Ashley Judd’s Heart Of Darkness

The Tutsis were genocidally butchered by the Hutus in Rwanda. Now Colonel Nkunda has stepped forward to protect the Tutsis in Congo from the same Hutu rebels who have spilled over from Rwanda into Congo.
The Peaceful minority Kurds are being hounded and bullied in Turkey, Iran and Iraq.Saddam Hussein notoriously poison gassed them .
The Indonesian Army under orders from the Indonesian government suppressed and oppressed the peaceful people of East Timor.Many young girls were raped by the Indonesian militia , people just disappeared and homes were ransacked.
Finally the International community stepped forward and granted Indepenedence to East Timor.
Should we say more ?
Israeli holocaust , American war of Independence from the unjust colonial British , Democratic Unionist Party of England ( DUPE ) literally duping The NorthIrish ....................

Without a major intervention, including use of military forces in more than the passive, peace-keeping role the United Nations typically provides, the suffering in the Congo will not be alleviated. The relief offered by organizations like the one with which Ashley Judd is associated reaches too few people and is too sporadic. Unfortunately, until the major powers demand (and are willing to finance) effective U.N. action, the suffering will continue with only anecdotal respites.

This gloomy picture of seeming hopelessness should not deter Americans and others from contributing to the various relief organizations, since the good work of such groups is better than nothing. With each contribution, however, there must be a communication by the donor to the U.S. State Department and directly to the U.N., demanding that intense pressure be put on the leaders of the Congolese government.

Is it time for TUTSILAND ?

This is not about politics HERE in the US, it is about evil in this world. We pray for better in the next, and do what we can in this one of we DO have the heartthat Ms. Judd spoke of. My grandmother, also from Kentucky as are both of hers, would have been ashamed of anyone who lifts a bite of food to their mouths while blaming a political party. It is each and every one of us that live , as in the song lyric, 'just another day in paradise' , yet do nothing on an individual basis. Do YOU have a charity that you give to? If not, read closely for the one of Ashley Judd's mentioned in this article. Stop blaming politicians.

Why bring this up and even say that it's abusive to mention the problem without presenting a plan for how to fix it - without bringing up a plan of how to fix it? Sure, the article tells us horrible, heart-rendering stories that, like another reader pointed out, makes our stomachs clench. But, stop JUST pointing out the inhumanity and give us options and ideas of how we can help so we DON'T feel hopeless to help.

Especially in this economy it's hard for some people to just send money in to a faceless organization. But, tell the stories and introduce ideas like passing along some *good* used clothes or volunteering to work in organizational offices or even campaign for donations yourself.

Retreating Congolese Government Soldiers have raped , looted and even burnt refugee areas.And they call rebel Col.Nkunda a terrorist!It seems that the government of Congo is the terrorist.
Well , nowadays anyone and everyone is being branded a terrorist.It may ,in truth ,be the other way around.
The namecallers are the terrorists.

I understand the angst of Ms Judd. She is in the same boat as a person who does nothing, because precious little is done anyway. She cannot solve the problems pertaining to society, by individual effort. It would be better, if she was not concerned, because these problems did not exist.

Share this thought: The governments and nations of the civilized world are no better off, because first they have to deal with the crises at home, and then they can help others, in any simple way that they can. How do I, an Indian think about the poor being mistreated, when even the rich may be mistreated? The basic foundation of humanity, is being questioned, which is trust. Those who perpetrate these horrendous crimes trust no one, which is slightly better than the common man's situation. These incidents foster and breed mistrust, in whatever way they can. What is the point of the propaganda, however misplaced, of these unfortunate incidents, when nothing can be, or is done by civilization, about it? A group of people cannot do anything, if anything has to be done, it has to be a contribution of everyone. Punishment does not work with those who mistrust the party which metes out the punishment. It justifies the cause of those who are punished. The 'Civilized World', must be more accountable to the 'Other World', if it wants to make a difference.

