With our democratic leaders locked into a battle to save Woolworths, the escalated violence and bloodshed in the Democratic of Congo continues. It’s the worst humanitarian crisis since World War Two, with over five million people dead since the early nineties and estimate of 45,000 dying each month. The most surviving are refugees, living in basic camps with little food or clean drinking water. Hunger and disease are everywhere, and so is the threat of violence, rape and torture. The memories of such crimes haunt thousands of families, what’s left of them. Hope for returning to their homes is futile.

And there are ways to change what’s happening in these resourcefully rich countries but nothing ever seems to be moving urgently enough, leaving Western nations looking naïve and apathetic in the eyes of the international community. China has invested in minerals in Congo and is prepared to invest in hope for a peaceful nature. China’s investments in other war torn nations such as Sudan have so far been very successful.

What about the President – elect of the U.S.A, Barack Obama? Well he’s been elected in by a young generation of Americans, keen to see peace and aid given to Africa and the Middle East. Building an international coalition committed to addressing the root causes of conflict in a serious and sustained manner should be very high up on Mr Obama’s list of “Things To Do”. United with China, the States could seriously revive efforts in some of the hardest wars on the planet, but in a far more sensitive manner than predeccessing White House Administrations.

With several points of hope for the wars in Congo and Sudan, there are scary issues which have to be addressed by our leaders; things which are constantly ignored or over- looked by the international community, which should be resolved by them. In places where no medicine or food can get through to those fighting for their lives, how is heavy artillery and war weapons getting through? Who is paying for them or even providing them? These are the dangers of war. The guns and weaponry used to kill innocent people and prevent progress in countries where different groups arm themselves against each other. There is something very wrong going on here.

Britain as a nation needs to avert their attention to this crisis in Congo. Aid is urgently needed in the East of the Country as well as political efforts to ensure that the people suffering don’t feel abandoned by the rest of the world. Aid agencies which are doing their upmost to raise funds are becoming overwhelmed by the scale of displaced people and those in need of aid. This is where each of us can help by donating what we can to appeals. The amount charities are receiving has dropped considerably since the credit crisis in Britain. Commercial donations are decreasing as well as individual donations leaving charities with huge sums missing from their funds. I appeal to you all to give what you can to the refugees in Congo whilst our world’s leaders hopefully tackle the difficult political dispositions, which clutch the country.
Signing a petition calling for action from the President will especially help women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who are viciously attacked, mutilated and gang raped as a weapon of war.