" "He put him in jail." " He put me in jail." "He was a dictator." " Do the Pygmies live close to here?" " They are at the corner." "By the lake." " Is it their drums I can hear?" " Yes." "They've started to dance   and have made the spirit go out like a whirlwind in the village." "They've made a tornado by whirling their clothes around." " Beautiful." " They'll do it when we arrive." "You will see the Pygmies in their natural... special power." " So they'll be very happy?" "Excited?" " They're always excited." "Very excited indeed." "Since the early morning hours Minister Gaston had been pouring   liters of red wine and African moonshine into his Pygmies." "Now, the whole tribe, including the children   were in an alcohol-induced state of trance." "This is what the NGO people don't understand." "You can really have fun in Africa." "Amidst this, Minister Gaston made me a proposal I couldn't resist." "The opportunity to meet, face to face, with the minister of defense   the son of the president, Francis Bozize." "This is the way." "If you can meet the son of the president..." "One day the son is on the way to succeed his father." "He'll become president." " You'd better prepare some money..." " For the minister?" "Like an envelope of happiness?" "No problem." "Then the chief of the tribe said they had selected me a Pygmy assistant." " He's in the bush." " What's he doing in the bush?" " They are hunting." " I see." "Please tell him I look forward to working with him." "Thank you very much for the dance, Pygmies." "Could you say that?" "Thank you for the dance, wonderful Pygmies." "I'd like to end my speech   with a quote from the famous American general, General Patton." "He said : "If you tell people where to go without explaining how to do it   you'll be amazed at the results." Thank you very much." "They like the speech?" "Good." "When they clap and whistle, they are very happy." "Good speech." "It was very strong, and it touched the heart." "It's important to touch people's hearts." "Hello, Willem." "This is Mads calling." " Hi, Mads." "How are you doing?" " We need to do the following." "I'm really in a messy situation here because tomorrow " " I'm meeting with the son of the president, the minister of defense." "He thinks I'm a Liberian diplomat." "I'm spending millions of francs on envelopes of happiness for him   because he's important for the facilitation of the match factory." "And you know..." " What did you say, Willem?" " Mads?" "Hello?" " Hello." "Can you hear me?" " I don't hear anything..." "Oh." "Willem, can you hear me?" "Willem?" "Willem Tijssen could not hear me, and that was a shame   because he hadn't delivered all the goods I'd paid him for." "Some months ago he came back to Copenhagen   to collect the first installment, $50,000." "So, greetings from Dr. Eastman." "When you take out that much money, the bank provides you with this bag." "This is only dollars." "Where are we now in the proceedings?" "Well, all preparations are in place." "The whole team over there is prepared for me to come   and then go through the system." "The system requires a lot of attention." ""Going through the system" was a euphemism   for using the money I'd given him   to bribe public officials in Liberia to prepare for my arrival." "Nothing will be controlled." "You'll be treated as a diplomat." "You don't even have to go through customs." "In Liberia I did not go through customs at the airport in Monrovia   and was treated as a diplomat." "Maria, please film the Ministry of Defense." "It's such a beautiful building." "I really like that kind of architecture." " What's left of it." " It's very powerful and minimalistic." "What is the standing of Liberian diplomats in Africa?" "There must be a hierarchy." "They'll treat you like you are a European ambassador in Africa." "They consider you to be, you know..." "His Excellence." "That sounds nice." "Willem Tijssen had personally made 25 clients into Liberian diplomats   but he was part of a much larger system." "According to an investigation made by the Liberian government   over 2,500 diplomatic passports were issued and sold in the 1990s." "Many of the buyers had criminal records." "The Liberian government claims to have cleaned up their affairs now." "But mine and Willem Tijssen's presence in Monrovia   seemed to suggest otherwise." "This confirms that the bearer of this instrument, Mr. Cortzen, has met   with the requirements of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization." "And I've received a driver's license." "It says I live on Clay Street in Monrovia." "After some days at the hotel I was brought to meet Varney Sherman   who is, as they say in Liberia, The Man." "He's Liberia's leading corporate lawyer   whom Danish shipping giant Maersk has hired to help them   take over the free port in Monrovia   and the chairman of President Ellen Johnson's Unity Party." "He's not to be messed with, and I only managed to get away   with a few sound recordings