International Politics

There is a Nation that has bad timing for its events: The Democratic Republic of Congo:

In 1960, while the World was in Cold War, it followed the winds of change to secure its independence from the Kingdom of Belgium. The subsequent rebellions and secession attempt drew little attention- even as its nationalistic leader disappeared. Big international players imposed their will, new structures were set up and the train wreck was in motion.

Fast foward 40 years: The process restarted: Perestroika winds would blow and Mobutu would relinquish his total grip on then Zaire, only to end in exile seven years later. Although only international greed would parachute other allies in Mobutu's spot, history repeats itself when on September 11th, 2001, the World's attention is whisked away to regions of international interests due the war on Terror.
(In the August-September 2002 issue of The Kansas City Call newspaper, we warned our local communities - and through them, the whole World- that "casualties from the Congolese impasse would rise to dismal numbers, making the atrocities of the Rwandan genocide pale in comparison)

The death toll in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now reached well above 5 million, and inching ever so closely to the dreadful Holocaust toll of 6 million martyrs.

Right after the Rwandan genocide, President Clinton promised that the world would no longer sit idly by while another tragedy took place. So far, the promise has rung hollow as the Congolese river of death crests and another storm is blowing through Darfur.

The world's answer often seems to be indifference and avoidance. (we are not saying this out of cynicism and in the effort to drown sincere philanthropic efforts). We count few actors in the size and class of the French Foreign minister. The Humane society garner more resolve in saving one dog lost at sea than Humanity in confronting what seems to affront all of us.

Maybe true humanity should be measured - not by the ingenuity of our inventions and comfort of living but- by our respect to the dignity of our essence no matter where we are represented.
Confronting terrorism is a tiny dimension of that. It is a band aid to an immense mission of restoring dignity to all of Humanity and keeping that mindset.