Africa Slowly Dying

Africa has been ignored despite the many years of death, tragedy and conflict. The reports on Africa are often oversimplified, or focused on inadequate aspects. The more in depth analysis, context and background is often lacking. The constant commercials and photos of starving children are the effects of the issues that surround Africa; the true problem is much greater than that. Analyst should study on whether the fact that aid helps the country with its battle on starvation or only weakens it by not fixing the real problems that caused it. People should wonder why there is famine when nations in Africa are exporting crops to other parts of the world, or why the money spent on the arms purchases, provides jobs and income for people in other continents. The fact is African nations are at constant wars. If this scale of destruction was in Europe, the entire world would be rushing to report, mediate and try to diffuse the situation. Democratic Republic of Congo has a death toll that is literally 1000 times grate than that of Iran and Afghanistan and yet that is the object of the media's attention. The conflicts in Africa are considered as just being chaotic, humanitarian concern, or worthy of vague pity but rarely examined.

Angola, has seen an estimated 500,000 people killed since 1989 and an estimated 3 million refugees. No less than 28 Sub-Saharan African states have been at war since 1980, as pointed out by international development organization, ID21. The lack of respect for rule of law, Political corruption, human rights violations are just some of Africa's problems. The true corruption takes place when the money intended for the development of Africa is siphoned by Europe and used for interest on investments accruing from Africa's stolen money. Europeans then loan such money to Africa at exorbitant rates. Therefore, in a majority Africans more money is spent on the interest than on Health and Education. Many years ago when the Europeans were in Africa they left a lasting effect. They created artificial boundaries bringing many different cultures and ethnic groups together in a short time not allowing them to provide or accommodate the cultural and ethnic diversity. Some say that colonialism is not an excuse; Africa has had many years to resolve this. It is suggested that Africa should have overcome this in just a few short years. Countries like Canada have been struggling with accommodating only two linguistic groups for hundreds of years without definite success. Then in Africa the problem is more complex. As it has far greater cultural and linguistic divisions (-- Richard H. Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, (Allyn and Bacon, 2002), p. 302).

Economic arrangements and international trade have not benefited the African people; it has only further intensified the problem. World Bank policies have had disastrous effects on Africa, including public services, health and education. Africa

...