Agenda 2/4/15

Lecture: Modern African Problems #7 Civil War and Genocide

Modern African Issues

• 1) Genocide/Civil Wars

• 2) Famine and Water Scarcity

• 3) Disease and the AIDS Epidemic

Rwandan Genocide

• Before European Colonization -

• Similarities: Hutus and Tutsis speak same language and share a similar culture.

• Differences: Tutsis were taller, smaller noses and were more “western” looking. Also, Hutus were often farmers, while Tutsis were cattle herders (more land ownership)

• During European Colonization -

• Belgium favors Tutsis based on appearance and their more significant wealth.

• Tutsis made up only 14% of total population but they dominated Hutus under the Belgian government.

Rwandan Genocide

• In 1962, Rwanda gains independence and the majority Hutus take power and oppress the Tutsis. Many flee the country.

• In exile, the Tutsis form a rebel army (RPF) and invade Rwanda in 1990 and force a peace agreement in 1993.

• During negotiations, an extremist Hutu militia forms (Interahamwe) and prepares for combat.

• April 6th, 1994 - president Habyarimana is killed when his plane is shot down.

• April 7th, 1994 the Interahamwe and the FAR (Rwandan Armed Forces) set up roadblocks and begin to massacre all Tutsis and Hutu moderates.

• April 21st, 1994 - 10 Belgian soldiers are killed; UN reacts by evacuating troops from the country.

• April 30, 1994 - UN Security Council refuses to call situation a genocide to avoid intervention.

• May 17, 1994 - its agreed to send troops to stop the situation, but motion is delayed over cost concerns.

• July 17th, 1994 - RPF (Tutsi troops) reach the capital of Kigali and the massacres finally stop.

• Total - over 800,000 people were killed in 100 days

Genocide in Darfur

• Darfur = about the size of Texas; made up of nomadic Arabs and more settled African farmers.

• In February 2003, frustrated by poverty and neglect from the government two Darfurian rebel groups launched an uprising against the government. Groups claimed government favored Arab nomads.

• Claiming to be putting down the rebellion, the government responded with a scorched-earth campaign against the innocent civilians of Darfur.

Genocide in Darfur

• Government sponsored Janjaweed militia have used rape, displacement, organized starvation, threats against aid workers, and mass murder to kill more than 400,000 and displace 2.5 million people.

• More than 100 people continue to die each day

• The US has been active in trying to end the situation, but matters are tricky due to Chinese financial influence

The Second Congo War

• Started in 1998 and involved eight African nations.

• The largest war in African history

• An estimated 5.4 million people died as a result of the war and its aftermath, making it the deadliest worldwide conflict since World War II

• War officially ended in 2006 but hostilities still continue today

• Women were often the targets of violence and mutilation by soldiers

Invisible Children

• Uganda 1980s - Alice Lakwena becomes popular as a religious preacher who claims the holy spirit is working through her.

• Lakwena claims the Acholi tribe should overthrow the unjust Ugandan government as its God’s will.

• Lakwena starts the Holy Spirit Movement but is eventually exiled. Joseph Kony, her cousin, takes over and transforms the movement into the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) and wages war.

• Kony loses support and so he abducts children by the thousands as a means to replenish his weakening army.

• Kony and the LRA have spread conflict beyond just Uganda to the DRC and southern Sudan

• Children are indoctrinated through addict to drugs such as cocaine or opiates. These numb the child and create a drug dependency to control them by.

• As of 2008 Kony refuses to sign a peace agreement and continues to wage war.

Invisible Children

Effects of Genocide

Famine and lack of resources

• Africa is the most underdeveloped and poorest of all the continents

• The average person in sub-saharan Africa is estimated to live on just $0.70 a day

• A recent UN report states that half of the world’s population does not have access to clean water

• (3 billion people)

• Increasing population plus limited resources leads to war

Clean Water

• The main conflicts in Africa over the next 25 years could be over the most precious resource on earth - clean water

• “Water wars” are most likely to occur in countries that share a common source of water.

Projections of available water in Africa in the year

2025

China’s Impact in Africa• Chinese interests in Africa range from oil, lumber,

refining, agriculture, banking and construction.

• Trade from 2000-2006 averaged $55 billion per year

• Projected 2010 is $100 billion

• Pros - heavy investment in infrastructure projects in exchange for oil, mining rights, etc; Chinese culture/humility is nice change to European arrogance; Chinese get things done; exports increased 2,126% in past 10 yrs

• Cons - efficiency comes with a price (worker complaints over chinese mistreatment), support of dictatorships in Africa such as Mugabe in Zimbabwe; Sudanese and Rwandan genocides both have connections to China

AIDS Epidemic• More than 17 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa have

died of AIDS

• Experts estimate that at least 26 million more people in Africa are HIV positive

• Millions of people with AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa could be treated with sophisticated anti-retroviral drugs for about $1,100 per patient annually (Harvard Study)

• The average life expectancy on the African continent ranges from 74 years in the island nation of Mauritius to just under 32 years in Sub-Saharan Swaziland

• Impact of AIDS has had a large impact on life expectancy in Africa

• Swaziland has highest concentration of AIDS infected people in Africa

Malaria

• Approximately 90% of all cases of malaria worldwide occur in Africa and 3,000 African children die each day from its effects.

• Malaria is under funded compared to other diseases worldwide

• AIDS funding is $3,270 per fatal case

• Malaria is $42 per fatal case

• Close to 375 million cases of malaria occurred last year

• Mosquito nets in every village would reduce disease rates by over 70%