VOL. 65, NO. 2 Mars – March 2006 - AAFI-AFICS, Geneva - UNOG

OF CABBAGES AND KINGSUnlikely as this may seem, I am an expert on security.Security Rooted in InsecurityWhen I was young (I am incapable of avoiding that phrase) there was no security. What I mean is that therewas no insecurity. There were no double locked doors, steel reinforced doors, ID cards, electronic gates,magnetic badges, telephonic codes, electronic codes, barriers, remote control garages and the other devicesnow busy improving the quality of our life.I have survived the installation of several security systems - in my apartment building, garage, cellar, holidayhome, the homes of my friends, shops and enterprises, the Palais des Nations, the ILO, the ViennaInternational Centre, the UN in New York and others. I have watched their gentle beginnings and kept afatherly eye on their astonishing growth. I have had expertise thrust upon me.Security was not invented in one fell swoop just because President Bush declared war on terrorism; itsneaked up on us step by sneaky step: sneakily, surreptitiously, schemingly, secretively, slyly, shiftily,stealthily, subtly, salami-tactically. And suddenly we realized we were in a fortress; leave alone get in, wecould hardly get out.First, it was our garage that was kept locked except when someone had banged into it. I did that once; itincreased my expertise.What is the use of a security system if you can walk into the garage through the basement? cried the honestcitizens of our building.So we installed a steel door that locked automatically. A week later my car was stolen from the garage. Thisadded to my growing expertise. (Unfortunately the police found the car just when I was acquiring a shiny newone, courtesy of the insurance company. I do wish the police weren’t so efficient.)The thwarted marauders turned their attention to the cellars. How wonderful, I thought, I hope they steal allthe junk that fills mine and that I have been promising to get rid of for years. My hopes were answered; mycellar was burgled twice. But they left the junk and took away the rest. My expertise continued to growexponentially.What’s the use of a security system that allows anyone to take the lift down to the basement? cried thehonest citizens of our building.Next step: the lift was doctored so you needed a key to coax it to the basement – no more button-pressingdescents. Nor ascents. If you’re in the basement and want to go up, you also need a key. A canny burglarcould however wait till someone comes down to go to the poubelle, or the laundry or to his cellar, and hop in.We must bar people from coming into the building, cried the honest citizens of our building. So a gadget witha telephonic code was installed. Luckily, the gadget was so heavy that the door hung open anyway; thissaved a lot of trouble.What is the use of a security door that always hangs open? cried the honest citizens of our building. Thewelcoming door was replaced by one encased in steel. You could no longer afford to forget the code.What is the use of this door being closed if the outer door is open? cried the honest citizens of our building. Itwas the turn of the door leading to the outside world. We installed a system in keeping with our highstanding; Saddam Hussain would have called it the mother of all security systems.While this drama was being enacted, our holiday apartment was under siege. Both the front and the backdoors had locks, both were traditionally left open to simplify life. This would not do, so new locks wereinstalled which closed automatically. On the first day, I went to fetch something from the car and discoveredthat I was locked out. I shouted to my wife hoping she would come out on the balcony like Juliet; she didn’t.38