of him done on my cell phone." "Well, we have this Danish businessman   who has an interest in Liberia and has had it for many years." "We thought it appropriate to apply for the courtesy and privilege   of serving as our honorary consul in Bangui, CAR." "That is our interest." "On the recording Sherman explains to the minister of foreign affairs   that Sherman and I are the best of friends   and he warmly endorses me as a diplomat for Liberia." "This really impressed the minister." "As I said, Sherman is The Man." " I will fast track this personally." " Thank you, sir." "For this service I had to give Sherman $35,000   as a secret donation to the upcoming presidential election." " Did Mr. Sherman get the envelope?" " Mr. Sherman got the envelope." "The minute he got it, he left for the Foreign Ministry." "Immediately." " He was very happy." " Good." "When he's happy, I'm happy." "I told the minister I'm not too well, and he should give me all week..." "Yes, my friend." "Yes, I'm there." "Let me get in the car so we can talk." "Sherman's special assistant just called me." " Is there a problem?" " No." "Your letter of appointment must be signed by the president herself." "But there was a problem." "President Ellen Johnson had left the country   so I could no longer get officially appointed as the consul of Liberia." "Put your phone over there, so if it makes a sound, blame your phone." "I would be serving as a borderline diplomat   until the president would have the time to appoint me herself." "Late at night I had a crisis meeting with Willem Tijssen and his team." "The man will leave with a diplomatic passport, a position and appointment." "The president has become involved." "Now she approves the appointment." "I would like to jump in..." "No, no, no, stop!" "I feel here myself as an idiot." "Because it's also my reputation, my name, my everything." "I guaranteed personally to Mr. Cortzen that he would get his position   based on the information I got and the experience we have." "We never had Sherman involved." "Now, suddenly Big Shot has to be involved." "We always played directly with the minister." "Correct." "You know, at one time Mr. Willem gave me six persons." "Six persons!" "We did four in one single day." " Six diplomatic appointments?" " Yes." "In one single day." "You will get your commission printed out..." "The president herself..." "The president herself will put a gown on you." " Like a cape?" " Of course." "A blouse." "So, I have here my proposal for the contract with M. Gilbert." "M. Gilbert." "How are you?" "It's been a long time." "You no call me." "Why you didn't call him by phone?" "Just to speak with him." "You call him." " I called him?" "When?" " He said, why you didn't call him?" " Ah, he wants me to call him?" " Yes, he expects your phone call." "The contract overrode the contract issued by the Department of Mines." "It offered M. Gilbert an investment of 10m CFA francs   in return for a steady flow of diamonds going my way." " So he likes it?" " Yes." " Is it okay?" " But it's not okay." "He read it, but he's not a lawyer." "He has also his advisor." "Even in matters of partnership I understand a lot of things." "So not to rush, but to read it and do something." " Which one is my assistant?" " He is." " And his name is?" " Albert." "I'm very happy he will be my Pygmy assistant." "They always come in pairs." "Never alone." " So I have two Pygmy assistants?" " Okay." "I suggest we go for a little sailing on the river Obangui." " Albert and...?" " Bernard." "Mads or M. Cortzen." "Okay, let's go to the boat." "When Bokassa fell, Dacko was installed by the French   and upon their demand Dacko let the public pillage all that they wanted." "And the French military was ordered to stand back and watch   and only protect the embassy and the residence." " So there were riots?" " Everything was broken." " So the French wanted it to collapse?" " Yes." "But why?" "If the country had remained under the regime of Bokassa   today it would be the Switzerland of Africa." "But instead of exporting raw products, we'd export manufactured products." "But today, when I speak to other business diplomats " " I keep hearing the same story." "The companies trying to establish themselves quickly flee the country." "The French have given the Central Africans a very bad habit." "Corruption." "When they find a corrupt minister here   he automatically gets visa, passport and a residence permit in France." "The amount of difficulties facing a businessman here is beyond belief." "Basic necessities you don't get here." "That's a problem." "In another part of town Sumeet and I were launching the match workshop." "Nice taping technique." "Today, the Central African Republic is very dependant   on the French and the Chinese." "They have to understand regarding the French   that they pretend to be your friends, but they aren't really." "Here's the new player, the Chinese." "You don't see them very much in Bangui, but they are