Part II
Your Work Place
You can be just as vulnerable here as
anywhere else in the country. You
probably are safer, but there are
still some precautions that should be
taken.
Safeguard all sensitive or proprie-
tary papers and documents; do not
leave them lying around in the
office or on top of a desk.
Guard your conversations so that
unauthorized personnel are not able
to eavesdrop on discussions
pertaining to proprietary
information, personnel issues or
management planning or problems.
In many countries, employees are
debriefed by the local intelligence
or security services in an effort to
learn as much as possible about
activities of American companies
and their personnel.
Be careful of all communications.
Be aware that the monitoring of
telephone, telegraph and international
mail is not uncommon in some countries.
Just as air travel calls for planning
and preparation to lessen the risks of
unfortunate experiences while traveling,
Rail Travel also requires certain
extreme preventive measures in order
to lessen the likelihood of the traveler
becoming a victim.
Important : Avoid train travel in
Mexico.
Driving in Mexico City
Remember avoid driving in Mexico City.
If you must drive, Obtain an
International Drivers Permit (IDP).
This can be purchased through your AAA
Club. Have your passport photos and a
completed application. There will be a
fee involved. Carry both your IDP and
your state driver's license with you
at all times.
Check the laws
before you drive in any country.
Always "buckle up".
Mexico has penalties for people who
violate this law.
If you rent a car, always purchase the
liability insurance. If you do not,
this could lead to financial disaster.
If you have an accident in Mexico City
and if it's your fault. You could be
held until you prove to be financially
able to pay for repairs or medical
bills.
Remember this important fact vehicles
in Mexico City travel the streets on
their designated days. Those days are
based on the letters and numbers of
the license plate. Your rental is for
days you drive and don't. If you are
stopped on the streets with the wrong
dates the vehicle can and will be
towed away.
Mexico has different driving rules,
obtain a copy of them before you begin
driving in that country.
Always know the route you will be
traveling. Have a copy of a good road
map, and chart your course before
beginning.
Do not pick up hitchhikers or strangers.
When entering your vehicle, be aware of
your surroundings.
Personal Conduct Overseas
DO NOT's to remember:
DO NOT do anything which might be
misconstrued or reflect poorly on your
personal judgment, professional
demeanor, or embarrassing to you and/or
your company.
DO NOT gossip about character flaws,
financial problems, emotional
relationships or marital difficulties
of anyone working for the company,
including yourself.
DO NOT carry, use or purchase any
narcotics, marijuana, or other abused
drugs. Mexicio has very stringent laws
covering the import or use of
medications and other substances.
If you are using a prescribed
medication that contains any narcotic
substance or other medication that is
subject to abuse, such as amphetamines
or tranquilizers, carry a copy of the
doctor's prescription for all
medications and check your local
restrictions and requirements prior
to departure.
DO NOT let a friendly ambiance and
alcohol override your good sense and
capacity when it comes to social
drinking. In Mexico, heavy
drinking in the form of toasting is
quite common, and very few
westerners can keep up with a local
national when it comes to drinking
the national brew.
An intoxicated or hung over business
negotiator could, if they are not
careful, prove to be very embarrassing
to themselves and expensive to the
company.
In these situations, prudence is
essential.
DO NOT engage in "Black Market"
activities such as the illegal
exchange of currency, or the purchase
of religious icons or other local
antiquities.
DO NOT accept or deliver letters,
packages or anything else from anyone
unknown to you. You have no way of
knowing what you are carrying and it
could result in your being arrested for
illegally exporting a prohibited item.
DO NOT engage in any type of political
or religious activity, or carry any
political or religious tracts or
brochures, or publications likely to
be offensive in the host country, such
as pornography or mercenary/weapons.
DO NOT photograph anything that appears
to be associated with the military or
internal security of the country,
including airports, ports, or
restricted areas such as military
installations.
If in doubt, DO NOT.
DO NOT purchase items that are illegal
to import such as endangered species or
agricultural products.
ARRESTED
I've Been Arrested!What Do I Do Now?
Foreign police and intelligence
agencies detain persons for a myriad
of reasons or for no other reason than
suspicion or curiosity.
The best advice is to exercise good
judgment, be professional in your
demeanor and remember the suggestions
and hints that are listed in this post.
But, if you are detained or arrested
for some reason, here are some points
to remember:
DO ask to contact the nearest embassy
or consulate representing your country.
As a citizen of another country, you
have this right; but that does not mean
that your hosts will allow you to
exercise that right. If you are refused
or just ignored, continue to make the
request periodically until they accede
and let you contact your embassy or
consulate.
DO stay calm, maintain your dignity
and do not do anything to provoke the
arresting officer(s).
DO NOT admit anything or volunteer any
information.
DO NOT sign anything. Often, part of
the detention procedure is to ask or
tell the detainee to sign a written
report.
Decline politely until such time as the
document is examined by an attorney or
an embassy/consulate representative.
DO NOT accept anyone on face value.
When the representative from the
embassy or consulate arrives, request
some identification before discussing
your situation.
DO NOT fall for the ruse of helping
the ones who are detaining you in
return for your release. They can be
very imaginative in their proposals on
how you can be of assistance to them.
Do not sell yourself out by agreeing
to anything. If they will not take no
for an answer, do not make a firm
commitment or sign anything. Tell them
that you will think it over and let
them know. Once out of their hands,
contact the affiliate or your embassy
for protection and assistance in
getting out of the country.
Be suspicious of the accidental
encounter with an unknown local
national who strikes up a conversation
and wants to:
Practice English or other language.
