The Universal soldier

Here’s another African story from the towpath. You will need to use a little imagination.

Imagine if.........You saw some pictures of starving weepy eyed, fly covered African babies and someone told you to give money to help those starving babies…… You gave what you could and felt good about the help you were giving Africa. Say you even enjoyed the feel-good from buying a ‘feed the world’ record to help starving babies live with full tummies.

Then imagine that African Aid money all piling up and going to a number of African governments. Lets pick a few out of a hat. (On the basis that they represent impoverished African Countries capable of generating the images of Aids ridden starving babies that make for charitable aid). Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Chad.

Now lets imagine that empowered by this money the governments of those countries think to themselves ‘Aha. Wouldn’t it be a waste to give this money over to the poor and dying. Wouldn’t it make more sense to use this money to fund an army that can go out and show a profitable return.’

Consider that many of these Countries know that the Congo (Democratic Republic that it is) contains tremendous mineral wealth. Mineral wealth they could not defend if distracted by the presence of foreign militia. Like a hyena scenting in the air the blood of weakening prey, what if these countries sent their armies into the Congo to destabilise whatever government was in place, to win a share of the mineral wealth for themselves.

What if we then did a little research into the Congo's affairs and we then found out that the aid that we had given these Africans had coincided with the deaths of almost 4 Million Congolese (from a population of 60 million) in a 6 year period.

What if this was a true story. Wouldn’t you think the gruesome killing of almost 4 Million people in the last decade would be something you would be aware of?

And if that killing was directly (or otherwise) attributable to your African Aid dollar finding its way into the appropriate government agency would you not wonder if you had been duped in the matter of African Aid?

The wonderful organisation - The International Rescue Committee (http://www.theirc.org/) report that 3.8 Million Congolese have died in the past 8 years, and continue to die at the rate of 1,000 a day. That’s a world trade centre tragedy every 3 days or so.

What seems strangest to me is the disparity between the staggering volume of attention that the deaths in the 9/11 Towers incident generated, whilst, until you read it here, you probably didn’t have the vaguest idea that 3.8 Million Congolese (Mostly Women and children) have died horribly and in some proportion to the Aid receipts by those Countries contributing to the death count.

Which makes me wonder – what if media were controlled to such a degree that the power of those controllers of world media to affect the way the average person believes is so complete there is virtually no press speculation as to why 3.8 Million died in the Congo. The worlds worst conflict since 1945 – and not worth a passing mention by the media. Why?

The sixties song by Buffy St Marie 'The Universal Soldier' makes the point that the individual who fails to excercise conscientious and informed thought allowing themselves instead to be manipulated pawns in a system that - through their ignorant contribution - leads to misery and death, is ultimately responsible.

Ms. St Marie sings ‘He's the Universal soldier and he really is to blame’ and I think quite clearly, those mindless donations to African causes driven almost exclusively be ego driven megalomania are karmically in the same drawer of responsibility for the harm that money has led to as the prime culprit in this dreadful exploitation of Africa's misfortune for his personal benefit.

Imagine that there really is a problem in Africa. And then imagine that there really are a number of ways in which an individual could offer help to those already making a meaningful difference.

In my view the Saint Bob - 'Band Aid' style of crisis aid management is clearly harming Africa. Imagine if that Band Aid money went to those governments who spent it on Armies to help kill 3.8 Million Congolese in the name of mineral rights.

And imagine if the powers of media were quite content to not promote the stories of how we allow millions of Africans to die in the name of mineral greed, a process that benefits numerous western companies to a massive extent, choosing instead to create a blind alley. A popular ‘Band Aid’ to create the lip service effect of making people believe the problem is already addressed by those who know. And in the meanwhile, 1,000 Congolese die daily. And just around the corner in the Sudan.......well........it hardly seems worth carrying on for all the difference bringing the subject of the dark continent to the table makes.

Incidentally the governments of Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Chad all deployed troops in the Congo by 1998, effectively funneling much of the Congo’s huge mineral wealth (Gold and Diamonds) into their own coffers.

I have no idea which American companies have any interest in both the African governments responsible and the control of Western press, (or indeed how many shares the Bush family and friends hold in these companies) however I will not be surprised when this information comes to light.

Luckily for the hopes of mankind we have the inspired leadership of George Bush to help us address these concerns with the wisdom and insight they deserve, and so the temptation to leave matters in his capable hands seems irresistible. Or does Ms. St Marie paraphrase as ’He’s the Universal idiot and he really is to blame.’