| With the successful July 30th vote, that saw | | | | “Before [2005], people feared AIDS. They |
| millions “enthusiastically” participate | | | | feared stigma. They feared discrimination, but |
| in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s | | | | now with a good treatment program, people |
| (DRC) first free elections since 1965, concluded | | | | understand it. The fear of the disease, the stigma, |
| without a major incident, the country has taken a | | | | the discrimination, it all disappear[ed] into the |
| big step forward towards peace and prosperity. | | | | background. We’ve come out of the |
| As the count proceeds for the election termed | | | | valley of the shadow of death and [are looking] at |
| by President Joseph Kabila as “the most | | | | a whole new vista of inspiration… [As a |
| important day in [the DRC’s] history since | | | | result] …the [2005] HIV prevalence rate is |
| 1960 [in which] the ultimate winners will be the | | | | exactly the same as [2004], which means no new |
| Congolese people who have suffered so | | | | infections, no one is getting sick and no one is |
| much,”[1] marred by only a few immaterial | | | | dying.”[11]Such an approach is especially |
| problems, namely isolated incidents of alleged vote | | | | important since based on a 2005 estimate by the |
| buying and voter intimidation, “ballot | | | | DRC’s national AIDS program, PNLS, 1.2 |
| sheets collected late from polling stations due to a | | | | million Congolese comprising 4% of the |
| lack of petrol, [and confusion at some centers] | | | | country’s population is HIV+ (which |
| where the results of individual polling stations were | | | | includes 20% of female war rape victims) with |
| being [counted due to the arrival of] some ballot | | | | new cases exceeding the current mortality rate |
| sheets… in partially opened | | | | and fears that a “very explosive” |
| boxes,”[2] there is reason for optimism, | | | | outbreak is pending according to UNAIDS |
| despite fraud allegations made by Presidential | | | | coordinator Pierre Somse.[12]Another constructive |
| candidate, Azarias Ruberwa (a Vice President in | | | | contribution, one that requires a partnership |
| the transitional government and former rebel | | | | between government and business that can be |
| leader). Ruberwa has ruled out “returning | | | | made in post-election DRC is the elimination of |
| to arms”[3] while the Carter Center and | | | | under-aged child labor and improved working |
| international observers have given a | | | | conditions. Currently young children and adults |
| “cautious thumbs up”[4] with the | | | | “labor under toxic conditions in [the |
| former stating, “although there were | | | | country’s] gold and diamond |
| procedural problems, ‘on the whole, these | | | | mines” while “orphans choke the |
| appear at this point to be | | | | streets of Kinshasa” among the |
| minor.’”[5]Presently early results | | | | nation’s major cities.[13]Yet all is not dire, |
| show incumbent President Joseph Kabila and Vice | | | | bleak nor hopeless. With the end of the major |
| President Jean-Pierre Bemba as the | | | | fighting and expressed willingness by opposition |
| “leading contenders” with | | | | candidates to pursue “peaceful |
| Harvard-educated Dr. Oscar Kashala | | | | protest” in lieu of armed conflict to solve |
| “receiving strong support in opposition | | | | disputes, the expansion of established cell-phone |
| areas.”[6] A run-off election between the | | | | networks, the introduction of proactive healthcare |
| two leading candidates is likely and is slated for | | | | programs (e.g. The International Rescue |
| October 29th.However, more important than the | | | | Committee’s training of people “to |
| actual Presidential winner and the composition of | | | | recognize and treat three common but potentially |
| the country’s parliament is the direction | | | | deadly diseases – malaria, pneumonia and |
| the DRC will take to improve stability and peace | | | | diarrhea… through simple… |
| to harness her vast potential to address her | | | | life-saving [measures]”[14]) and increasing |
| myriad of social problems.While a state of peace | | | | allocations of resources to social programs, |
| and stability has held in most of the country since | | | | benefits have already been experienced, most |
| the end of “Africa’s first world | | | | notably 50% reduction in the child mortality rate |
| war” in 2002 that saw the direct military | | | | since 2002. And with the DRC on the verge of |
| involvement of Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, | | | | forming a “grass-roots” popularly |
| Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan at one time or | | | | elected government the future appears bright |
| another, a state of war has lingered in the | | | | since the added stability will lead to respect, |
| eastern portion of the DRC. To help bring an end | | | | reconciliation, and greater funding for education (to |
| to this low-level war that includes Hutu and | | | | reduce illiteracy) that will lead to better |
| Ugandan rebels seeking to overthrow the elected | | | | opportunities, proactive healthcare and medical |
| governments in Rwanda and Uganda, respectively, | | | | treatment, including of war victims, expansion of |
| the DRC’s government has agreed to | | | | the electrical, plumbing and sewage infrastructures |
