Death in Congo - 45,000 per month...5.4 million so far.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Death in Congo - 45,000 per month...5.4 million so far. (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:32:58 PM EDT

Linky

45,000 people dying a month in Congo
AP via Yahoo! News ^ | 22 January 2008 | Heidi Vogt

Posted on 01/22/2008 5:43:48 PM PST by The Pack Knight

DAKAR, Senegal - Some 45,000 people die each month in Congo as the world's deadliest humanitarian crisis has failed to improve despite five years of relative peace in the Central African nation, according to a report released Tuesday.

An estimated 5.4 million Congolese died between 1998 and April 2007 because of conflict, most from the rampant disease and food shortages stemming from fighting, the report said.

The study found that life is still alarmingly precarious for Congolese despite the end of the 1998-2002 conflict that pulled in armies from half a dozen surrounding countries, and the country's first free and fair elections in more than four decades in 2006.

"When war ended in Congo there was the same level of dysfunction without the violence," said Les Roberts, a Columbia University professor who helped conduct the first surveys in Congo with the International Rescue Committee.

The study was conducted by the IRC and Australia's Burnet Institute, which researches epidemiological disease.

Congo's monthly death rate of 2.2 deaths for each 1,000 people — essentially unchanged from the last survey in 2004 — is nearly 60 percent higher than the average for sub-Saharan Africa, according to report.

The vast majority of deaths were from nonviolent causes, such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia or malnutrition, the report said. Outbreaks of easily treatable diseases like measles and whooping cough have been a major killer of children in Congo, a nation the size of Western Europe.

The group The figures cast a shadow over ongoing negotiations for a peace deal between warlords and the government in Congo's long-volatile east.

The country's hilly eastern region, long the source of turmoil in the country of 66 million and still plagued by fighting, was one of the few to post a decrease in its death rate compared with the previous survey.

Richard Brennan, one of the study's lead authors, said he believed the reduction was related to a beefing-up of U.N. forces in the region and increased funding by humanitarian agencies working to stem the threatening public health disaster. The fighting has forced some 800,000 people to flee their homes in the last year.

On Monday, the government and representatives from armed groups active in eastern Congo had said that they had agreed in principle to the deal to end decades of conflict and expected to sign the document by late Tuesday.

But the plan faltered during discussions over last-minute amendments that dragged on into Tuesday evening.

"The consultations will continue because there have been disagreements concerning amendments to the text," said Sekimonyo Wamagangu, a spokesman for the conference. He said the groups hoped to find a compromise Wednesday.

According to a draft agreement made available to reporters, a cease-fire would take effect in eastern Congo immediately upon signing.

The draft also provides for a U.N.-monitored buffer zone between various armed groups and government forces, the logistics of which would be worked out by a technical committee to be established.

The militia fighters also would be given amnesty from prosecution for insurgency or acts of war, but not for war crimes or crimes against humanity.

Even if the deal is signed, and held to, the statistics point to a tough road ahead.

"It's going to require years of engagement from the Congolese people, the Congolese government and the international community," to reduce deaths, Brennan said.

Africa wins again

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:34:24 PM EDT

[#1]

There is, indeed, much to learn from Mother Africa. This thread, however, needs more hammer of dead, wielded by the governor.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:35:39 PM EDT

[#2]

Lies. The liberals say the US is the most violent nation on Earth.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:36:38 PM EDT

[#3]

Yay, another Africa thread.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:37:26 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
There is, indeed, much to learn from Mother Africa. This thread, however, needs more hammer of dead, wielded by the governor.

Oh man, I will never, ever, forget that thread.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:37:50 PM EDT

[#5]

If we just send the a few more billions in aid, just think, it might make a difference!

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:41:28 PM EDT

[#6]

My care-0-meter must not be working.

Kim du Toit was right.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:44:44 PM EDT

[#7]

yeah.......

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:46:12 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Yay, another Africa thread.

+1

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:47:08 PM EDT

[#9]

At that rate how can there still be so many people there?

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:47:42 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
My care-0-meter must not be working.

Kim du Toit was right.

+1

I'm all out of give-a-damn.

Pull the plug.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:49:36 PM EDT

[#11]

How does that continent even maintain a population??

