Haiti and The Earthquake? What About War In The Congo?

(CLEVELAND) - As the world pauses to observe the tragedy in Haiti, it also makes sense to pay attention to what is taking place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; home of the world's bloodiest war since World War II, where people have buried more than 30 times the number killed in last year's earthquake in Haiti.

"It's also one of the world's most unsafe places for women and girls. Women are raped and gang raped on a daily basis. Just last week reports from Médecins Sans Frontières told of a series of vicious rapes on New Year's Day in South Kivu. Women were tied up, beaten and then raped, some in front of their children. What a way to ring in the New Year."

Exactly how many women and girls have experienced sexual abuse in the DRC is unknown.

It was reported in 2008 by the United Nations Population Fund, that there were 15,996 registered cases of sexual violence across the country.

The compound the problems, it is widely believed that the majority of victims don't report the attack meaning actual numbers are significantly higher.

"Victims know their chances at justice are slim; they fear rejection by their families and face expulsion from their communities," AllAfrica.com reports.

As the video interview with the Congolese soldiers included with this report indicates, there is a belief system in place with these men that centers around a magic potion.

They are trained to believe that they have to rape women to bring the magic forward.

When asked if they would accept their wife, sister or mother being raped, most of the soldiers who speak freely of raping women on camera, say absolutely not.

Somewhere in the middle of that is the biggest disconnect with reality most of us have ever heard.

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Haiti and The Earthquake? What About War In The Congo?

Well, well, well! Thought I’ve heard it all before, apparently not,
Physicians are news reporters, who cares if two jobs they’ve got,
Because Bob Steele of Poynter Instutite can’t walk & chew gum,
It does not mean every one is equally uncoordinated and dumb.

The DePauw University journalism professor told the blog DimeWars,
What is this dude’s problem and why is he judgmental, bitter & sore?
I don’t see him speaking from ravaged rumble of blood soaked soil,
Surely it would be in the news if his college was in any similar turmoil.

He’s whining about clouding the lens of observation & reporting,
Haitians covered under rubble aren’t sure it it’s night or morning,
All the earthquake victims know is they need and they need it fast,
Who gives a country crock if it’s first before news reporting or last.

Who is anyone to criticize those putting their lives in harm’s way?
For a devastation so horrendous unlike any seen in the world today,
Ok first of all, who ordered these doctors to by pass lucrative pay?
For leaving their practices, families and friends back in the USA.

Okay who is this dude anyway, what in the heck is the great big deal,
Back seat drivers and armchair quarterbacks aren’t on the battlefield,
Like people watching TV from a living room judging cops on the street,
Easy to say how it should be done in air conditioning instead of heat.

In every natural disaster there’s at least one idiot on the other side,
What this fool and those punks like him should do is run and hide,
For those forsaking comfort and safety at home it’s called, “Pride,”
Not just the United States but nations across globe far and wide.

Usually in times like this people get involved for one word, greed,
Yet, on this occasion military and civilians alike are there by need,
There is so much support supply planes are diverted to areas away,
How in the world can any sane person dare to have negatives to say?

Once again, God has to look down from heaven and shake His head,
These are the ones, who should be found in the quake aftermath dead,
Well alright not perished but allowed to be trapped almost smothered,
Several days at least to see how it feels before safely being discovered.

No healthcare, medicine for pain & sickness, zero water, same for food,
What the, under these circumstances how can they be in a better mood?
And then to top it off we have knuckle heads back home who criticize,
We need a day where every volunteer could be honored and idolized.

Dr. Gupta told TVNewser that in such situations, he's a doctor first.
Wait, I have to broadcast this story then I will get to where you hurt,
No! He said, “We offer enough care to get to the next level of care,”
Get real, as trained medical professionals they are most needed there.

How about Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a medical correspondent from CBS,
Right after the plane landed found herself doing what she does best,
Make shift hospitals for life saving surgeries, amputations, even birth,
Can anyone put a price on unselfish valor? Go ahead, what is it worth?

The primary focus should not be on why, what, who or how it was said,
Millions are homeless most without makeshift shelters not 1 decent bed,
Mass graves by the thousands, no proper burial for over 200,000 dead,
With many more to perish in agony not properly being housed and fed.

It’s time to act in unison not as a nation but by the planet coming together,
Devastation is so vast they need the entire free world in order to get better,
Be a blessing to the country of Haiti because they’ve already run out of luck,
Hey! Own a wireless phone? Text “90999” from your cell, it’s only 10 bucks.

Don’t get me wrong this is a very worthy cause but just so you’ll know,
A minimum of five million people have been killed by war in the Congo,
What about support for, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC,
Why isn’t there any help in a nation where millions are dying to be free?

If there were oil fields in the former area that used to be known as Zaire,
Military forces would mount a takeover and half of the UN would be there,
Kinshasa is no longer a heavyweight bout between George Foreman & Ali,
This is a real championship fight for a repressed nation struggling to be free.

One year after the quake devastation 250,000+ dead, improvements galore?
Clinics, doctors, nurses, houses however food & fresh water still need more?
But with all the upscale standard care, rape abounds women are not whores,
And yet a life in the African Congo is even worse than it was a year before.

Here is an updat for Haiti on 1/18/11, Fox cable & the Bill O’Reilly show,
Over 2 billion from America alone many live in the streets where did it go?
On paper everything looks fine but through corruption money is stolen/lost,
Add 10 billion pledged from other nations how much does it actually cost.

Uh, shouldn’t the United Nations step in with accountability to ensure,
That right down to the penny everything is kosher before giving more,
With people in this country, who are starving and living in the streets,
Shall America continue to supply Haitians while our own we mistreat?

To this day victims of Haiti and the Congo share a common ground,
Food, water shortages plus the horrendous crime of rape abounds,
United Nations documents, the Associated Press writes their plea,
These victims live in fear of Congo soldiers and Haitian refugees.

Women and children are exceptionally vulnerable not to mention,
They’re without government assistance, needing special attention,
These females and kids are unwilling/unable, the powers to resist,
It’s either death, chop off an arm or submit to assault with a kiss.

On many occasions a limb is severed regardless of cooperation,
Google this, conduct your own research, it’s not my imagination,
Where is the money, we see only a little next to what they’ve got,
For our own sake no for the victims we need closure, do we not?

By Luke Easter

Luke Easter is a poet who writes about things that are very close to the heart of Salem-News.com. Another former U.S. Marine, Luke heals the world with an approach that reaches people on a different level, one known for centuries, yet too often forgotten in the one we live in.

We live in a world of social & economic injustice. The main reason for founding America in the first place was to relieve the oppression of the King of England. Patrick Henry said it best, “give me liberty or give me death.” And yet, all too often death seems to be the only way out. Why is there such a high suicide rate especially among teens, in the land of the free & the home of the brave? What makes headlines? Good news? Ha! More depressing stories than anything else. I feel poetry takes an edge off the hurt of bad news while still delivering it but in a, “glitzy” sort of way. Giving a different perspective. Kind of like slap in the face as opposed to a knife in the back. At least with the slap you’ll live to see another day and you will know whom it’s from. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the world but at 59, I just might be here for the end.

Even though it’s still a knife, rhyme poetry helps to dull the blade. And that’s my job. You can write to Luke Easter at: lyricsfromlucas@aol.com