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| Africa: West |
| U.N. Says Arms Imports Keep Congo at War |
| 2003-10-29 |
| This is just too easy. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The key to ending Congo’s civil war and the plunder of its wealth is to And they want a pony for Christmas. The panel, following a three-year study, gave the council details on groups and individuals involved in arms trafficking, which is funded by the illegal sale of Congo’s diamonds, gold and other riches. But that information was not released, leaving it up to the council, which will discuss the report on Thursday, to decide whether to make it public. Some U.N. officials worried that identifying traffickers could jeopardize peace efforts. It’s been a sterling success so far! In October 2002, the panel accused criminal groups linked to the armies of Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Congo of plundering Congo’s riches and called on the Security Council to impose financial restrictions on 29 companies and 54 individuals. It also named over 70 companies in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America which it alleged had violated international standards for business ethics. Europe, eh? The panel said that 119 of the 157 parties it named last year responded to the report. Over the past year, its members met with almost all of them and resolved 61 cases. Wonder how many But it said the cases against 18 companies weren’t ``resolved’’ - including international diamond giant De Beers and Avient Air and Das Air of Britain - but it didn’t give specifics on why. Couldn’t track the diamonds? The panel said it referred the cases to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ``for updating or further investigation.’’ Another 38 companies and individuals were referred to governments for investigation, some at the request of the governments themselves. I’m sure the French prosecutor will get right on it. The Security Council has imposed an arms embargo in areas of eastern Congo where fighting has intensified, and the panel proposed finding a way to implement it and track the arms supply chain from manufacturers to recipients and deter illegal trafficking. Nah, that would mean chips in every gun and special grips coded to let only certain people ... oh wait, now I see where they’re going. To help ensure that Congo’s resources are legally exploited, it called on the Congolese government to give ``serious consideration’’ to breaking up two ``grossly inefficient’’ state-owned mineral resource enterprises, the copper producer Gecamines and the diamond company MIBA. "We have a special program known as Diamonds-for-Food’ that we believe will work!" The panel also recommended the establishment ``a natural resources fund’’ In an effort to see that Congolese people share in the country’s riches. The fund should be given a portion of the proceeds from the legal exploitation of the country’s mineral wealth and timber resources for schools, hospitals, and other projects, it said. Which will then be spent on UN-approved activities like per-diems for UN workers, sex workers, travel, wine, and housing overlooking the river ... |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #8 I think if Liberia had MORE guns, and not just guns concentrated in the hands of nutbags, you'd see less killing and much more politeness. Everybody in Liberia should be armed, 24/7, and be willing to use their weapons against the nutcases that want to make their lives more miserable. One of two things will happen: either the nutcases will stop random killings (afraid they, not their chosen victim, will be the one on the receiving end), or the population will be so decimated there won't be anyone left to pull a trigger. Either way, the WORLD wins. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-10-29 10:33:44 PM |
| #7 Sounds like they could use some gun control in Liberia as well: Many Liberian families are living in appalling conditions at the mercy of rebels and fighters who backed former President Charles Taylor. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-10-29 2:35:16 PM |
| #6 *tip o' the hat to .com* Glad I could bring a smile, .com - thanks. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2003-10-29 2:08:25 PM |
| #5 Mike - Every time I roll past this post - and I mean every time - your post makes me break out laughing - Thanx! |
| Posted by: .com 2003-10-29 12:44:05 PM |
| #4 ... it said the cases against 18 companies weren’t ``resolved’’ - including international diamond giant De Beers De Beers has been controlling the diamond market for at least the last 75 years, keeping the price high and manipulating the market in Africa for its own gain. Whacking De Beers won't change much, but it will end one more outpost of economic colonialism in Africa. In doing so, diamond production will skyrocket, the price of diamonds will fall, millions of people will lose money, and not a whole lot if anything will change in Africa. Until the people of Africa start looking beyond tribalism and local gain at some other tribe's loss, it's going to be the bunghole of the world. Only by cooperating with one another, using each group's individual talents to build on local success, and recognizing that someone outside their immediate family group might just possibly be good for something other than a snack can Africa ever pull itself out of the huge hole it's dug for itself. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-10-29 12:42:19 PM |
| #3 Three years and a cloud of dust. |
| Posted by: Lucky 2003-10-29 10:09:25 AM |
| #2 Arms trafficking is a symptom, not the disease. Lack of democracy, law, etc. is the disease. Ah! The UN is on the case (the operation will be a success but the patient will die). Paging Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard |
| Posted by: Spot 2003-10-29 5:12:08 AM |
| #1 FROM: M.J. Kozlowski TO: The UN Security Council RE: Arms Trafficking Sirs: 1. F**king DUH. Yours Respectfully, M.J. Kozlowski |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2003-10-29 1:21:07 AM |