Northern Congo civilians 'need urgent aid'

Sarah Creech

10/21/09

4:41 pm

This article is about how more relief groups are going to be sent to the north of the DRC to help the civilians who have been caught in the middle of the fighting between the Lord’s resistance Army (LRA) and the government. Around 400,000 civilians have had to leave their homes due to the fighting that is occurring in their villages. The LRA have kidnapped children, raped, and killed people. Some children have even been forced to kill their own parents.  One of the biggest problems is that there have not been many people trying to help these civilians because many are so unaware of what is going on. They are unaware because the situation where they are, in the north, has received much less media attention than in eastern Congo. Relief groups are now being urged to go to these places and try to help the innocent. It is hard to get humanitarian aid in places like this, because it is of course dangerous. But it is crucial that these people get the help that they need.

I agree with this article. I think it is imperative that relief groups go to these people and help them, since they cannot help themselves. I feel sad when I think about how these people are getting ignored because everyone is so concerned with their neighbors in Eastern Congo.  There should be help for the people in both places. The part that makes it the worst for me is that children, who are so innocent, are being brought into this mess. A child should never have to experience horrors such as these. I am 100 percent in agreement with the author of this article. People need to be sent over their now before things get even more out of hand.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/15/northern-congo-civilians-urgent-aid