Starving Africans and hungry bears

Ottawa Sun ^ | June 23, 2002 | Greg Weston

[Clive]

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[Clive]

"Legend says Kananaskis was named for a Cree Indian who survived an ax blow to the head."

Actually, it was 'ti Jean who survived an ax blow to the head.

;-)

[sarcasm]

Just send more money - I'm sure that they won't waste it this time.

[backhoe]

Clive, I can't recall which African pest-hole crisis it was ( Rowanda, Somalia, whatever... ) but I can remember telling my wife that what we needed to do was load cargo planes with pallets containing a mix of food, medical supplies, and maybe some tools, fly over the country, and when the crew spotted a group of people, parachute it down to them.

That way, at least some of the needy would actually get some things they could use- instead of lining the pockets of corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, and dictators with our money.

[neutrino]

"But although some nations may go along, that proposal isn't going anywhere with the Bush administration."

Good! I'm glad I voted for him!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Meager Harvests in Africa Leaves Millions at the Edge of Starvation***The countries of southern Africa have the world's highest rates of H.I.V. infection, leaving millions of people vulnerable to the ravages of hunger. The sale of Malawi's entire backup supply of grain and the past year's political upheaval in Zimbabwe have exacerbated the effects of the natural disaster. Until recently, Zimbabwe was one of the region's more stable and self-sufficient countries, and neighbors often turned to it for help during food shortages. But the government's efforts to seize land from white farmers, who own more than half the country's fertile land, have disrupted production greatly. The combination of severe drought and farm seizures has been disastrous. Production of the corn crop in Zimbabwe plunged by nearly 70 percent this year, leaving almost half the population in need of emergency food. With triple-digit inflation, a limp currency and rising unemployment, Zimbabwe can barely help itself, let alone its neighbors.

Meanwhile, officials in Malawi have been assailed by Western diplomats, international donors and civic groups for selling off the country's 167,000-ton emergency grain reserve and failing to account for the proceeds. President Bakili Muluzi denies accusations of corruption. He says his officials were told by the International Monetary Fund to sell the grain to repay debt, a charge that fund officials deny. But Mr. Muluzi acknowledges that he cannot explain why his officials sold off the entire reserve, when they could have sold part, given that 30 percent of the population may go hungry and there is nothing left. "This is the question I was asking," President Muluzi said in an interview. "I didn't understand the intelligence about that." The debate is meaningless in the villages, where men and women are too busy scrabbling for food to weigh multiple causes of calamity.***

[albee]

I saw this rant somewhere and thought enough of it to keep a file copy. I now post it for your consideration.

Mo' money, mo' money, mo' money!

Sorry folks, we've done enough throwing money down these third world rat holes. The last dollar sent should be exactly that the last dollar sent.

Let's see, most of these nations produce nothing of any value, are controlled by dictators or communists (or both), the people will not do anything about their circumstances other than beg for more money that they will never repay, and on top of all that they despise us.

Nope, not one dollar more to the global welfare state run by the UN or other "Feel Good" Organizations!

[xJones]

"I am not known as someone of idle dreams and empty ideals," Chretien recently promised a gathering of Ethiopians...

Somebody ought to tell the Ethiopians what the *cretin* is known as to his American neighbors.

[self_evident]

I am not known as someone of idle dreams and empty ideals," Chretien recently promised..

Nope. It's empty dreams and idle ideals for him.

[maro]

They don't need money; they need structural and cultural reform. We can't do that for them.

[Brian Allen]

Hi, Clive

It is time to afford Africa and the Africans the dignity of the consequences of their own actions!

[Perhaps the stronger half can eat the carcases of the ones that in any case are doomed to perish?]

FReegards -- Brian

[dfwgator]

You'd think these guys would look into videoconferencing.

[DeaconBenjamin]

I literally burst out laughing when I read that line. I think I woke up my wife, who was napping.

[JoeSchem]

This aid money will end up in the pockets of the corrupt African politicians administering the programs. Proof of that is the fact that we've been pouring billions of dollars of such aid into Africa for generations now, and there is no effect.

What Africa needs is capitalist investment, which will only come when investors feel confident that their investments won't get embroiled in Yet Another Civil War.

[Eternal_Bear]

Send the Africans all our liberal weenies. They can eat them for all i care! That will be enough aid for all time.

[technochick99]

My thoughts exactly, but include guns and ammo so they can have a chance to get rid of those tyrants.

[backhoe]

I agree, of course. The way of dictators & totalitarians is always to disarm, marginalize, and then silence unfavored groups. A thousand pities we cannot help more.