Talk about your country of origin or
your employment.
Buy you a drink because they have
taken a liking to you.
Talk to you about politics. Avoid it.
Use a myriad of other excuses to begin
a "friendly" relationship. If any of
the above or anything else occurs which
just does not ring true,
BE SUSPICIOUS!! It may be innocent but,
exercise prudence and good judgment.
Kidnapped for Ransom Survival
Any traveler could become a kidnapped
hostage. The odds of that happening are
extremely low when the number of
travelers is compared to the number of
people that have actually become
kidnapped . However, there is always
that slim chance that a traveler could
end up being in the wrong place at the
wrong time. With this in mind, the
traveler should make sure that his/her
affairs are in order before they
travel abroad. Items of particular
importance to an individual in a
hostage situation are the currentness
of an up-to date will, insurance
policy and a power of attorney for the
spouse. If these items have been taken
care of before departure, the employee
will not have to worry about the
family's welfare and the hostage can
focus all of his/her efforts on the
one thing of paramount importance and
that's SURVIVAL!!
To survive, travelers should realize
that there are certain dynamics
involved in a hijacking or a
kidnapping, and, to increase their
ability to survive, they must under-
stand how these interacting forces
affect the end result. Each individual
involved in an incident of this type
will have an impact on the eventual
outcome. One wrong move by either a
victim or a perpetrator could easily
result in a disaster rather than a
peaceful conclusion to the incident.
The first thing that a traveler should
remember is that he or she is not the
only one that is scared and nervous.
Everyone involved is in the same
emotional state, including the
perpetrators.
Fear can trigger a disaster, and it
does not take much for some
individuals to set off a defensive
spate of violence.
Whether it is a demonstration of
violence to reinforce a demand or to
incite fear in the minds of the
hostages, the violence will be
motivated by fanaticism and/or fear
and that violence will be directed at
the person(s) who are perceived to be
a threat or a nuisance to the hijackers.
To minimize the possibility of being
selected for special attention by the
perpetrators and to maximize your
ability to survive a hostage situation,
here are some guidelines to remember:
Kidnapped Survival Guidelines
Kidnapping can take place in public
areas where someone may quietly force
you, by gunpoint, into a vehicle. They
can also take place at a hotel or
residence, again by using a weapon to
force your cooperation in leaving the
premises and entering a vehicle. The
initial phase of kidnapping is a
critical one because it provides one of
the best opportunities to escape.
If you are in a public area at the time
of abduction, make as much commotion as
possible to draw attention to the
situation.
If the abduction takes place at your
hotel room, make noise, attempt to
arouse the suspicion or concern of
hotel employees or of those in
neighboring rooms minimally, the fact
that an abduction has taken place will
be brought to the attention of
authorities and the process of
notification and search can begin.
Otherwise, it could be hours or days
before your absence is reported.
Once you have been forced into a
vehicle, you may be blindfolded,
physically attacked (to cause
unconsciousness), drugged, or forced
to lie face down on the floor of the
vehicle. In some instances, hostages
have been forced into trunks or
specially built compartments for
transporting contraband.
Do not struggle in your confined
state; calm yourself mentally,
concentrate on surviving. Employ
your mind by attempting to visualize
the route being taken, take note of
turns, street noise, smells, etc. Try
to keep track of the amount of time
spent between points.
Once you have arrived at your
destination, you may be placed in a
temporary holding area before being
moved again to a more permanent
detention site.
If you are interrogated:
Retain a sense of pride but be
cooperative. Divulge only information
that cannot be used against you.
Do not antagonize your interrogator
with obstinate behavior.
Concentrate on surviving; if you are
to be used as a bargaining tool or to
obtain ransom, you will be kept alive.
After reaching what you may presume to
be your permanent detention site (you
may be moved several more times),
quickly settle into the situation:
Be observant.
Notice the details of the room, the
sounds of activity in the building and
determine the layout of the building
by studying what is visible to you.
Listen for sounds through walls,
windows or out in the streets, and
try to distinguish between smells.
Stay mentally active by memorizing
the aforementioned details.
Exercise your memory and practice
retention. Keep track of time.
Devise a way to track the day, date
and the time, and use it to devise a
daily schedule of activities for
yourself.
Know your captors.
Memorize their schedule, look for
patterns of behavior to be used to
your advantage, and identify
weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
Use all of the above information to
seek opportunities to escape.
Remain cooperative.
Attempt to establish rapport with your
captors or guards.
Once a level of communication is
achieved, try asking for items which
will increase your personal comfort.
Make them aware of your needs.
Stay physically active. Even if your
movement is extremely limited.
Use isometric and flexing exercises to
keep your muscles toned.
If you detect the presence of other
hostages in the same building, devise
ways to communicate.
DO NOT be uncooperative, antagonistic,
or hostile towards your captors.
It is a fact that hostages who display
this type of behavior are kept captive
longer or are singled out for torture
or punishment.
Watch for signs of Stockholm Syndrome
which occurs when the captive, due to
the close proximity and the constant
pressures involved, begins to relate
to, and empathize with, the captors.
In some cases, this relationship has
resulted in the hostage become
empathetic to the point that he/she
actively participates in the
activities of the group.
You should attempt to establish a
friendly rapport with your captors,
but maintain your personal dignity
and do not compromise your integrity.
If you are able to escape, attempt to
get first to a U.S. Embassy or
Consulate to seek protection. If you
cannot reach either, go to a host
government or friendly government
entity.
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