here." "But they are very..." "They hide themselves." "The Chinese want diamonds, cobalt   titanium, gold, iron ore, everything they can get their hands on." "You have to stop that, because your resources are your future." "Now I introduce to you Sumeet from India." "Matches are very important for our daily needs." "It's a very basic essential commodity for a living." " What is this?" " Wood." "Alright." "Do you have wood in your country?" "Too much?" "So why don't we make matches here?" " We have no possibilities." " Why?" "With the support of Mads and me, why can't we make this?" "We can." "But the security situation in the CAR was as bad as ever." "Before I came to Bangui, armed UN forces suddenly pulled out of Birao." "They'd protected the most important town in the "triangle of death "   the area where the CAR borders with Darfur and Chad." "A few weeks later CAR rebels attacked and conquered Birao." "This was bound to happen, and it seemed as if some unknown entity   wanted Birao to fall into the hands of the rebels." "The cousin of President Bozize, MP Willibona Cocksis, also came   to my suite for a confidential talk about the situation in Birao." " My card." " Thank you." "Why is there trouble in Birao?" "From time to time there are noises in Birao because there's oil." "There's oil." "And the powers who want the oil in Birao   they create problems." "The affair of Birao is not a Central African problem." " It's the forces behind." " And who are these forces?" "Well, the forces that you know well." "Despite the security situation, I had to venture in direction of Birao   to make sure M. Gilbert did actually possess a diamond mine." "So I chartered a plane and brought my business partner with me." "We're going straight to Zako." "It's almost two hours." "Then Bria, 30 minutes, and from Bria we come back to Bangui." " What is the security in Zako?" " Oh yes, I must tell you that." "If you go into the bush, you can stay an hour and a half, two hours." "If anything might happen, and you're not back   we're going to take off and go to Bria." "If you can finish as soon as possible, no problem." "There are two French planes." "One in the morning and one at night   who fly over the Central African territory." "French observational military aircraft." "We've asked for the reports for three years, but we've never got them." " Where do they fly to?" " They fly over the territory." "They fly over and take pictures." "They pass with heat and movement detectors." "They know who are traveling, but never tell us." "The column that attacked Birao had 27 vehicles that departed   from the interior of Sudan 400 km away." "Three days before the attack." "The French were well aware of it, but they told us nothing." "The stone in the shoe." " Hello." "How are you?" " How are you?" " M. Gilbert, is he an officer?" " Yes." "They all are." "Then we came to the haunted, blood-soiled diamond fields   of the Central African Republic." "Besides the local rebels, the area is plagued with highway robbers   and marauding bands of killers from the outside." "Therefore, visiting the mines of my business partner had to be   a very quick in and out." " How long do we have?" " An hour and ten minutes." " Where's the other guy?" " He's coming." "Let's go." " What's that?" " The mine." " There it is." "Look." " Amazing." "There are the diamonds." "I have my teams." "What is the biggest diamond they've found here?" "Like that." "It's the site that produces the biggest diamonds in the CAR." "The biggest diamonds come out of here." " I love you... the mine." " It's beautiful." "Here, in these pits, children and adults employed by M. Gilbert   work from dusk to dawn with hands and shovels   under the scrutiny of local soldiers who might as well be rebels." " We have to keep track of the time." " We must be at the plane in 35 mins." " Let's go greet them." " Sure." "At the top of the hierarchy are the Muslim immigrant diamond dealers   who work in tandem with mine owners such as M. Gilbert." " Gilbert, please?" " Yes, finished." " How long is the ride to the plane?" " Five or six... maybe ten." "On our way out, minutes before takeoff, a strange situation erupted." "A young woman who M. Gilbert told us was his wife was brought out   of the headquarters of the Muslim diamond dealers." " Don 't force her..." " Nobody's forcing her." " Leave her alone." " Open the door!" "Open the door!" "How can you say we are forcing her?" "You want me to leave?" "She wants me to go." "Don't do anything shameful in front of these white men." " Okay?" " A big diamond." "Beautiful." " The plane." " Yes!" "He says that without this girl   the business cannot come up very well." "So this is the girl, "the wife of chance"." "So he's taken this girl to gain an advantage in the diamond business?" "To get more diamonds." "If there's a problem with the girl, nothing can go very well." "Myself before, when I saw the girl, I thought it was one of the daughters   but she is his