the congo ... who cares...no one...

[Ecthy]

it is attitude not aptitude that determines altitude. now isn't that scary?

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Admiral
The affluence of the first world is dependant on the violence of the third.

How so ?? Wouldn't the first world capitalist prefer a peaceful region with an efficient low cost workforce

[Flubber]

Oh and Q

I think a lot of people "care" about what happens in these places but the question becomes what can they do about it. Even if Canada dedicated a billion dollars and the complete attention of its government to the problems in the Congo, its doubtful the problems would be "solved".

[Giancarlo]

Throw money at the situation, especially at the DRC, you will never see that money again. There is far too much corruption in the Congolese government.

[atomant]

Originally posted by Q Cubed
auf englisch, marocko is morocco. and...

murder, death, destruction, genocide, massacres...

you're right. who cares about the congo? there's nothing of economic value there. don't worry your pretty little head about it too much.

Let me point out the the Democratic Republic of the Congo is neither democratic or a republic. However, some facts, rather than poorly based value judgements should be put forward.

Quoted from various sources:
Since 1997, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow in 1994 of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state ten days later. In October 2002, the new president was successful in getting occupying Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and set up a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is joined by four vice presidents from the former government, former rebel camps, and the political opposition.

Natural Resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber (My god, that could be construed as something of VALUE )

end quotes

As for the mineral wealth still being untapped, it doesn't take a lot of effort, just enforcement of peace. Other infrastructure projects in harsh environments in the developed and developing world have succeeded, for example gold mines in Indonesaia and the North seas Oil fields to name but two.

Whilst I think the UN is effectively neutered as an organisation, it is hard to enforce peace when the people commiting acts of violence are high on drugs and believe they are immune to bullets.

I am also probably the only on on the boards who has travelled to the DRC and yes it is a bombed out wreck of a country. However, there is hope The country can be pulled up by the boot straps from its own mineral resources and a good helping of good governance, the lack of which has been the bane of Africa in general. Additionally it will take western human resources to take the rans and drive the country in the right direction.

To say the country is a write off is both foolish and short sighted. Perhaps things such as this should not just be put in the 'to hard box' but looked at from a different perspective. Solutions to all problems can be found if one thinks out side the square.

[Giancarlo]

You have a large swath of land, not enough ground forces for the government, a weak corrupt government, weak institutions.. instabilitiy... the UN is ineffective. The DRC is hopeless in my opinion.

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by Kamrat X
Alas, the world is full of conflicts no one cares about. Western Sahara is another one, Morocco invaded in 1975 after the spaniards left due to Francos death. Many of the western saharis live in refugee camps in Algeria, and have done so for nearly 30 years...

The UN sucks...

The UN doesn't suck, the fact that they've been hog tied since their inception does. Their ability to operate lies completely on the whims of the Security Council and that damnable one-veto-kills-it-all policy and that the UN can't force members *cough* United States *cough* to pay their dues in full. Further, the lack of desire by member countries to provide the manpower and equipment to make military actions successful further hampers their efforts.

The UN is a joke only in the not funny way of a cruel game of keep away involving member nations and the resources they're supposed to be providing.

[pchang]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
and that the UN can't force members *cough* United States *cough* to pay their dues in full.

This criticism is now out of date.

[DRoseDARs]

The Republicans HATE the UN. With Bush in for another term, it would be unsuprising if that criticism came to pass yet again.

[Q Classic]

Let me point out the the Democratic Republic of the Congo is neither democratic or a republic. However, some facts, rather than poorly based value judgements should be put forward.

Countries with "democratic" in their name are often anything but democratic. Your point?

However, there is hope The country can be pulled up by the boot straps from its own mineral resources...

'Cause we all know how stable and advanced countries can be when all they do is sell their own mineral resources...

To say the country is a write off is both foolish and short sighted. Perhaps things such as this should not just be put in the 'to hard box' but looked at from a different perspective. Solutions to all problems can be found if one thinks out side the square.

The saying is more frequently "outside the box". Also, to say the country has hope is both foolish and short-sighted. In the long run, people won't even remember that there once was a country named "Congo".

[Q Classic]

I think a lot of people "care" about what happens in these places but the question becomes what can they do about it. Even if Canada dedicated a billion dollars and the complete attention of its government to the problems in the Congo, its doubtful the problems would be "solved".

Very true. Doesn't this suggest that it's futile to try, then?

[Q Classic]

Natural Resources: cobalt, ..., timber

Wait, aren't we supposed to stop third-world countries from rampant destruction of the tropical rain forests?

[Sava]

I, for one, don't care about the Congo... I wish they weren't killing each other, but there isn't a hell of beans I could do about it. I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

[boann]

maybe its a lack of education... ignorant people.. without any idea
how to tap their own resources... turning to the easy money made
in destroying rather than building.

why can't the UN or some other go in to teach these people
instead of trying to just control or hold borders?

[Q Classic]

It's not cost-effective to send anybody in to teach. Unfortunately. Mostly because with hazard pay...

As far as selling natural resources without giving an impetus to actually develop an industry... that brilliant scenario has led to the wonderful democratic modernity of Saudi Arabia.

The only way to bring peace to that blighted area is to end up giving it over to strongmen and warlords who can unify the area. All too often, it seems as if absolutism is a necessary precursor to eventual, peaceful democraticization after industrialization and modernity have taken hold.