The Congo Civil War and Gang Rapes

The Congo Civil War, the most lethal war since WW II, has dragged on for a decade now.  War is always horrible, and often accompanied by the most brutal rapes.  For some years now graphic accounts of the most sadistic gang rapes imaginable have been pouring forth from the Congo.  For a relatively tame account from the New York Times, see this.  For far more horrifying accounts, simply Google "Congo" "gang rape" and read for as long as you can stomach it.

Yesterday I was standing in a kitchen listening to a debate about what type of water bottle was most environmentally friendly, with the advantages of different types of plastic and metal bottles compared.  The conversation was morally earnest, as if using one bottle vs. another might make a significant difference in one's personal health or the state of the global environment.

The day before, I was given a necklace made by Lovetta Conto, a 15 year old Liberian civil war orphan, from bullet casings left after the seventeen year civil war.  I met  Lovetta a few weeks ago, a lively, intelligent, dynamic, entrepreneurial young women.  Wearing the necklace each day provides me with a very powerful reminder of the reality of those who face bullets and for whom violent death is very much a part of their lives.  It is hard to focus on the advantages of aluminum water bottles when bullets are flying.

One of the projects we are working on is rebuilding the Liberian economy.  There are large numbers of unemployed young men.  Although the peace seems to be stable, violence could erupt again, and Liberia could collapse back into war.

The U.N. is ineffective at stopping the violence in the Congo.  No one really wants the U.S. to invade, and the U.S. wouldn't invade in any case.  So more millions continue to die, and more millions of women continue to experience the most horribly violent degradation imaginable.

I wish more people would focus on pro-actively providing a foundation for peace.  Once war has broken out it is very difficult to create peace.  But in places such as Liberia, Nepal, Afghanistan, and the Philippines, there are situations in which the creation of jobs and a healthy economy could make all the difference in the world between a collapse into violence vs. the beginnings of a stable peace.  We have contacts in all four locations working on creating Peace through Commerce, and on Accelerating Women Entrepreneurs.  Let us know if you would like to help.