Wednesday, October 19, 2005
The heart of darkness
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Militiamen have taken 43 Congolese disarmament officers hostage and are threatening to burn them alive unless they are paid cash for handing in their weapons, officials said on Wednesday.
More than 500 "Mai Mai" militia were holding the officers in Luvungi disarmament camp, near the eastern town of Bukavu, to protest against not receiving an initial payment of $110 each they say the national disarmament commission owes them.
The most depressing thing about this threat is that it is credible. Does anybody honestly believe that they wouldn't burn the hostages alive if they don't get their $110 each?
This is a desperate part of the world. So desperate, in fact, that the $110 these hostage takers are each demanding exceeds the per capita GDP in the Congo, the third poorest country on Earth.
0 Comments:
