war again?

in africa?

in congo precisely!

abi na too much monkie meat wahala?

where is south-africa superpower oppp of africa now needed

the sad thing for them is that,the global credit crunch american elections e.t.c is not helping them occupying the front burner considering the gravity and urgency

How we fuel Africa's bloodiest war

What is rarely mentioned is the great global heist of Congo's resources

Thursday, 30 October 2008

The deadliest war since Adolf Hitler marched across Europe is starting again – and you are almost certainly carrying a blood-soaked chunk of the slaughter in your pocket. When we glance at the holocaust in Congo, with 5.4 million dead, the clichés of Africa reporting tumble out: this is a "tribal conflict" in "the Heart of Darkness". It isn't. The United Nations investigation found it was a war led by "armies of business" to seize the metals that make our 21st-century society zing and bling. The war in Congo is a war about you.
Every day I think about the people I met in the war zones of eastern Congo when I reported from there. The wards were filled with women who had been gang-raped by the militias and shot in the vagina. The battalions of child soldiers – drugged, dazed 13-year-olds who had been made to kill members of their own families so they couldn't try to escape and go home. But oddly, as I watch the war starting again on CNN, I find myself thinking about a woman I met who had, by Congolese standards, not suffered in extremis.


People throw stones at UN peacekeepers patrolling on a road in Kibati, about 16 miles north of Goma

I was driving back to Goma from a diamond mine one day when my car got a puncture. As I waited for it to be fixed, I stood by the roadside and watched the great trails of women who stagger along every road in eastern Congo, carrying all their belongings on their backs in mighty crippling heaps. I stopped a 27 -year-old woman called Marie-Jean Bisimwa, who had four little children toddling along beside her. She told me she was lucky. Yes, her village had been burned out. Yes, she had lost her husband somewhere in the chaos. Yes, her sister had been raped and gone insane. But she and her kids were alive.
I gave her a lift, and it was only after a few hours of chat along on cratered roads that I noticed there was something strange about Marie-Jean's children. They were slumped forward, their gazes fixed in front of them. They didn't look around, or speak, or smile. "I haven't ever been able to feed them," she said. "Because of the war."
Their brains hadn't developed; they never would now. "Will they get better?" she asked. I left her in a village on the outskirts of Goma, and her kids stumbled after her, expressionless.
There are two stories about how this war began – the official story, and the true story. The official story is that after the Rwandan genocide, the Hutu mass murderers fled across the border into Congo. The Rwandan government chased after them. But it's a lie. How do we know? The Rwandan government didn't go to where the Hutu genocidaires were, at least not at first. They went to where Congo's natural resources were – and began to pillage them. They even told their troops to work with any Hutus they came across. Congo is the richest country in the world for gold, diamonds, coltan, cassiterite, and more. Everybody wanted a slice – so six other countries invaded.
These resources were not being stolen to for use in Africa. They were seized so they could be sold on to us. The more we bought, the more the invaders stole – and slaughtered. The rise of mobile phones caused a surge in deaths, because the coltan they contain is found primarily in Congo. The UN named the international corporations it believed were involved: Anglo-America, Standard Chartered Bank, De Beers and more than 100 others. (They all deny the charges.) But instead of stopping these corporations, our governments demanded that the UN stop criticising them.
There were times when the fighting flagged. In 2003, a peace deal was finally brokered by the UN and the international armies withdrew. Many continued to work via proxy militias – but the carnage waned somewhat. Until now. As with the first war, there is a cover-story, and the truth. A Congolese militia leader called Laurent Nkunda – backed by Rwanda – claims he needs to protect the local Tutsi population from the same Hutu genocidaires who have been hiding out in the jungles of eastern Congo since 1994. That's why he is seizing Congolese military bases and is poised to march on Goma.