Half are starving to death or falling to disease and the other half are dying from war.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:49:48 PM EDT

[#12]

Darwin must be getting tired by now, working that hard and all.

CJ

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:50:23 PM EDT

[#13]

Hey, I also posted a recent 'Congo' thread:

Rape in Congo on 60 Minutes

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:50:56 PM EDT

[#14]

I say leave them be! Because if the US goes in, them of course, the world will once again blame us for pushing our weight around and trying to be the world-police. So I say screw 'em.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:51:21 PM EDT

[#15]

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:52:04 PM EDT

[#16]

don't care, don't think we as a nation should give a dime or a soldiers life to stop it. Let them kill the shit out of each other all they want.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:52:20 PM EDT

[#17]

I have been saying this for years: In another decade or so, there will be some very, very good real estate deals in Africa. No one will be left there!

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:56:37 PM EDT

[#18]

This is what happens when people don't embrace technology and mental growth.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:59:28 PM EDT

[#19]

The problem is not the continent, nor the color of skin, but what goes on between the ears. Bad ideas have bad consequences.

Africa is in the horrible shape it is in because of Africans. Nothing the West or anybody else can or will try to do will fix that problem. They must fix it themselves.

Posted: 1/22/2008 6:59:38 PM EDT

[#20]

carrying capacity

Posted: 1/22/2008 7:02:49 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Lies. The liberals say the US is the most violent nation on Earth.

What does violence have to do with it?

Try reading the original post again.

Posted: 1/22/2008 7:04:26 PM EDT

[#22]

What does violence have to do with it?

The article said 45,000 were dying a month from conflict. Conflict implies violence. Wide spread violence causes food shortages, disease from all the corpses and bad sanitation, etc...

Even if they didn't die from a bullet to the head, the violence is what's preventing them from growing crops, draining swamps, whatever.

Posted: 1/22/2008 8:04:22 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
At that rate how can there still be so many people there?

Ever have any rabbits?

Posted: 1/22/2008 8:06:20 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
There is, indeed, much to learn from Mother Africa. This thread, however, needs more hammer of dead, wielded by the governor.

Oh man, I will never, ever, forget that thread.

Linky?

Posted: 1/22/2008 8:08:33 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
My care-0-meter must not be working.

Kim du Toit was right.

+1

Posted: 1/22/2008 8:30:42 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
At that rate how can there still be so many people there?

We feed and they breed.

Posted: 1/22/2008 8:32:55 PM EDT

[#27]

Posted: 1/22/2008 9:52:53 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
At that rate how can there still be so many people there?

Because at that rate their population is still growing at around 6% every year.......

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:04:11 PM EDT

[#29]

Africa is 3 times the size of China while having a smaller population. So carrying capacity has little to do with it. Africa is just a messed up continent. Everytime a palestinian gets shot it seems to make the news, yet a few hundred thousand could die in Africa and no headlines. Matters of life and death don't make the news, editors do.

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:04:28 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
I have been saying this for years: In another decade or so, there will be some very, very good real estate deals in Africa. No one will be left there!

We need to be on top of this. There is prime real estate all over that continent.

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:14:12 PM EDT

[#31]

look into your hearts, man...if we just give a few dollars each, all these problems will disappear...

[while i move to a suitable tax haven]

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:17:16 PM EDT

[#32]

Wars and violence combined with AIDS and malnutrition will kill thousands the basic tenant in post terratorial Afica is you are either the eaten or the eater. Too many sicko eaters over there. I can tell you some stories about African Army Officers if we ever meet.

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:18:22 PM EDT

[#33]

Oh Africa what will we do with you...............

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:28:19 PM EDT

[#34]

Perhaps the Congolese can send a Thank You note to Rachel Carson...

Lem

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:43:46 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have been saying this for years: In another decade or so, there will be some very, very good real estate deals in Africa. No one will be left there!

We need to be on top of this. There is prime real estate all over that continent.

Arfcom group buy?

Posted: 1/22/2008 10:52:18 PM EDT

[#36]

Posted: 1/22/2008 11:13:28 PM EDT

[#37]

Tragic.

And no. We should not get involved. Not unless we plan on annexing the land as a territorial possession of the United States. But then then we would run the risk of the people who live there submitting an application for statehood.

