+34
Media mustn’t forget Africa’s conflicts as Ukraine dominates headlines - People live a ‘hellish existence’ in countries such as South Sudan, northern Mozambique, the DRC but these are a blip on the international media’s news cycle
I visited two African conflict areas recently, mainly spending my time in sprawling camps for displaced people that seldom make it onto the international nightly news.in since the insurgency began in 2017 and some 800 000 more have been displaced, I heard horror stories of beheadings and kidnapped children from those who had fled attacks.
One older woman told me her sister’s decapitated head had been placed outside her front door with the tongue cut out. In South Sudan, despite a peace accord signed several years ago, displaced people still live in thousands of makeshift shelters assembled from old food sacks bearing the logos of the various UN agencies that donated them. As in Mozambique, they are reliant on food aid, and tribal fighting regularly shatters the nominal peace. Cattle-raiding is one of the pervasive causes of violence here, with bandits regularly stealing children as well as cows and often murdering dozens of villagers in the raids. Now there is increasing concern that aid money could be diverted away from regions like these in favour of Ukraine, with UN secretary generalsaying only a few weeks ago: “We are seeing clear evidence of this war draining resources and attention from other trouble spots in desperate need.” Isak Pretorius, chief executive for JAM International, an African humanitarian aid and development organisation, agrees this is something that needs to be prevented. “Our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine and we are responding with assistance programmes in Ukraine and the neighbouring countries, as well as trying to secure safe passage and repatriation of Africans stuck in Ukraine. I am, however, very concerned about the impact of the war on Africa,” he said. “There is massive displacement of people in Mozambique, Ethiopia, South Sudan, DR Congo and many other countries as a result of ongoing human conflict or natural disasters. These are crises that are already underfunded and if we see further funding cuts, I fear we will be placed in the extremely compromised position of having to sideline those in need … We must respond to the needs of Ukraine, but please not at the expense of Africa.” I think of the psychologically-scarred former child soldier I interviewed, of the mother and her malnourished baby I met at a clinic, of the man whose teenage daughter was taken by militants and never heard from again, of the little girl in the “Born to Shop” T-shirt, and I hope that while the media runs the Ukraine story 24/7, they also have space to report on the oft-forgotten victims of conflict in Africa.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Elon Musk Buys 9.2% of Twitter, Considers Own Social Media Company - IT News Africa - Up to date technology news, IT news, Digital news, Telecom news, Mobile news, Gadgets news, Analysis and ReportsElon Musk Buys 9.2% of Twitter, Considers Own Social Media Company -Elon Musk has bought a 9.2% stake in Twitter, more than four times the 2.25% holding of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. His newly purchased... -
Read more »
SARS is sending this letter to people who leave South Africa – what you should knowSARS is now officially issuing a confirmation of tax non-residency letters to people permanently leaving the country, says specialist advisory firm Tax Consulting SA.
Read more »
LIVE | Media briefing following lifting of the COVID-19 National State of Disaster - SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader.The Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma are holding a media briefing on Tuesday to further unpack President Ramaphosa’s address to the nation of 04 April 2022. Share article
Read more »
'Alarming hunger situation': 346 million people in Africa need food aid, says ICRC | News24The International Committee of the Red Cross says it will 'ramp up' its operations in 10 African countries as part of its hunger alleviation fight, as record numbers of people on the continent go without food. | CdeLENIN
Read more »