People cook as they stay in an improvised Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp in Kibati, about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) north of the provincial capital of Goma

It is a lie. François Grignon, Africa Director of the International Crisis Group, tells me the truth: "Nkunda is being funded by Rwandan businessmen so they can retain control of the mines in North Kivu. This is the absolute core of the conflict. What we are seeing now is beneficiaries of the illegal war economy fighting to maintain their right to exploit."
At the moment, Rwandan business interests make a fortune from the mines they illegally seized during the war. The global coltan price has collapsed, so now they focus hungrily on cassiterite, which is used to make tin cans and other consumer disposables. As the war began to wane, they faced losing their control to the elected Congolese government – so they have given it another bloody kick-start.
Yet the debate about Congo in the West – when it exists at all – focuses on our inability to provide a decent bandage, without mentioning that we are causing the wound. It's true the 17,000 UN forces in the country are abysmally failing to protect the civilian population, and urgently need to be super-charged. But it is even more important to stop fuelling the war in the first place by buying blood-soaked natural resources. Nkunda only has enough guns and grenades to take on the Congolese army and the UN because we buy his loot. We need to prosecute the corporations buying them for abetting crimes against humanity, and introduce a global coltan-tax to pay for a substantial peacekeeping force. To get there, we need to build an international system that values the lives of black people more than it values profit.
Somewhere out there – lost in the great global heist of Congo's resources – are Marie-Jean and her children, limping along the road once more, carrying everything they own on their backs. They will probably never use a coltan-filled mobile phone, a cassiterite-smelted can of beans, or a gold necklace – but they may yet die for one.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-how-we-fuel-africas-bloodiest-war-978461.html

that article was really insightful,but i dont see the populace generally as being culpable in promoting the violence by the use of mobile phones, its not like the sierra leone liberia situation and blood diamonds, many people do not even know the mineral resources used in making mobile phones and controlling it is the cause,having said that i wonder why the european union and america are not placing a trade embargo of some sort on its export untill things are sorted .again like the liberian/sierra leone war i see the hand of some greedy,unscropulous western business ppl with no conscience who ll gladly take advantage of the war to get their mineral deposits cheaper than it wuld have been sold on the open market,while we know the de beers and others are behind it,its sad to say as long as the whole of africa continues to operate individually and not speak in oe voice then we will continue to be exploited in one way or another, this iswhere i give kudos to the nigerian governmet because irrespective of what the situation has been in our country,they have always and consistently stepped up to be counted and have always helped other african countries when our help was needed,
i guess we shouldnt keep quiet till it gets to a situation like rwanda,just discussing it on here and educating people around you will go a long way in sensitisig ppl of the danger

I pray for Africa every night, Congo in particular. That country is so disturbed by rebel factions (influenced by tribal tension), and everyone is fighting over their slice of the pie. The government is trying their best, but it seems like outside forces (ie. Rwanda, Uganda) seem to think they have the right to meddle in Congolese affairs, while at the same time sending their troops in to steal their natural resources.

.

the region has always been bugged down by internal conflicts even before the arrival of whites. they be were for there

this is when Nigerian Leadership would have changed the face of Africa.

But alas, we are bogged down by inept and corrupt leadership.

weep not for africa. weep not!

my heart goes to ordinary people of congo, they have become pawns in this evil game.

What African people have to understand is that World Powers create conflicts for wars that are not real but at heart are aligned with business ambitions. In that way, the illuminati and the western world can gain more natural resources and control.

yea but african leaders themselves have not helped the situation when they cannot speak with one voice,ghadaffi tried to midwife a uninet africa but failed woefully and had to abandon it in frustration

I don't care about Western influences or whatever evil fangs they spread to us, why do we always enslave and kill our own people? Do we have wickedness and greed embedded in our genes or what? Are Africans a special breed? Christ!!!

stillwater:

I don't care about Western influences or whatever evil fangs they spread to us, why do we always enslave and kill our own people? Do we have wickedness and greed embedded in our genes or what? Are Africans a special breed? Christ!!!

not really,  the colonial powers left african countries unprepared to government themselves.  colonial policies of favoring one ethnic group over the other increased already existing tensions.  The AU has to be strengthened with a mandate.  i see no reasons why countries like rwanda and uganda shouldn't be suspended from the AU if they continue to interfere in the affairs of congo.   as long as african leaders turn a blind eye to each other(i chop u chop), all these mess would continue.

ghadaffi tried to midwife a uninet africa but failed woefully and had to abandon it in frustration

he is an opportunist and shouldn't be taken seriously by his arab and african counterparts.  read about how libya almost destroyed chad. 


white people are not the problems, blacks are their own worst enemies

.

bawomolo:

not really, the colonial powers left african countries unprepared to government themselves. colonial policies of favoring one ethnic group over the other increased already existing tensions. The AU has to be strengthened with a mandate. i see no reasons why countries like rwanda and uganda shouldn't be suspended from the AU if they continue to interfere in the affairs of congo. as long as african leaders turn a blind eye to each other(i chop u chop), all these mess would continue.

