Over a century of oppression and exploitation followed by fifteen years of brutal war in the Congo have numbed the world to the importance of that country to the fate of Africa and, perhaps, to the world. What happens in the Congo affects Americans in ways seldom mentioned in the headlines.
With the rising howl of protest over the conflicts causing the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, it's easy for us to forget that there are other, very important reasons we should all be concerned about this nation the size of the United States east of the Mississippi. I briefly spoke about "Why Congo Matters" at the 18th Annual Westchester Library System Book & Author Luncheon this week in Tarrytown, NY.
You can hearmy remarks in an mp3 file at www.heartofdiamonds.com.
As you can tell by the stillness of the room while I spoke and the applause following, the message got across. Many of the more than 200 audience members approached afterward to express surprise, not just at the atrocities that have gone unchecked for fifteen years but at the potential impact the DRC could have on Africa and the world if it were a peaceful, stable nation.
Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds, a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.