Bikewer
Penultimate Amazing
The various goings-on in Africa are enough to turn anyone's stomach, and the lack of any meaningful response by the international community is inexcusable.
They interviewed a marine captain on Morning Edition this morning, who had been assigned as part of the monitoring group in Sudan.
He vividly described watching the Arab militias being ferried to villages where they murdered, raped and looted, all with the cooperation of the Sudanese military.
The military officer who he was assigned to told him he could do nothing, as the militias were "not under his control".
The Congo, Zimbabwe, Civil War, Aids, Malaria, the destruction of the environment, massive ignorance and illiteracy...Where do you start?
It seems the only people doing anything are small private aid groups, and they are frequently in as much danger as the population.
Aid monies tend to be siphoned off in the massive network of corrupt officials.
They interviewed a marine captain on Morning Edition this morning, who had been assigned as part of the monitoring group in Sudan.
He vividly described watching the Arab militias being ferried to villages where they murdered, raped and looted, all with the cooperation of the Sudanese military.
The military officer who he was assigned to told him he could do nothing, as the militias were "not under his control".
The Congo, Zimbabwe, Civil War, Aids, Malaria, the destruction of the environment, massive ignorance and illiteracy...Where do you start?
It seems the only people doing anything are small private aid groups, and they are frequently in as much danger as the population.
Aid monies tend to be siphoned off in the massive network of corrupt officials.
a_unique_person
Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning
As I linked to earlier, the World Bank has had a change of heart over the recent years, and now lends small amounts for small projects, empowering the locals to help themselves. This is apparently working at reducing poverty, improving education, etc. The UN is also at work, although you won't read much about it for some reason. I read about a UN school in one African country, underfunded, no desks (They used all their money for books), but their it was, at work, and and hopefully creating an educated new generation.
Australia has been involved in local peace keeping operations (not all altruistic, we got a fair bit of oil from the east timor peace keeping operation, for example). But still, doing our bit in the Solomons and Papua New Guinea. If Australian troops were committed to a meaningful (that is, they aren't likely to be massacred), peace operation in Africa, I would be all for it.
One final gripe they appear to have in Africa is the way that subsidised (read, the whole western world) farm products undermine the viability of their own local farmers.
Australia has been involved in local peace keeping operations (not all altruistic, we got a fair bit of oil from the east timor peace keeping operation, for example). But still, doing our bit in the Solomons and Papua New Guinea. If Australian troops were committed to a meaningful (that is, they aren't likely to be massacred), peace operation in Africa, I would be all for it.
One final gripe they appear to have in Africa is the way that subsidised (read, the whole western world) farm products undermine the viability of their own local farmers.
Mycroft
High Priest of Ed
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2003
- Messages
- 20,501
a_unique_person said:
Is this going to become like that letter from Cleo's Arab friend in the Gaza Strip, trotted out to "prove" anything you want no matter how tenuous the connection?
You read an article. Congratulations. The next step is to learn to read books with chapters. You have about a week now, go out and get a copy of The Case for Democracy and join us in the book club.