Posted: 1/22/2008 11:36:59 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have been saying this for years: In another decade or so, there will be some very, very good real estate deals in Africa. No one will be left there!

We need to be on top of this. There is prime real estate all over that continent.

Arfcom group buy?

Nation buy with the way things are going here.

Posted: 1/22/2008 11:37:29 PM EDT

[#39]

Supposedly 10's of millions of our tax dollars are sent over in aide but I think it just perpetuates the problems.

Posted: 1/22/2008 11:47:24 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Quoted:
At that rate how can there still be so many people there?

Ever have any rabbits?

HOLY COW....that was the funniest thing I think I have ever read.

Kinda mean, but funny.

Posted: 1/22/2008 11:49:16 PM EDT

[#41]

Hmm, what a shame...

On the lighter side of life, I recieved my new scope base in the mail today !!!

Posted: 1/22/2008 11:50:59 PM EDT

[#42]

I give a shit. Believe it or not - they are people - are you happen to hit the lottery to be born here.

Ungrateful.

Posted: 1/22/2008 11:52:47 PM EDT

[#43]

What a horrible and sad situation.

Posted: 1/23/2008 12:00:56 AM EDT

[#44]

Bono can help house them in the numerous mansions he has all over Europe.

Posted: 1/23/2008 12:04:49 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
Tragic.

And no. We should not get involved. Not unless we plan on annexing the land as a territorial possession of the United States. But then then we would run the risk of the people who live there submitting an application for statehood.

There is a way to do it but its not politically correct. Allow American companies to annex territory. Have some sort of license system for it. So they still have to follow some sort of rules. Just keep them under a tight leash so their isn't another company as powerful and flexible with the law as the old dutch east India trading company. Africa should be rich, they have a whole lot of resources. Such a waste.

Posted: 1/23/2008 12:31:19 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Tragic.

And no. We should not get involved. Not unless we plan on annexing the land as a territorial possession of the United States. But then then we would run the risk of the people who live there submitting an application for statehood.

There is a way to do it but its not politically correct. Allow American companies to annex territory. Have some sort of license system for it. So they still have to follow some sort of rules. Just keep them under a tight leash so their isn't another company as powerful and flexible with the law as the old dutch east India trading company. Africa should be rich, they have a whole lot of resources. Such a waste.

Colonialism causes more problems than it solves. Let Africa sort itself out. If individuals and private aid organizations want to go in and help, fine.

The problem with your plan is that the business climate in those countries is very shaky. If your business does too well, the national government there may just decide to confiscate everything you've built there. Not surprisingly, you don't see companies flocking to set up shop there.

Posted: 1/23/2008 2:00:31 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:

Quoted:
There is, indeed, much to learn from Mother Africa. This thread, however, needs more hammer of dead, wielded by the governor.

Oh man, I will never, ever, forget that thread.

Linky?

Unfortunately I can't search GD. To sum it up, it involved one of the greatest examples of internet (any anywhere else) ownage in a long time. Some computer guy (he ended up posting on ar15.com too) turned the con around on a Nigerian scammer until the rather unimaginable point that you almost had to even feel bad for the Nigerian. One of the many, many threats said Nigerain made involved the "governor" using the "hammer of dead" to kill the protaganist, not to mention being induced to even take pictures to prove there really was a "hammer of dead". Really has to be read to be enjoyed, just google those terms.

Posted: 1/23/2008 2:03:08 AM EDT

[#48]

I couldn't care less.

Posted: 1/23/2008 2:09:36 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:
Wars and violence combined with AIDS and malnutrition will kill thousands the basic tenant in post terratorial Afica is you are either the eaten or the eater. Too many sicko eaters over there. I can tell you some stories about African Army Officers if we ever meet.

AIDS - Most of the world's cultures, that directly correlate how great a man is with how much pussy he gets, is being de-populated. With Africa's governmental woes, she is already doomed.

I have a very bad feeling about Africa; not so much as feeling sorry for them (and I do,) but fearing powerful countries tying their national interests to securing Africa's resources. I think the re-colonization of Africa will be a blood bath.

Posted: 1/23/2008 2:10:37 AM EDT

[#50]

Obviously there is no oil in The Congo.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Death in Congo - 45,000 per month...5.4 million so far. (Page 1 of 2)

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us