wife." "But the Muslims, they are like that." "You see, he's Muslim." " Gilbert is Muslim?" " Yes." "I didn't know." " So, can we make matches now?" " We can do it." " Yes, we can do it." " Yes, we can." "Why do we use paraffin wax?" "Because once we glow this   you need the stick to glow further." "So it acts as a fuel for the stick." "You can see the paraffin." "And you glow." "See?" "It's coming down." "All along I knew perfectly well   that this match factory never would come into existence." "Thus I was giving these people a false sense of hope." "But diplomats do this every day on a much larger scale   all over Africa." "It's part of the game." "90% of the matches sold here come from Cameroon." " 90% sold here come from Cameroon." " Le Boxeur?" "The owner of this manufacturing company is   a Lebanese with a French diplomatic passport." "He also works secretly for the former French company SITA." "Will he harass me if I attempt to set up a factory here?" "It depends on his resolve." "That depends on how much you want this." "So this is the envelope of happiness?" "Maybe you should have it   because diplomats don't handle money." "That's the most important rule I was told." "Diplomats never handle money." " Because then I will get dirty." " Yes, dirty." "You are right." "The man I was on my way to meet, son of the president " " Jean-Francis Bozize, is the minister of defense." "Not long ago the leader of the rebels, Charles Massi   was captured by the Central African army   and reputedly brought to a secret prison in the jungle outside Bangui." "Here, it is claimed, he was tortured to death." "An accusation which Jean-Francis Bozize denies as a lie." "But people who are in the know tell another story." "Charles Massi was a minister of state." "He took advantage of this position   to divert state funds to buy weapons and start a rebellion." "To try to carry out a state coup aided by France." " He was asking for it." " If he disappears, he disappears." "We're not going to cry over him." " "Bonjour, Excellence?"" " Yes. "Bonjour, Son Excellence."" " "Bonjour, Son Excellence."" " That's right." "I've come to Africa, because Europe has become old and tired." "His smile, among other things, tells me that he's someone   who moves forward." "A pioneer." "I think the most important thing to remember about the CAR is   that it's a young virgin country where there's lots of business to do." "You have seen with your eyes what's going on in the country   and how things are going smoothly in the country." "Soon I'm going back to Liberia to get my diplomatic accreditation papers." "Hopefully I'll also bring some official greeting to the government here   on behalf of Liberia." "It will be an opening of a new vision of the future." " Thank you for coming." " Thank you." "As I became more visible on the radar of President Bozize   my concern about not having my paperwork in order increased   by the hour." "I was afraid nobody in Liberia knew about my presence in Bangui." "How fast would I have my appointment?" " He assumes within a week." " Within a week." "But nothing happened, and more phone calls with Tijssen followed." " Where are you now?" "In Frankfurt?" " Yes." " Where are you?" " In Switzerland." "I can't talk now." "I take your call, because you called me several times." "Who said President Johnson have approved me as the consul?" "That came through the office of Sherman." " I'm in a pretty desperate situation." " I take this very seriously." "So do I, Willem." "I've also been awake all night." "I really need closure on a deal with Liberia." "Let's be serious businessmen and make this work." "I've sent you and Sherman a picture of me and Francis Bozize   just so Sherman knows I'm working on a top level now." "Mads, I'm committed to this." "I respect you so much." "As long as my diplomatic position wasn't in order   it would be difficult for me to transport the diamonds " " I was working so hard to get my hands on." "The Cortzen Group will pay M. Gilbert 10 million CFA francs." "And also there will be five million for different fees." " On top of it, five million?" " Yes." "Let me just talk to him in Danish." "You are aware that you have to pay an additional 5m CFA francs?" " How much is that?" " You agreed on 10m." "Besides that you agreed to pay an additional 5m CFA francs   to help M. Gilbert pay taxes and additional amounts." "That was supposed to be included in the 10m." " How much can we give him?" " I need to look into it." " I can't answer that off hand." " We have to close this now." "But it's perfectly mental to add 5m out of the blue." "I've just been told that if we'd gone to Zako yesterday   we would've got a 27 carat stone worth 90m." "Me with 5m would give us the chance of finding a big stone   so you should pay me that." "He's just talking bull now." ""We'll find rocks for 80m, blah, blah."" "I feel like saying: "Shut your ass." "If you're so rich, pay for it yourself."" "It's a load of bullshit, but he wants 