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Besides the D.R. Congo, several neighboring countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, Angola, Burundi, and Sudan, were involved with the war. Some of the reasons for the war were the struggle for control of the area's vast mineral resources, as well as the bitter ethnic hatred between Tutsis, Hutus, and other groups. Although this war, sometimes known as Africa's World War, officially ended in 2003, in some areas, particularly in the eastern part of the country near the Rwanda border, the fighting has never stopped. This war and its aftermath have killed more than 5.5 million people, making it the deadliest worldwide conflict since World War Two. Why do you think conflicts in Africa get so little coverage in our media? Most of these deaths were caused by disease and hunger brought on by the fighting, and half of the deaths were children. Half of the fighters in the region are also children, some as young as eight. The United Nations has called the crisis in this region the worst in the world, as many thousands of families are homeless, hungry, and in danger from the fighting. The U.N. also has 17,000 peacekeeper troops there, but they are stretched thin and they have not been able to stop the fighting. What else should the U.N., and our own government, be doing to help these refugees and ease the violence? From your news reading, has any progress been made towards peace in D.R. Congo?
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