the au has the mandate, the will to actually speak with one voice is and has always been the problem,the au with thabo mbeki playing a big role mediated and sorted the zimbabwe imbroglio,they also played a part in liberia especially nigeria in spite of its internal problems

bawomolo:



he is an opportunist and shouldn't be taken serious by his arab and african counterparts. read about how libya almost destroyed chad.


white people are not the problems, blacks are their own worse enemies

well ghadaffi might be an opportunist but ill choose him over austria and the likes of leopold who went on a cutting spree of congolese inhabitants arms because of rubber or the de beers who continually fuelled conflicts because of diamonds and that s not mentioning the black market dealers over seas,same goes for the mobile phone manufacturers who have turned a blind eye to the congolese conflicts and payed the strongest part of the conflict not caring what their payment was fuelling, when white ppl were made to account to an extent in liberia after much pressure from the international community with the into of the blood diamond european law didnt the conflict get under controll?

Video: http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=IhFYD8UKVg8

the au has the mandate,  the will to actually speak with one voice is and has always been the problem,the au with thabo mbeki playing a big role mediated and sorted the zimbabwe imbroglio,they also played a part in liberia especially nigeria in spite of its internal problems

zimbabwe is about to implode with the dispute over ministerial positions. kenya is in a political crisis again.   the au is a joke.  you can mediate if you have no capable peacekeeping force.  rwanda, angola and uganda can put an end to these mess if they were really serious about peace.

well ghadaffi might be an opportunist but ill choose him over austria and the likes of leopold

do you know what libya did in Chad?? if so, you would understand why ghadaffi shouldn't be trusted. he is part of the old garb of OAU tyrants

There Is An Ongoing Battle For The Resources Of Africa. The Two Most Prominent Battlefronts Is The Congo And Darfur, Sudan. This Is A Holocaust That Most Africans Are Ignorant Of. Untold Millions Have Died And Will Die if we dont react.

nonesnse

this goes to show u how decay nigeria is?
by this time, nigeria should be medium super power, that will crush any imbeciles that wana start some $hit in africa.

blame nigeria! cry africa

bawomolo:

zimbabwe is about to implode with the dispute over ministerial positions. kenya is in a political crisis again. the au is a joke. you can mediate if you have no capable peacekeeping force. rwanda, angola and uganda can put an end to these mess if they were really serious about peace.

"omplode"is stretching it a bit isnt it?yes they r having dissagreements same as we have in nigeria with pdp,ac,and other political parties, we dont say nigeria is about to "implode" remember mugabe had been a one man show for so long,so it ll take a bit of horse trading and battering to sort the negotiations out,the most important thng is that contrary to the west,at least they r still talking,i agree the au is a joke but its not because of the mandate or power,its because they r not united with one voice, nigeria sends peace keeping forces everywhere in africa,south africa r capable north africa e.t.c if there is unity of purpose.how exactly will rwanda,angola,uganda bring about this peace without outside iterference?

bawomolo:



do you know what libya did in Chad?? if so, you would understand why ghadaffi shouldn't be trusted. he is part of the old garb of OAU tyrants

im not arguing that point with you,all i am saying which i want your vie on is that is ghadaffi better or worse than the austrians?secondly faced with a choice of oau tyrants and chinese/austria and the likes who dyu realistically think will seek an end to conflicts in africa?

ikeyman00:

nonesnse

this goes to show u how decay nigeria is?
[b]by this time, nigeria should be medium super power, that will crush any imbeciles that wana start some $hit in africa.[/b]blame nigeria! cry africa

true especially in times like these, when instead of waiting for the international community
to arrange combat forces, we send ecomog/au force who are mainly nigerians anyway!
this is the time we should be pushing our weight around, threatening Rebel leaders and
neighbouring government for supporting them

It's almost as if every african leader especially the bigger ones have some huge skeleton
in their cupboard preventing them from speaking out, and africa meadia dont help too
even though they are private they still act like they are owned by the government focussing
on trivia issues or government press releases!

the army in a democratic dispensation should be made busy instead of groming their
big belly in the barracks, this is the time they should be earning us brownie point on the
international stage

