DR Congo: death and desolation... how long will it last

The BBC has finally caught up with us, with this article on the Katanga crisis, and the whole DRC conflict:

Thousands die from DR Congo war

Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is killing 38,000 people each month, says the Lancet medical journal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/africa/4586832.stm

Also, for people who do not understand why we, the people in/from the Congo are crying foul about the situation there, in a country that is so minerally rich, I am going to do something that I normally advocate against. Let me direct you to a page that shows the areas of my hometown, Kinshasa, that are not shown in glamourous magazines, so you can see what has happened.

Here are images of Kinshasa around Independence time:

Kinshasa 1960

And here is Yolo, a Kinshasa quarter, in 2005

Kinshasa 2005

But this is awfully depressing. There is more to Congo, and Kinshasa, than misery, and irresponsible government management. There is also this:

Kinshasa that the wealthy see

From "Souvenirs du Zaire (lardc.com)"

So yes, there is hope, and I always keep hope for that country. But it is about time that, in this potentially wealthy country, the contrast between the lives of the wealthy, and that of the poor, stop being as starch as in the following picture. And that, it seems, is not about to happen anytime soon, and that's a damn shame.

From Congo Vision, and Matonge

While we wait, and work towards that ideal situation, there is the following image, that still keeps the fire of hope alive, and makes me think that maybe this time, we are going somewhere.

Tags: Congo Afrique Africa News Opinion africa democratic-republic-of-the-congo