It's been a tumultuous week, and today is the day of the American elections - what happens today will shape the history of the world for the next few years. In a sense, that's obvious - one could argue that what anyone does today could shape the history of the world - history, the present & the future belong to us all. However, given the recent history of the USA and the hopes riding on both candidates, there's arguably a feeling that we are at a crossroads. And only time will tell.
The events in the Democratic Republic of Congo (there's a title surely sorely inaccurate) have shocked everyone, and as a parent, the coverage has been heartbreaking. A number of charities are active in the area, including Save the Children, Christian Aid and Oxfam. And no doubt a host of others.
But there's a frightening view, raised by the BBC on TV and radio that we are all implicated in the war - the BBC News at Ten suggested that if people have bought a mobile phone (the components inside) or gold in the last few months, it could have come out of the conflict zone. The BBC website points out that Rwanda has been accused of being behind the current crisis, but also hosts a link to Global Witness, an organisation dedicated to "breaking the links between natural resources, conflict and corruption". This idea was put to David Miliband, the UK Foreign Secretary on the Today programme on 3rd November, following a UN report of corporate "profiteering" (my words), however, to my mind, he refused to be drawn on the subject, instead talking about the importance of a political and economic settlement in the region.
And, finally, in many ways, the story that broke my heart the most, that of the thirteen year old girl in Somalia, who, according to Amnesty International, as reported by the BBC, was stoned for alleged adultery.
Many stories, many ways to get involved.
No comments:
Post a Comment