The War

In 2000, the NY Times reported the war in Congo had cost 100,000 lives. Based on their work on the ground, the International Rescue Committee knew this was a gross underestimate. When they set out to get an accurate number, they discovered the grave reality: The Congo is by far the world's deadliest conflict since World War II. 5.4 million people have died since 1998.

38,000 have continued to die every month. That is an Asian Tsunami every 6.5 months. 1200 people die every day. A September 11 every 2.5 days. Nearly half of these deaths are children under the age of five.

The conflict in Congo began with the conclusion of the Rwandan genocide. The Interahamwe, the Hutu militias responsible for the massacre of 1 million in Rwanda in a period of four months, were pushed over the border into the Congo where they set up camp and began terrorizing the Congolese people.

Various militias or government forces were sent in to fight the Interahamwe, then each other. It erupted into what has been termed "Africa's First World War". The UN has accused all nations involved of using the war as a cover for looting diamonds, coltan, gold, and other resources from this mineral rich region.

Though a peace accord was reached in 2003, and the first democratic elections in over 40 years have just taken place, the conflict continues to cause a complete shut down of vast regions of the country, leaving civilians to fend for themselves against brutal attacks, torture, looting, rape and murder, as well as deprivation of the most basic conditions necessary for life.

Of the more than 38,000 war-related deaths occurring every month in Congo, only .4% nationally are from violence. Security issues have severely limited access of humanitarian relief and basic services, resulting in tens of thousands of "excess deaths" every month, primarily from disease and malnutrition.

In areas the UN has maintained a presence, "excess deaths" drop dramatically. Additionally, with a major upscaling in humanitarian aid, simple, cost-effective interventions can prevent these deaths. International involvement and monitoring can serve to end the economic exploitation and looting many see as the root of the conflict.

With Congo's vast resources, an end to the conflict could transform this long neglected nation to a major stabilizing influence on all of its nine neighboring countries. "Congo represents the hope of Africa", Time Magazine wrote in June 2006.

As Anneke Van Woudenberg of Human Rights Watch put it, "If you want peace in Africa, then you have to deal with the biggest country right at it's heart."