Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Indignation and sadness

Congo women fight back, speak out about rape: Victims shatter local taboos around talking about violence against civilians
'I am not ashamed to show my face and publish my identity. The shame lies with those who broke me open and with the authorities who failed to protect me...If you don't hear me, see me, you will not understand why it is so important that we fight this together.'--Honorata Kizende

According to MSNBC, UNICEF reports that more than 1,000 women and girls are raped each MONTH in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Elsewhere in Africa...

Sudan wants all aid groups out within a year: Wanted for war crimes, defiant president says 'spies' must be cleared out
'We have ordered the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to completely Sudanese the voluntary work in Sudan within one year and after that we don't want international organizations to deal with Sudanese citizens with relief,' Bashir told the rally.

It's one more way to isolate the region already devastated by genocide from the outside world. For ways to help Darfur, visit SaveDarfur.org.

I admit it--Africa is an enigma to me. Is it that power is so intoxicating that many feel they must work to destroy so many other lives in looking out for themselves? The problems Africa faces are staggering, and although there are some who would rather blame the colonising forces of Europe and the actions of the United States, the mess seems mainly to be a product of power struggles amongst factions and tribes in Africa. The countries in Africa are perfectly able to find peace and prosperity so long as their governments are just. But the governments in many areas of Africa certainly are not doing their best to protect their citizens and provide stability. This is something that can be changed ultimately only from the inside, although of course the rest of the world can provide aid and help in the process. I hope to see peace in these areas and a healing of the deep scars left by murder, rape, and destruction.

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