The tragedy of Africa
What's really going on with the treament of Africa by the rest of the
world? I felt that I had to post this to stimulate debate about an
entire continent that has careered into what seems eternal disaster
in my lifetime. Mortality rates which were in the 60's (in the
1960's) have now plunged to the 30's for most countries, especially
Sub-Saharan regions. Even "success stories" like Botswana, which has
poured it's 77% of GDP diamond money into development has over 30% of
it's population HIV positive. Is it simply the case that even a
country that's not at war (helping arms sales, covert mining deals,
timber etc) can be screwed by Western Pharma companies? In other
words why can't the West give Africa a genuine break?
In the 1960's there was so much hope and indications that once the
colonial powers pulled out Democracy and good Governance would
flourish but how wrong that's turned out to be. In many countries
like Uganda, Rwanda, Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Congo there was a
conscious but deeply devious effort by the departing powers to back
the minority, who were then used as puppets to grant mining
concessions etc. In Uganda's case the British generals in charge of
the Ugandan army deliberately chose an illiterate memeber of a tiny
tribe to head the army. This was Idi Amin and they knew that for his
survival he would have to be brutal to mantain power but also
a "friend" to Britain.
I'm only posting this because Liberia (rebels closing in on Taylor)
Mauritania (coup yesterday) Zimbabwe (Mugabe with weeks/days to go
but will he go fighting) and Congo are propping up the news today and
then there are multiple other African countries with semi-permanent
famine/Aids alerts. It's highly depressing but I feel that we must
attack "our" Governments incessantly and especially at the next WTO
in Cancun.
Created By: Charles Monroe