Rape of a Nation
Photojournalist Marcus Bleasdale presents an excellent solution to transcending the challenges of visual journalism in a tech savvy world full of Generation X’ers with this compelling documentary “Rape of a Nation” about the Conflict in the Congo.

 This short yet powerful piece tells the story of what has transpired in the Congo over the last decade resulting in the worlds most deadly conflict since the Second World War. The root cause of the war is the control of its vast natural wealth. The result of the fighting from various armed groups is over 5 million dead due primarily from preventable diseases also known as lack of access to health care.

 In the end, there remains fully intact a system of rape and pillage that has yet to be effectively challenged by the International Criminal Court (ICC), UN, local government or international community. Business as usual has been the response of global corporations as the attitude of impunity towards Congolese suffering only seems to encourage further abuse and atrocities to be committed by the Congolese Army, rebel groups and even in past offenses…UN soldiers. Exploitation of poor innocent civilians seems to have no consequence.

Though the Congo is positioned in one of the richest regions of the world, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. It boast vast mineral wealth such as “gold, diamonds, coltan, copper, cobalt, uranium, tin and many other precious and strategic minerals such as rain forests and the Congo River estimated to be valued at over 24 trillion US Dollars”  What part might you play in that?

As stated by a local Washington DC NGO Africa Action,  when discussing the Congo in their new curriculum designed for educating middle and high school youth, “We are all connected to the conflict in the DRC. If you’ve ever used anything produced with any of the minerals from the Congo, then you have benefited, and continue to benefit.” Watch the doc and become aware.

 Raise hope for the Congo! Raise Awareness! Stop the Violence! Become a part of the movement.

—-Sonya