question

What could Geronimo do to possibly forecast this situation in order to be prepared?

  • Geronimo should have checked carefully the background information available on the local NGO: has the NGO already been involved in specific types of incidents? Is it a well-known organization, with a clear international reputation? Is it related to political organizations? How well is it known for protecting the integrity of its personnel? There are NGOs that put special care in protecting both their relations with the governments, and with their employees. In addition, there are NGOs whose representatives have the effective capability of preventing risky incidents from taking place.
  • Geronimo should have also considered the idea that these types of incidents can happen, even with high frequency, in relation to the specific context of the country of destination. Furthermore, he should have thought about the overall security of the social environment that he would experience during his internship.
  • Geronimo should have asked himself whether this type of incident could originate from someone inside the local NGO: had anyone pointed him out to the authorities? Where did it all get started? In case some elements made Geronimo feel that the incident originated from other employers within the NGO, he should report it to the Italian embassy or consular representation and leave the country immediately.
  • A relevant question of interest for Geronimo could be related to the claim of the ‘secret agent’ activity. National security or ‘secret’ services are in charge of protecting the integrity of a state and its institutions at the highest level. As such, they usually enjoy access to sensitive information on individuals and organizations. Incidents involving this type of actor can be considered as carrying a potentially high level of risk. In theory, Geronimo should have tried to gain a better understanding of what was going on. For instance, he could have tried to understand whether the person who approached him could have truly been a member of the security services. However, enquiring about this could have put Geronimo at a greater risk, regardless of the true institutional affiliation of his stalker. On this matter, it would have been important for Geronimo to seek further advice, also from trusted contacts outside the country of destination.