Conscience? Where?
Canada's Member of Parliament for the Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca riding in British Columbia is a medical doctor, engaged, when he can absent himself during the summer months, in humanitarian work in Africa. This man with a continent's-worth of conscience also founded the Canadian Physicians Overseas Program, whose purpose is to convince Canadian doctors to deploy temporarily to developing countries, sharing their professional expertise.
He has recently written to the Canadian heads of a number of mining companies whose companies - First Quantum Minerals, Ltd., Lundin Mining Corporation, Simberi Mining Corporation, Africo Resources Ltd., and SouthernEra Diamonds Inc. - are established in the Democratic Republic of Congo, asking them to commit to relatively modest donations to support the vital work of the HEAL Africa project.
A Congolese orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Jo Lusi and his wife Lyn, established the HEAL Africa Hospital in Goma in the DRC in 1993, in an area desperately in need of medical care. In addition to providing medical treatment to women suffering the horrific effects of rape and other forms of sexual violence in a miserably war-torn country, HEAL Africa provides psychosocial support to survivors, and provides access to other services throughout their healing process.
The Congo is a disaster scene, with a weak central government and an army incapable of defending its citizens against non-state terror-inflicting Hutu militias who fled Rwanda after the genocidal war against the country's ethnic Tutsis. Atrocities such as gang-rapes of women and young females as a weapon of war have affected a majority of Congolese women, with even the Congolese army itself inflicting itself on civilians, not only the Tutsi militias.
Women and girls are commonly maimed, tortured, disabled - and those are the survivors.
The DRC is a failed state, despite having more than its share of valuable natural resources. Diamonds, gold and rare mineral deposits are being exploited by international mining companies. The government of Congo may benefit, but the people of the DRC emphatically do not. The mineral coltan is present in great abundance, representing an essential element in the production of computers, cell phones and other electronic equipment.
HEAL Africa's modest operating budget to serve some five million people, vulnerable as victims in the atmosphere of war that prevails rurally in their country is in dire need of a cash infusion. It does not anticipate that the government will come through with the needed funding. It appeals to the international community to assist, to provide the $1.4 million annually required to provide maternal, infant and emergency care to the Congo's needy.
Dr. Martin took it upon himself to personally write to each of the corporate heads of Canadian mining companies. Whose industries are thriving in the Democratic Republic of Congo despite the turmoil of war, while all around people are desperately in need of humanitarian aid. No acknowledgement has yet been received by him to his appeal addressed to the five-named Canadian companies noted above.
He has recently written to the Canadian heads of a number of mining companies whose companies - First Quantum Minerals, Ltd., Lundin Mining Corporation, Simberi Mining Corporation, Africo Resources Ltd., and SouthernEra Diamonds Inc. - are established in the Democratic Republic of Congo, asking them to commit to relatively modest donations to support the vital work of the HEAL Africa project.
A Congolese orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Jo Lusi and his wife Lyn, established the HEAL Africa Hospital in Goma in the DRC in 1993, in an area desperately in need of medical care. In addition to providing medical treatment to women suffering the horrific effects of rape and other forms of sexual violence in a miserably war-torn country, HEAL Africa provides psychosocial support to survivors, and provides access to other services throughout their healing process.
The Congo is a disaster scene, with a weak central government and an army incapable of defending its citizens against non-state terror-inflicting Hutu militias who fled Rwanda after the genocidal war against the country's ethnic Tutsis. Atrocities such as gang-rapes of women and young females as a weapon of war have affected a majority of Congolese women, with even the Congolese army itself inflicting itself on civilians, not only the Tutsi militias.
Women and girls are commonly maimed, tortured, disabled - and those are the survivors.
The DRC is a failed state, despite having more than its share of valuable natural resources. Diamonds, gold and rare mineral deposits are being exploited by international mining companies. The government of Congo may benefit, but the people of the DRC emphatically do not. The mineral coltan is present in great abundance, representing an essential element in the production of computers, cell phones and other electronic equipment.
HEAL Africa's modest operating budget to serve some five million people, vulnerable as victims in the atmosphere of war that prevails rurally in their country is in dire need of a cash infusion. It does not anticipate that the government will come through with the needed funding. It appeals to the international community to assist, to provide the $1.4 million annually required to provide maternal, infant and emergency care to the Congo's needy.
Dr. Martin took it upon himself to personally write to each of the corporate heads of Canadian mining companies. Whose industries are thriving in the Democratic Republic of Congo despite the turmoil of war, while all around people are desperately in need of humanitarian aid. No acknowledgement has yet been received by him to his appeal addressed to the five-named Canadian companies noted above.
Labels: Canada, Particularities
posted by Pieface @ 6:22 PM
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