10m now, or we don't have a deal." "Normally, if the deal is altered to such an extent as this   you take your time to read and think it through, before you sign." "I know we're in Africa, and we have momentum   but I'm just saying I wouldn't sign this if I were you." "But in the end we reached an agreement   and it was time for midway celebration." "He also kills his German shepherd dog called Blondie." "But before he kills himself and his wife, he orders a bottle of champagne." "Before committing suicide with his wife, he ordered champagne." "That champagne is Moet Chandon." "So when you're drinking Moet Chandon   you're tasting what Hitler tasted right before he killed himself." "Cheers." " That's good." " Was it a good speech?" " Very good speech." " Thank you, Paul." "Hitler has many funny stories." "Like when he removed the features of ladies and made them into his pillow." "Ah, the pubic hairs?" "Of women, he used for a pillow?" " Really?" " Yes." " Hitler is funny." " Yes, he is funny." " He has many stories." " We should finish the champagne." " Let me serve you." " The rest is for M. Gilbert." "I found one stone that was worth 34 billions   and they stole it." "They stole it, and the issue is at the tribunal." " Who stole it?" " A company here." "Sodiam." " A company called Zodiac." " Sodiam..." "Sodiam!" "Sodiam and Catadiam belong to a Lebanese called Hassan Al-Baqaash   who incidentally is registered on the American list of terrorists." "For supporting Hamas." "Are Gilbert and Sodiam still collaborating?" " Yes." " Yes?" "But he said, you know, they weren't..." "I have the 10m CFA francs here and some additional euros." "I'm meeting with the president after this." "He's going to meet the president." "It's an opportunity to introduce you." " Can I come with him?" " Can he come to the meeting?" " Who?" " Him." "No, it's for the deputies." "With this I can affect the diamond politics." "As a deputy, I can negotiate for him." "If you can mix business and politics, wonderful things can happen." "I'm getting a diplomatic passport." " So he will also be a diplomat?" " He's going to get it." " It's hot." " Yes, very hot." " Are you also interested in... gold?" " Yes." " He also has gold mines?" " He has plenty of gold also." "Even the consul..." "M. Gilbert said he was pushing gold to the Italian consul Giulliani   the most senior member of the consular corps in Bangui." "Maria, can you ask him, when I have the stones and the papers   does he know anybody trustworthy here   who can look at the stones and the papers to see if everything is okay?" " The value or the estimates..." " The Senegalese consul's brother." "All is fine." "I'm sending the future consul of Liberia in Bangui over." "Treat him as you would me." "Thank you." "Thank you, Excellence." "Ciao, ciao." "... of the Cortzen Group 10m CFA francs   in accordance with the agreement of preliminary development   signed November 21st, 2010." " Now I'm officially a diamond man." " Officially." "So we can clap maybe?" "M. Gilbert left the office in high spirits with a bag full of my money." "I could not help asking myself if I'd ever meet my business partner again." " So, you gave him 15 million?" " Yes." "That's good." "That's really good." "He will be happy, yeah?" "He's very happy now, and I don't see him anymore." " That's a bad idea?" " Marc is consul of..." "Great Britain." "He had a mine." "They are closing the company." "They're winding up." "They were working with the government who was their partner." "75% they got in shares, and 35% they gave the government." "They're winding up." "They lost their money." " Everything?" " Yes." "CEO Mads Cortzen calling from Central Africa for counselor Sherman." " Yes." "How are you doing?" " Quite well, thank you, sir." "And you?" "I'm good." "So, do you have any news   regarding my diplomatic position?" "No." "Willem, there are two options." "Either you're playing me, or they're playing you." "Then they're fooling me." "Willem, I'm running out of patience." "I've been throwing thousands and thousands of dollars at you." " Nothing has happened." " Okay." "Just saying okay is not enough." "I need something more convincing." "What can I say?" "I'm here in the middle of a place with people." "What do you want me to do?" "Still no sight of M. Gilbert and the diamonds he'd promised me." "Instead, Paul suddenly showed up and told me " " I had to sign the standard contract from the Department of Mines." "The very reason why I made my own contract with M. Gilbert." "If I sign that, then I'm legally bound   to pay all M. Gilbert's expenses for ever." "Did you read the contract?" " No, I don't understand it like that." " You should read the contract." "Paul, how come..." "We've made a contract now with the lawyer   with everybody, and now you tell us we must sign the other contract?" "If you present the contract you have with M. Gilbert   they will arrest him and stop you." " They will arrest him if they see it?" " Yes." "It's