Comments on: Heart of the DRC http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:28:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Peter Bisala http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1793 Peter Bisala Sun, 14 May 2006 20:47:19 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1793 As I was surfing through the net, I accindentally come across with your website which I found extremely interesting, especially the recent article related to Congo. Therefore I decide to send you this e-mail to send you my gratitude and encouragement for your work of informing the world about the misery of one of the long suffering people on eath, Congolese As I was surfing through the net, I accindentally come across with your website which I found extremely interesting, especially the recent article related to Congo. Therefore I decide to send you this e-mail to send you my gratitude and encouragement for your work of informing the world about the misery of one of the long suffering people on eath, Congolese

]]> By: janinsanfran http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1765 janinsanfran Mon, 08 May 2006 14:44:22 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1765 Thanks for this. A friend, a priest, works in Bukavu. We in the North just cannot imagine. Thanks for this. A friend, a priest, works in Bukavu. We in the North just cannot imagine.

]]> By: Alice B. http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1731 Alice B. Wed, 03 May 2006 21:49:16 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1731 Thanks for this, Sokari. Great overview. There is a looming constitutional/legal crisis too around the issue of whether the transitional institutions are still in effect beyond June 30. Civil society wants in on that debate. (See <a href="http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/-/world/sub-saharan-africa/dr-of-congo/" rel="nofollow">Global Voices DRC feed</a> for more on this.) Thanks for this, Sokari. Great overview. There is a looming constitutional/legal crisis too around the issue of whether the transitional institutions are still in effect beyond June 30. Civil society wants in on that debate. (See Global Voices DRC feed for more on this.)

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Voices from Zimbabwe and the Great Lakes http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1721 Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Voices from Zimbabwe and the Great Lakes Mon, 01 May 2006 10:14:02 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1721 [...] In a piece entitled “Heart of the DRC“ Black Looks provides a summary of the political and human rights situation in the country at the moment. She comments that the Francophone DRC blogs are written from a political perspective but are lacking in providing a social and human rights perspective. In the midst of all the chaos and largely ignored in any discussions by the French language DRC bloggers, thousands of children remain at risk from sexual and physical abuse, abductions and attacks on schools and recruitment as child soldiers. Outwards signs of normality especially in the capital and major cities is deceptive. The most violent area remains around the north east in Kivu along the borders of Uganda and Rwanda (see map), Goma and further south in Bukavu. The figures as most figures of abuse in the DRC are astounding - 33,000 children are estimated to have been used as child soldiers between 1998-2002 - the highest concentration of child soldiers anywhere. Minors under the age of 15 are sitting in death row with no legal representation. [...] [...] In a piece entitled “Heart of the DRC“ Black Looks provides a summary of the political and human rights situation in the country at the moment. She comments that the Francophone DRC blogs are written from a political perspective but are lacking in providing a social and human rights perspective. In the midst of all the chaos and largely ignored in any discussions by the French language DRC bloggers, thousands of children remain at risk from sexual and physical abuse, abductions and attacks on schools and recruitment as child soldiers. Outwards signs of normality especially in the capital and major cities is deceptive. The most violent area remains around the north east in Kivu along the borders of Uganda and Rwanda (see map), Goma and further south in Bukavu. The figures as most figures of abuse in the DRC are astounding – 33,000 children are estimated to have been used as child soldiers between 1998-2002 – the highest concentration of child soldiers anywhere. Minors under the age of 15 are sitting in death row with no legal representation. [...]

]]> By: Charles Mba http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1720 Charles Mba Mon, 01 May 2006 09:20:31 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1720 "The overall death toll in the DRC since 1998 is estimated at around 4 million people and still rising." is quite a depressing read. In our world of failures where celebrating mediocrity is the norm, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that: “Now the real work begins”, (http://www.ohchr.org/) that was in March 2006 after the Human Rights Council replaced the Commission on Human Rights, semantics at work. In the meanwhile, people more die. Cheers and free large gins & tonics all round. The $1,000 suit is ready and waiting. The speech writers and tri-lingual translators are waiting. The limousine and chauffeur are waiting. The out riders and traffic police officers are waiting. The $100 bottle of champagne is waiting on ice. The chefs and waiters are waiting. The diamonds clad VIP diplomats are waiting. The plush X star hotel is waiting. Let us have another speech while more dead children wait to be buried. “The overall death toll in the DRC since 1998 is estimated at around 4 million people and still rising.” is quite a depressing read. In our world of failures where celebrating mediocrity is the norm, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that: “Now the real work begins”, (http://www.ohchr.org/) that was in March 2006 after the Human Rights Council replaced the Commission on Human Rights, semantics at work. In the meanwhile, people more die.

Cheers and free large gins & tonics all round.
The $1,000 suit is ready and waiting.
The speech writers and tri-lingual translators are waiting.
The limousine and chauffeur are waiting.
The out riders and traffic police officers are waiting.
The $100 bottle of champagne is waiting on ice.
The chefs and waiters are waiting.
The diamonds clad VIP diplomats are waiting.
The plush X star hotel is waiting.

Let us have another speech while more dead children wait to be buried.

]]> By: Black River Eagle http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1719 Black River Eagle Sun, 30 Apr 2006 13:49:18 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/04/heart_of_drc.html#comment-1719 Good roundup Sokari. Readers shoud also checkout the International Crisis Group website for the latest report on the upcoming elections in the DRC: "Congo's Elections: Making or Breaking the Peace" April 27, 2006 The Conflict in the Congo special section of the ICG website is also very good resource. Here is the link: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=2829&l=1 In the Congo sector of the blogosphere, one should not forget the excellent work of ex-pat DR Congo blogger The Malau over at The Salon of News and Thought blog. O.K. I'm outa here for today. Ciao. Good roundup Sokari. Readers shoud also checkout the International Crisis Group website for the latest report on the upcoming elections in the DRC:
“Congo’s Elections: Making or Breaking the Peace” April 27, 2006

The Conflict in the Congo special section of the ICG website is also very good resource. Here is the link:
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=2829&l=1

In the Congo sector of the blogosphere, one should not forget the excellent work of ex-pat DR Congo blogger The Malau over at The Salon of News and Thought blog.

O.K. I’m outa here for today. Ciao.

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