Ben Affleck

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Congo, futuro incierto pero no desesperanzado

MundoÁfrica

Cuando visité el Congo por primera vez, en 2006, era difícil entender cómo alguien podría albergar esperanzas sobre el futuro de la región. Los congoleños acababan de salir de más de una década de la peor violencia que ha visto el mundo desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial: se calcula que más de 3,5 millones de personas murieron en este conflicto. El genocidio en la vecina Ruanda había inundado la zona con más de un millón de refugiados, incluidos combatientes armados huidos.

El surgimiento de las milicias y el inminente derrumbe del estado congoleño dio lugar a una prolongada lucha. La población civil se vio sorprendida en medio del fuego cruzado, lo que provocó un desplazamiento masivo interior y mucho sufrimiento.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoÁfrica,

Last week, a heavily armed rebel militia, M23, took control of the eastern Congolese city of Goma, the economic center and capital of the country’s North Kivu province. Unfortunately, to those of us who work in eastern Congo, the only surprise in this turn of events was how little attention it received.

Two years ago, almost to the day, I wrote in The Post about the bloodiest war since World War II and its continued toll on the Congolese people. From 1998 to 2003, eight African nations fought on Congolese soil, killing millions, forcing tens of thousands of children to become soldiers and, in some areas of Congo, subjecting as many as two of every three women to rape and other forms of sexual violence.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoÁfrica,

Ask many Americans to name the bloodiest war since World War II and chances are that most would not know the answer. If you told them it was in Africa, they might guess Rwanda or the ongoing conflict in Sudan. They'd be wrong.

By far, the deadliest conflict was in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1998 to 2003. Eight African nations participated in the fighting on Congolese soil, many hoping to seize control of its vast mineral wealth. Some 4 million Congolese died during the conflict and nearly another 1 million have died in the lawless aftermath from starvation, conflict and preventable disease.…  Seguir leyendo »