not legal." "We will not sign anything we have not understood fully." "I think that Maria needs to understand   that the contract we've signed with M. Gilbert has to be kept secret." "Because if the government finds out, they'll probably also come after me." " Seriously?" " Yes, because of the situation." "To add to the absurdity, I wasn't even in possession of a copy of the   as I was now informed, highly illegal and confidential contract " " I had made with M. Gilbert." "So, Paul, can you tell him I find it   very problematic and disturbing that I don't have the contract?" "I've prepared four copies." "One for the notary   one for M. Gilbert and one for the archives." "I still don't..." "Isn't it possible to say you'll have the contract today?" " He just needs to make a signature." " I'll explain it to him again." "There is no problem." "Tell him that." "I've given M. Gilbert 10m CFA francs and don't even have a signed contract." "For all I know, M. Gilbert could have left the country now with my money." "You are right." "I don't know why they delay it." "I have a feeling that M. Gilbert and my lawyer are in a conspiracy against me." " This is your impression, but..." " Do you share my impression?" "I noticed they left in the same car   but I haven't the same understanding." "I can see it." "You can see it." "Why don't you say anything about it to me?" " Say what for instance?" " For instance..." ""Mr. Cortzen, I have a bad feeling about the lawyer and M. Gilbert."" " Are you also working for M. Gilbert?" " No." " Are you working for the minister?" " No." " As they have the paper..." " Please answer my question." " Who are you working for?" " We are working with you." "If M. Gilbert is cheating me, I can't make a match factory in this country." "He's a man of wide experience in this field   and now even he's afraid." " Why is he afraid?" " Because this work is very delicate." "You can have plenty of diamonds in your hands." "Always think positively." "I try to think positive, Paul, but I'm getting more and more..." "It's also because I have problems with Monrovia and my accreditation papers." "It's just becoming more and more difficult for me to work   as an African business diplomat." "I feel like everybody's against me." "No, don't feel that." "No." "You have to be strong, or you won't survive in this country." "But my problem is he's not giving me back the contract." "They're not going to give you the paperwork." "When you reach the airport, they will say : "He has diamonds." "Arrest him."" "They will take everything and say:" ""Bye, bye, Mister."" " They also do that do diplomats?" " Everybody." "More problems were coming my way." "From local newspapers and friends in the diplomatic community " " I was told of the assassination of the head of state security " " Guy-Jean Le Foll Yamande." "According to my sources, Yamande had been lured   to the football stadium in Bangui at night where he was shot dead." "It seemed like a professional job." "The local journalists wrote that everyone knew who the killers were." "They walked around freely in Bangui enjoying impunity, the press said   implying that he'd been killed by the very regime he was working for." "Having secret tape recordings with the former head of state security   and not having full diplomatic immunity " " I began to fear what would happen if the government came down on me." "We have contact with different powerful people." "And you also have contact with some diplomats." "When you have contact with someone, they look..." "What is this one doing?" "What is his business?" "You know, Paul, that also made me very worried." "I spoke to a diplomat here, and he said:" ""Mr. Cortzen, be careful." "If you get this paperwork and these stones   somebody here could call the airport and say, he has diamonds."" "That's why everything should be discreet." "Secretly." "If you make too much noise   people will notice that these ones are looking for diamonds." "I had now stopped meeting with other diplomats and government people." "Instead, I was spending most of my time in my ambassador suite   trying to bond with the only two people left in Bangui I could trust." "My two Pygmy assistants." "So, I'd like to introduce Albert and Bernard   to an enormous animal that lives in the sea." "And then one night there was a knock on the door." "Ah, Gilbert." "Good evening." "Hi, Paul." "You take a little bit on the spoon like this..." " Do you like it?" "Very special taste." " It's like something from the sea." "Yes." "Can you taste the power in it?" " Just like the egg of fish." " Yes, it is fish eggs." " It's good." " But it's very expensive." " This one?" " Yes." "This is about 300-400 euros." " This one?" " Yes." "It's the diamonds of the sea." "These are the diamonds   that we get yesterday." "And another one should come tomorrow." "If they see that on him, and he doesn't have papers, they'll beat him up." "He'll even have to pay 20 or 50 or 100 million." "If you