I found the map, below, on a site that focuses there attention on humanitarian needs around the world. I find visual representations to be very effective for gathering information.
Our government has been focused for a long time on three of these troubled areas. Why? Well, I see three different answers.
- Iraq - oil & ISIS
- Syria - ISIS and what is quickly becoming a proxy war with Russia
- Afghanistan - al-Qaeda & ISIS
Is our government really concerned with humanitarian issues in these three countries? Maybe to some degree. Are our government's actions part of the problem or part of the solution? I'll leave that for you to answer for yourself.
As far as ISIS and al-Qaeda are concerned, certainly we need these groups to be dismantled. Will war achieve this goal? I doubt it. I see that the more we engage in armed conflict with these groups the the more we radicalize individuals to join their causes. I fact, there is the rub. These groups represent causes, ideologies. There are no boarders, there are only minds and emotions. As people see others that they identify with get killed, it ........well I've got no better way to put it.........it pisses them off to the point of taking up these radical ideologies.
Oil and fighting a proxy war with Russia are invalid reasons for war, period!
Now how about the other countries on this map?
- Burundi - Both government forces and opposition groups continue to carry out human rights violations, perpetuating insecurity and provoking a steady stream of displacement, both within Burundi and to neighbouring countries. Estimated 3 million in need.
- Central African Republic (CAR) - In 2016, conflict has concentrated in north-central and western provinces. In eastern CAR, the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) has exploited the security vacuum [where there have been] 2.5 times the number of abductions and almost three times as many murders as 2015. Estimated 2.2 million in need.
- Democratic Republic of Congo - Political violence related to the scheduling of elections has increased instability across the country in 2016. Cholera transmission has been high all year, and has worsened with the rainy season. Yellow fever has also significantly increased. Estimated 7.5 million in need.
- Mali - Flare in conflict constrains humanitarian access. Mali continues to be one of the most dangerous places in the world for humanitarian workers. Estimated 3 million in need.
- Nigeria - Boko Haram (BH) has been forced to cede considerable territory to the Nigerian army in 2016. As humanitarians have gained access, they have discovered much worse food security and nutrition conditions than anticipated: 4.67 million people in the northeast were in Crisis [.......]by the end of October, including over 55,000 in Famine. Across the country, 8.08 million were severely food insecure. Estimated 7 million in need.
- Somalia - The population in need of humanitarian assistance has risen to 5 million people, or 40% of the total population. Clashes continued between Al Shabaab and the military, [with] 4,293 deaths between January and September, compared to 4,096 in 2015. The situation is expected to worsen. Estimated 5 million in need.
- South Sudan - Conflict has spread; food security is reaching catastrophic levels. In the Greater Upper Nile region, where conflict has been concentrated until now, fighting continues between government and opposition forces. The displaced population continues to grow, and food insecurity remains a priority, with 4.8 million people estimated severely food insecure this year compared to 2.8 million in January 2016. The situation has deteriorated in 2016 as a result of fighting. Estimated 6.1 million in need.
- Yemen - The humanitarian situation in Yemen, which has left almost half the population in need, has not significantly improved in 2016. Houthi forces continue to fight the Hadi government, who are supported by a Saudi-led coalition. The situation is further compounded by Al Qaeda and IS, who exploit the security vacuum. Some estimates put the death toll since the escalation of the conflict at 10,000, an increase of 4,000 since the end of 2015. Estimated 18.8 million in need.
- Zimbabwe - [A] plunging economy and formal unemployment rate of over 90% have resulted in increased popular dissatisfaction with the current government. Anti-government demonstrations have been met with force by the police, and opposition supporters have reported physical abuse and persecution. Estimated 4.3 million in need.
In the nine countries, listed above, the need is overwhelming, and yet I am not aware of any significant push on our government's part to assist these vast numbers of suffering human beings. In the three countries that I mentioned in the very beginning of this post there is great need as well. Afghanistan = 8.1 million in need; Iraq = 8.5 million; Syria = 13.5 million. Is our government, on our behalf, doing anything to facilitate humanitarian assistance in these three countries or, as I asked above, are we adding to the problem. I know what I think.
When I hear a report about how d.j[ackass] trump was so emotionally affected by the pictures of suffering in Syria after the recent chemical weapon deaths, I greet that type of information with a great deal of skepticism. We have ample evidence that trump has no respect for the general population of countries like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. So why the pretense that he cares. Of course our security is important, and by working for the security of all peoples on our planet, we will go a long way towards making ourselves more secure as well.
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/acaps_crisis_overview_2016_humanitarian_trends_and_risks_for_2017.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment