Millions of people have been killed in the war in Congo since 1998, with the Western world seemingly blissfully unaware of their plight.
There are tensions between different ethnic groups in the area and surrounding countries, vying for more land and control.
Although the war officially ended in 2003, people are still suffering with an estimated 4 million people killed, mostly from preventable disease and starvation as a result of the conflict.
Families are constantly under threat of rape, murder and their houses being burned down, with them inside.
Various charities across the world are doing all they can to help the survivors, from health care to shelter. Volunteers and doctors working in vaccination centres in the region have come under fire from rebel groups whilst trying to help those in need.
Thousands of people are living in refugee camps as they seem the safest places for them to be.
One lady’s story was one of great sadness. One night she awoke to see to her son only to find that her house was alight. She got herself and her children out, but her two grandchildren were still inside. Her daughter ran in to try and save her sons. Sadly one died in the fire and one later in the hospital. This lady’s bravery has caused her to have permanent skin damage from third degree burns and resulting in her not being able to go out in the sun and relying on her mother to care for her. This is just one example of the suffering these people are experiencing, with the western world being unaware and worrying about such things as ‘The X Factor’.
This loss of life has been the worst since the Second World War, and is the largest war in modern African history.
There has been an agreement between government officials and rebel groups for a resolution, but there is still death and suffering in the region. The UN has tried to intervene, only to make matters worse as the rebel groups did not want to work with the UN as they have accused armed groups of the pillage of natural resources, which both Rowanda and Uganda have denied.
If you would like to show your support for these people you can visit many charity websites:
http://www.condition-critical.org/
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/index.asp
http://www.redcross.org.uk/index.asp?id=39992
There are tensions between different ethnic groups in the area and surrounding countries, vying for more land and control.
Although the war officially ended in 2003, people are still suffering with an estimated 4 million people killed, mostly from preventable disease and starvation as a result of the conflict.
Families are constantly under threat of rape, murder and their houses being burned down, with them inside.
Various charities across the world are doing all they can to help the survivors, from health care to shelter. Volunteers and doctors working in vaccination centres in the region have come under fire from rebel groups whilst trying to help those in need.
Thousands of people are living in refugee camps as they seem the safest places for them to be.
One lady’s story was one of great sadness. One night she awoke to see to her son only to find that her house was alight. She got herself and her children out, but her two grandchildren were still inside. Her daughter ran in to try and save her sons. Sadly one died in the fire and one later in the hospital. This lady’s bravery has caused her to have permanent skin damage from third degree burns and resulting in her not being able to go out in the sun and relying on her mother to care for her. This is just one example of the suffering these people are experiencing, with the western world being unaware and worrying about such things as ‘The X Factor’.
This loss of life has been the worst since the Second World War, and is the largest war in modern African history.
There has been an agreement between government officials and rebel groups for a resolution, but there is still death and suffering in the region. The UN has tried to intervene, only to make matters worse as the rebel groups did not want to work with the UN as they have accused armed groups of the pillage of natural resources, which both Rowanda and Uganda have denied.
If you would like to show your support for these people you can visit many charity websites:
http://www.condition-critical.org/
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/index.asp
http://www.redcross.org.uk/index.asp?id=39992
