The Rintrah Perspective

Well damn. I thought if I would be optimistic for once that things would be different. But it is the same old shit. Fighting re-erupted today in Congo.

From the silence I can tell that this is not likely something at the forefront of your mind. From the silence of the media (even if there is a short blurb here or there) I would venture to guess that this is not as sexy as Iraq, detainees, the middle east, Darfur and so on.

However, the fighting has killed more people than any conflict since WWII. 5.4 million people in 10 years.

And, to top that off, the issue does affect everyone reading this. This war is about resources. Resources that appear in things you use everyday. Your cell phone and your computer. Things you rely on. Things you enjoy. How much rape, incest, slavery, murder, violence, fear, child labour and recruitment must Congo exhibit before this is an issue as much as Burma, Iraq, and Darfur?

If you took Africa off of the map, you would not enjoy the life you live today. If you took Congo out of Africa, then that continent would be 80% poorer.

This is an issue. This is the same people as were fighting during Rwanda and listen . . . silence. Maybe murmurs. Maybe.

Everyone who uses technology or relies on it to any degree is a stakeholder in the DR of Congo. If wearing a diamond puts blood on your hands, then what is this?!

Blood Capacitors. How much can we handle until it is too much to bear?