don't have papers   they can charge you more than 50 million." " So I should be very careful." " Very careful." "That's what we say:" "The issue of diamonds is very easy and very difficult." "Easy if you have all the right papers." "Then you can do what you want." " So I'm basically..." "They fell out." " Be careful." " There..." "You must move your feet." " It's here." " There it is." "Oh, my God." " Be careful." "How could it happen?" "Are there any more?" "Check under your shoes." "Diamonds from a conflict area without papers are blood diamonds." "And being in possession of the blood diamonds of M. Gilbert   as well as having signed an illegal contract with him   made my need for diplomatic immunity bigger than ever before." " Mr. Cortzen, how are you?" " I'm very fine, Mr. Sherman." "I talked to the acting minister, and it's not possible." "He doesn't have the authority and cannot do it." "But could I have something which could give me credibility here." " I'm dealing with high-ranking..." " No, no, no." "You can't have anything, because..." "No, Mr. Cortzen, I won't lie to you." "What about a piece of paper saying I'm in the process of, you know..." "Don't ask me to get you something that is not normally obtained." "There is nothing called "being in the process of being appointed. "" "You're either appointed or not." "Does M. Gilbert have something for me today?" "M. Gilbert has something for you." "What you need." " Does he have the papers with them?" " No." "Here, many diplomats, many businessmen   many high people do this business, but not officially." "They just make the arrangement." "And they put it in a very secret way, in their body." "But where do I put it on my body?" "Put it in a good way." "Put it in your pants." "We will show him." "He puts it like this, and he goes through." "Don't be too much..." "scared... chicken." "You're lucky." "He's very relaxed to cooperate with you." " So I have the right partner." " It is a matter of being relaxed." "And being very secret and discreet." "How nice." "Very beautiful." " And so many." " We can find more." " Thank you, M. Gilbert." " Give it to Maria, if you're not sure." "No fucking way!" "This stops right now." "I cannot take any more of this." "Seriously!" " I was just thinking for the issue..." " No!" " No, no, no!" " What happened from here?" "Diamonds thrive on discretion and secrecy, so let's leave it like that." "But M. Gilbert, my business partner, was finally elected to parliament   where he now serves as a deputy of the president's party." "Th is will be the beginning of a new white and black cooperation." "Paul was given 0.5m CFA francs to incorporate the match factory   but has suffered several setbacks because of malaria." "Bernard and Albert, my two Pygmy assistants, were given the tools   for making matches by hand and are busy practicing their skills." "Still no arrests have been made in the case   of the assassination of the former head of state security." "But I've since discovered that his predecessor   another white Frenchman, was also assassinated with poison   two years ago." "And while we're at it " " Dr. Eastman, the mysterious boss of Willem Tijssen, is also dead." "According to a letter from Tijssen, Dr. Eastman died from heart failure   while being on a secret mission in a remote area of Bolivia." "Emperor Bokassa, who personally took part in killing his own people   was recently rehabilitated post mortem by President Bozize   as a way of marking 50 years of independence from France." "And I?" "What did I do?" "I was finally invited back to Monrovia for my official appointment." "When I have my vin d'honneur in Bangui, I will invite you there." "Alright." "We will honor the invitation." "We have shaken hands plenty, but let's do some more." "Dr. Toga McIntosh is the minister of foreign affairs in Liberia." "After the civil war, a truth and reconciliation commission report   listed 50 Liberians to be banned for life from holding public office   because of their role during the war." "My new boss, Minister McIntosh, is on the list." "But who cares   because President Ellen Johnson herself is also on that list." "As my friend Mr. Sherman says the commission's report is irrelevant   because it was too ambitious." "So let's just get on with life as it is." "But that is a perfect ending of the story that I end up becoming..." " The consul for real." " That is the bottom line." "They say in diplomacy that consuls are the Cinderellas of diplomacy." "I haven't read that part of the book yet." "I'm learning every day." " I feel like a Cinderella now." " Why?" "Oh, you mean..." "You will go to the party, don't worry." "At midnight you'll have to get back on time, but you'll go to the party." "Before my coach transforms into a pumpkin." "Your Excellences, consuls, ladies and gentlemen." "On behalf of Liberia, I'd like to welcome you all to this soiree." "Hip hip hurrah!" "Hip hip hurrah!" "Hip hip hurrah!" "Paul, also a cheer for the Pygmies."