| participate in a joint operation with Uganda. Peace | | | | (of which the latter two are especially critical since |
| and stability are essential if the DRC is to benefit | | | | contaminated water and untreated sewage pose |
| from her vast mineral reserves to solve her social | | | | the greatest risk for epidemiological outbreaks). In |
| ills – high poverty, illiteracy, and mortality | | | | short, the DRC could follow Rwanda’s |
| rates – and improve standards of life | | | | inspirational example (overcoming the |
| through the expansion of her electrical grids, | | | | continent’s worst episode of genocide in |
| running water, plumbing, and sewage treatment | | | | 1994) and also rise from the ashes of war and |
| facilities. Peace is also critical since “about | | | | conflict, eventually joining Nigeria and South Africa |
| 30,000 [Congolese] children have been forced into | | | | as a continental |
| militias, while untold thousands of girls have been | | | | 1] Congo flocks to vote in first elections in 40 |
| raped”[7] during the fighting that dates | | | | years. eitb. 30 July 2006. 30 July 2006. Chaotic |
| back to 1996, according to a UNICEF | | | | vote counting in Congo, demands for more |
| estimate.“…the DRC is perhaps | | | | caution. Africa News. 1 August 2006. 1 August |
| Africa’s richest nation when it comes to | | | | 2006. Edward Harris. Congo presidential hopeful |
| natural resources. With huge deposits of cobalt, | | | | claims fraud. 1 August 2006. 1 August 2006. |
| copper, diamonds, and gold, and smaller deposits | | | | Chaotic vote counting in Congo, demands for |
| of silver, coal, manganese, tin, uranium, zinc, and | | | | more caution. Africa News. 1 August 2006. 1 |
| oil, the country holds the potential of becoming an | | | | August 2006. Edward Harris. Congo presidential |
| African economic power alongside South Africa | | | | hopeful claims fraud. 1 August 2006. 1 August |
| and Nigeria.”[8]Yet because of the | | | | 2006. Edward Harris. Congo presidential hopeful |
| 1996-2002 war and lingering instability and violence | | | | claims fraud. 1 August 2006. 1 August 2006. Lydia |
| in her eastern region, the DRC’s mortality | | | | Polgreen. War’s Chaos Steals |
| rate remains among the highest in Africa, | | | | Congo’s Young by the Millions. The New |
| especially when it comes to children. This is | | | | York Times. 30 July 2006. 8.[8] William Sutherland. |
| exacerbated by the fact that the | | | | 2006 Elections: Democratic Republic of Congo's |
| country’s hospitals are in dire need of | | | | Best and Last Hope? EzineArticles 04 July 2006. |
| life-saving equipment especially when it comes to | | | | 01 August 2006 Lydia Polgreen. War’s |
| infant care. Currently many, especially in the | | | | Chaos Steals Congo’s Young by the |
| eastern region, lack ultrasound machines, | | | | Millions. The New York Times. 30 July 2006. 8.[10] |
| incubators, and even air-conditioners forcing | | | | Lydia Polgreen. War’s Chaos Steals |
| expectant mothers to moan in labor “in | | | | Congo’s Young by the Millions. The New |
| suffocating heat.”[9] As a result while | | | | York Times. 30 July 2006. 1.[11]Charlayne |
| Congolese children die of “the same | | | | Hunter-Gault. New News Out of Africa. (Oxford |
| ailments that needlessly kill children all over Africa | | | | University Press, New York, 2006) 40.[12] |
| – malaria, diarrhea, measles, malnutrition | | | | Congo-Kinshasa: Hoping to Counter the War |
| – [they die] on a vast and cataclysmic | | | | Legacy of Rising HIV/Aids. 1 August 2006. 1 |
| scale” with the mortality rate in eastern | | | | August 2006. Lydia Polgreen. War’s Chaos |
| DRC standing at “almost twice that of the | | | | Steals Congo’s Young by the Millions. The |
| rest of sub-Saharan Africa, which already has the | | | | New York Times. 30 July 2006. 8.[14] Lydia |
| world’s highest rate… kill[ing] one in | | | | Polgreen. War’s Chaos Steals |
| four children before the age of 5”[10] | | | | Congo’s Young by the Millions. The New |
| there is an urgent need to improve medical care, | | | | York Times. 30 July 2006. |
| which can only be accomplished when resources | | | | ional Source:Uganda, Congo to launch joint |
| can be diverted away from warfare and | | | | operations against rebel groups. 29 July 2006. 30 |
| weapons.At the same time it is important that | | | | July 2006. Sutherland is a published poet and |
| the array of companies benefiting from the | | | | writer. He is the author of three books, "Poetry, |
| DRC’s resources mirror the progressive | | | | Prayers & Haiku" (1999), "Russian Spring" (2003) |
| steps taken by organizations operating in South | | | | and "Aaliyah Remembered: Her Life & The Person |
| Africa, such as Anglo American that invest in the | | | | behind the Mystique" (2005) and has been |
| “health of [their] employees” which | | | | published in poetry anthologies around the world. |
| includes the introduction of comprehensive HIV | | | | He has been featured in "Who's Who in New |
| programs that consist of funding for | | | | Poets" (1996), "The International Who's Who in |
| “antiretroviral therapy.” Per Dr. | | | | Poetry" (2004), and is a member of the |
| Brian Brink, a senior vice president for health at | | | | "International Poetry Hall of Fame." He is also a |
| Anglo American who was instrumental in | | | | contributor to Wikipedia, the number one online |
| developing the company’s approach, | | | | encyclopedia. |