kevin1

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/01/06/africa.starving.ap/index.html

Is it just too much trouble to simply move to where there is some food ?






Your thoughts ?

bawanajim

I think Wya has something to do with it,

Lanse couche couche

Its often a problem with local distribution systems. Or, if you are producing a minimal amount of food because of drought, THEN the local warlord takes half of it, you are going to have problems.

Briman

Short answer from the UN's viewpoint- the only solution to this problem is that Americans give a lot more money to the UN.

Of course this will not work and the UN will want more money.


Sort of like dealing with a bunch of democrats.

Lanse couche couche

So, needless to say, the solution goes well beyond simply stating that hundreds of thousands (or millions) of starving folks should just move elsewhere.

Coastie

It happens every year because the people affected still haven't got their collective act together and fought back. If they ever get the idea that their own governments are responsible for the graft and corruption that keeps the aid that is available from reaching them and do something about it, things may change. Since the colonial era passed a generation or so ago, there has been a steady downward spiral in the lives of the tribal peoples of that region. As bad as the various colonial governments in place from Britain, France, Germany, Belgium et al were, they at least provided stability and a modicum of justice for the average African tribal peoples of the region. Africa has traveled backwards in time to, nearly, the point they wereprior to european control began a couple of hundred years ago. Lack of education, limited means of communication and the lack of any desire on the part of those most directly affected to change are problems no outside agency will ever change. Everytime a reporter passes through the region for the next 1000 years and has nothing better to write about, you will see the same stories so you may as well get used to it.

Lanse couche couche

Coastie,

Actually much of pre-colonial Africa was in pretty good shape. They often had cultures and nations there that were on par with, or surpassed Europe of the Middle Ages. Colonialism and theslave created many problems. Recent problems, like genocide in Rwanda, is attributeddirectly to the legacy of colonialism.A lot of contemporary territorial disputes (Iraq and Kuwait may even be an example) between nations are based on colonial powers drawing artificial boundaries. Like the issue of starvation, its a very complex issue.

kevin1

I don't see how bailing them out with aid every year is the solution either .
What good would it do , even if the aid were reaching them , to keep handing out food if the greater problems of carrying capacity of their land aren't solved in the long run ? That region has been starving for centuries , you'd think that they would have moved on by now .

Lanse couche couche

If the region had been starving for centuries, then there wouldn't be people around today would there? Its a real challenge to make the effort to try and understand why certain areas develop a given problem at a particular point in time. And its not always an issue of handing out aid since it isn't a solution to the problem, although it does deal with the immediate problem of starvation. Rather, you have to have stable local governments and adequate distribution systems. Think about it,any U.S. citywould be viewed as overpopulated and far, far beyond its carrying capacity if suddenly commercial shipments of food to it were reduced by 3/4.

kevin1

Point taken , Lanse .
I guess my point is that hunger seems to be a perennial problem in that region , yet the ones who suffer the most continue to stick around like it's gonna get better . When the Great Potato Famine struck Ireland a large number of the Irish moved to other countries that had work/food , ours notably . It just makes me wonder why the Africans don't do the same , not much grows in a desert that's fit to eat .