Someone needs to find out where all the weapons are coming from? Who is providing the money and who is providing the weapons.

Where are all the guns and ammunition coming from? Are the mining companies providing them. Someone needs to go to jail. Follow the money. Who is buying and providing all the weapons?

In southern Africa, Namibia has diamonds and uranium, but the vast majority of the country's citizens see none of that revenue and live well below the poverty line. It is inaccurate to suggest that these developing countries have no resources.

In southern Africa, Namibia has diamonds and uranium, but the vast majority of the country's citizens see none of that revenue and live well below the poverty line. It is inaccurate to suggest that these developing countries have no resources.

The sad fact is that this country has nothing to contribute to the world exonomy, therefore they don't exist. That's life in 2008. One glance says that all of the so-called third world countries' are that way because they have nothing of interest to the World Economic Powers. No oil? No diamonds? No precious metals? No uranium? Go away! Cruel, sure, but reality nevertheless. These are real human beings, people who would work if there was work to do, but they've been relegated to a subsistance level where every effort is aimed at finding food. Many would say there's no need for such poverty in a modern world, and ideally that is so. This is the legacy of the popular international hands-off approach wherein each country is left to govern -- regardless whether they're even marginally capable of doing so. No foreign rule or oppressive ruling party translated into tribal war and no economy at all. Wlecome to 2008.

Yje authir talks of "the world" ingoring waht is happening in Congo -- the Democratic republic of Congo. Iwant to ask a few questions : (1) why is it that when the going gets tough and there is ample evidence of the most crass barbarism being ignored, then the Western press happily talks of 'the world" shirking responsibility, whilst when it is a case of using 'humanirtarian impeirslism' as an excuse to invade another country, the talk is about "the free world" cannot stand by and tolerate totalitarianism but must spread democracy' (2) I have myself worked in African Development for 25 years, in jobs more risky, if you take yourself as seriously as I took myself, than what the soldiers and generals of the Blue Helmet troops who are fleeing alongside the civilians with such ignominy have been facing; I assure you that about a decade ago, when Madeleine Albright stood on the same platform as Laurent Desire Kabila and apologized for a decade of American unquestioned support to dictator Mobutu, I immedaitely turned to a colleague and shared with him my fear that, ten years after that moment (in others words approxiamtely at the time I am typing this ), another American Foreign Secretary would tell us " America apologises for a decade of unquestioned support to Laurent Desire Kabila". In fact, his own people got rid of Laurent Desire longbefore those ten years elapsed, his son has taken over, and we may yet hear an American Diplomat say, again "America aplogises for a decade of support (at least of arms sales) to Joseph Kabila".

When will the hypocisy end? When will the barbarism end?

How horrible for the richest nation in the world to continue to rape and pillage Africa - having turned its citizens into the savages much like the people who colonized them and ruined their country, their ideals, their customs, etc - - to allow this to happen over and over again is against God. This is the worst description of rape that I have ever heard. Thank you Ashley and thank you reporter for bringing this article forward.

I spent 4 months of rough,independant travel from Capetown to Nairobi 1994 when Afirca was seen as more of a success story than probably any time in its history. Free Elections all over south and central Africa brought much excitement and hope for better times. Zimbabwe was an economic powerhouse, good rains made most of that region, for a fleeting moment, a land of plenty. Yet even then, I too, returned with my own "Pink Tutu" moments. Proud, hard working people reaping no rewards for their toil. Many people I managed to maintain contact with after my return to California, including a whole village full of bright, talented children. I sent clothing, cameras, art and school supplies and in return I would always get a stunningly articulate letter of thanks, a roll or two of film to develope and discouraging reports of a persistent decline in their living conditions. When the letters stopped coming after 2 to 3 years I could only imagine the worst outcome for these exceptional people. People whose only offense was the misfortune of being born in such an unforgiving circumstance. My admiration for Ashley is immeasurable.

somebody might have mentioned ALL the agencies to whom donations might be given
UNICEF
CARE
etc.