That's according to Time magazine's Alex Perry (7/5/10):
If you want to see what's wrong with Africa, take a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The size of Western Europe, with almost no paved roads, Congo is the sucking vortex where Africa's heart should be. Independent Congo gave the world Mobutu Sese Seko, who for 32 years impoverished his people while traveling the world in a chartered Concorde. His death in 1997 ushered in a civil war that killed 5.4 million people and unleashed a hurricane of rape on tens of thousands more. Today AIDS and malaria are epidemic.
This is all a set-up to explain that China is venturing into the Heart of Darkness in a whole new way, investing billions on infrastructure projects in return for things like mineral concessions.
But if you're going to charge Congo with being "what's wrong with Africa," you'd better give credit where credit is due. Independent Congo didn't give the world Mobutu; that gift belongs to the U.S. and Belgium, who supported the overthrow and assassination of democratically-elected Patrice Lumumba and helped prop up the horror that was Mobutu for decades afterward.
Perry goes on to write that "the Western way of helping has been with aid" while, by contrast, "Beijing doesn't do gifts; it does deals." Besides "gifts" like Mobutu, the bulk of Western aid come with so many strings attached that the distinction between "gifts" and "deals" is little more than a semantic game.
The lesson from this article? If you want to see what's wrong with Africa, don't look to Time to find out.
(h/t Maurice Carney of Friends of the Congo)
About Julie Hollar
I've read your replies in these comments and I support you Alex Perry. Most of these comment by others are worthless. They think themselves experts after – at most – glancing at a wikipedia article about the Congo. Most just rant on and on about how the evil US and Europe did you fill in the blank to this country and that country.
As a side note, i've found that 99% of comments to articles – no matter the website – are complete stupidity. This comment is not one of them.
this should sum up this entire article and its comments:
HOW CAN SHE SLAP ME? HOW CAN SHE SLAP ME?
just incase you didn't get it: one guy may or may not have given proper context for his article, gets slapped by someone whose way of life is different, slaps back rather than politely acknowledging his error and pointing out hers, and then things get a little… cray-cray. *goes back into the woodwork*
I must say Alex Perry has more sense staying out of this mess than being involved! These comments just prove how superficial and prejudiced people are to people that are living in Africa, such as myself.
Just leave the man alone! He has more important things to do than read about your damned harping that in the end will not achieve anything anyway.
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Wow! Mr. Perry seems very sure of himself. Perhaps you should blame his superiors.
Such blatant lack of research makes me think he spends more time on the frankly more attractive
nightlife and beaches of Capetown. For an Oxford letter holder this very very poor work. Shame on TIME-CNN editors too.
[...] reader Laurence Wilse-Samson, I learned there was an interesting discussion happening over at the FAIR blog, where Julie Hollar rightly called Perry out. It seems he was none too happy, and let her and other [...]
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[...] would never have sufficient background in the recent history of Congo to understand and appreciate this comment thread. â┚¬Ã‹Å“On The Grid\' gives me context for all news regarding infrastructure. Explaining Research is a [...]
If you had a "like" I would link this on Google+.
Was that the right video? Because I've seen this guy perform where he produces oodles of bananas to just look at.
Written well, for the most part, but don't you feel as if the issue is more complex than that?
[...] Rebutted Julie Hollar of Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting: “If you’re going to charge Congo with being ‘what’s wrong with Africa,’ you’d better give credit where credit is due. Independent Congo didn’t give the world Mobutu; that gift belongs to the US and Belgium, who supported the overthrow and assassination of democratically-elected Patrice Lumumba and helped prop up the horror that was Mobutu for decades afterward." [...]
[...] Julie Hollar of Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting: “If you’re going to charge Congo with being [...]