3-8 fighter jets to crush those rebels
2 hurcules full of dangote grains for the displaced
some nigerian graduate volunteers for the injured and building new communities
some brownie point from AU/UN and a seat on the security council!!!!!!

the army in a democratic dispensation should be made busy instead of groming their
big belly in the barracks, this is the time they should be earning us brownie point on the
international stage

3-8 fighter jets to crush those rebels
2 hurcules full of dangote grains for the displaced
some nigerian graduate volunteers for the injured and building new communities
some brownie point from AU/UN and a seat on the security council!!!!!!

we can't defeat MEND and you expect us to take on these rebels who sent the congelese army and UN forces into retreat. col.haruna no dey fight o

I tire for Congo o!!

not really, the colonial powers left african countries unprepared to government themselves. colonial policies of favoring one ethnic group over the other increased already existing tensions. The AU has to be strengthened with a mandate. i see no reasons why countries like rwanda and uganda shouldn't be suspended from the AU if they continue to interfere in the affairs of congo. as long as african leaders turn a blind eye to each other(i chop u chop), all these mess would continue.

That's true. Anyway why can't we as Africans apply diplomacy to settle our scores maybe through debates or discourse? Don't we like peace or what? I'm beginning to see us as a laughing stock, no apologies.

bawomolo:

we can't defeat MEND and you expect us to take on these rebels who sent the congelese army and UN forces into retreat. col.haruna no dey fight o

hmm who told you we can't defeat MEND, we need the price of oil to stay at above $100
if theres no problem in that region production will be at 2.8m easily by now

_{on the other hand, the nigerian army will have to wipe out some states or villages to achieve
this, moreso some people high up are benefitting from all these did u see how the elders
quietly resumed their committee duties}

seven days over this goma region with fighter jets, the nigerian airforce should be able to wipe them off
about the same time for the darfur region aswell-those supporter of APC are on horses and camels arent they?

Sad, truly sad
and as usual the worst victims are women and children.
besides the uncertainty and physical harm from war,it won't be long the soldiers will capturing and raping the girls and women
and we're talking about a country ravaged by HIV and AIDS

Wow

Which kind thing be this again??

I think it is time we stop blaming other people but ourselves for our shortcomings and take responsibility for our actions.

.

When CNN reports on Zimbabwe and Congo, we complain they are always showing the bad side of Africa.

Question: How many times did NTA show what was happening in Congo before the international media started making a fuss over it? AIT? Channels TV?

The AU is a joke, this was has been on for a while now yet we have been blissfully unaware of the tragedy unfolding in our neighbourhood.

I think all panafricanists should hang their head in shame. It's not clear the rabble rousers only care about making political statments about 'colonialism' and 'slavery' and not about taking pro-active steps to challenge chaos in our continent.

Thanks to the Western media for doing what we should have been doing for ourselves.

Dis Guy:

hmm who told you we can't defeat MEND, we need the price of oil to stay at above $100
if theres no problem in that region production will be at 2.8m easily by now

_{on the other hand, the nigerian army will have to wipe out some states or villages to achieve
this, moreso some people high up are benefitting from all these did u see how the elders
quietly resumed their committee duties}

[b]seven days over this goma region with fighter jets, the nigerian airforce should be able to wipe them off[/b]about the same time for the darfur region aswell-those supporter of APC are on horses and camels arent they?

do we honestly still have an air force? are they not just engaged in harrassing harmless citizens on the streets?

@Dis Guy
The Nigerian fighter and bomber corps obtained a reputation during the Liberian Civil war not for destroying strategic targets, but for bombing villages, civilian trucks and in at least one case, bombing a Red Cross facility to shreds.

As one bitter Red Cross official put it, "There was a big red cross on the roof. Who could have missed that?"

yes and united states missile launchers and what not missed targets in iraq, hence the term collateral damage,ait,nta and the rest didint report about congo because we have our own congo situation brewing in nigeria,at least nigeria is spite of its domestic problems sent peace keeping forces, the whole of africa in its totality share the blame for the au problem and not just a particular section of africa, thabo mbeki sucessfully mid wifing a cease fire and negotiations in zimbabwe is enough evidence of the potentials of au if they can actually get serious he has shown that if the western media can butt out of our problems and leave us to handle it,we can actually sort 'em out after all mbeki did what america,uk and the rest couldnt do for a number of years