Hacked to Death

A new year is upon us and with it comes an old way of celebrating for those in the Congo. Celebrating Christmas and the new year by fleeing to the mountains. Celebrating by seeking shelter, not from the elements of nature but from the atrocities of man.

Celebrating by hacking Catholics to death and forcing them in to fire. Celebrating by cutting off the lips of their victims as a warning not to speak ill of the LRA rebels. Celebrating by massacring 400 or more people doing nothing more than attending Mass and going about daily life.

News of the attacks in north-eastern DR Congo began to come out after the weekend when the Ugandan army accused the LRA of hacking to death 45 civilians in a Catholic church near Doruma. Bruno Mitewo, head of the Catholic aid agency, says that from information they have collated from their parishes on the ground, more than 400 civilians have died in the attacks. "All villages were burned by rebels... we don't know where exactly the population is because all the villages are empty," he told the BBC.

There are 6,500 people displaced who are refugees in the parishes of the Catholic Church around the city of Dungu, more than 20,000 are running and hiding in the mountains.

Countries from Uganda to the Central African Republic have suffered 20 years of terror inflicted by the LRA, 20 years, what's one more.

So, can someone explain to me how that "Global Attack On Terror" is coming along? That forceful -- we will not allow it to be, we will hunt the darkest corners of the world to eliminate terrorist... What's the problem? Not enough Oil Reserves in the Congo? Or maybe, collectively, we just don't care...

You have been given a voice, use it. Go out and SCREAM! about something you care about.

Catholic, LRA, Congo, Christmas, Mitewo, Catholic Aid Agency, Catholic Aid, Politics, Humanitarian, Society

SCREAM for What?

I have spent this holiday season doing a great deal of reflecting. I lost my Mother-in-law at the beginning of December, she was 88. Shortly after the Today Show ran the story covering the beating of Mrs. Vinge, she is in her 70's. My MIL was the last of the parents for my wife and I, Mrs. Vinge reminds me a great deal of her. These two events caused me to pause and take a look around at my life and I seem to have found myself in a funk. Hard and fast... wondering why should I scream.

Does it matter that I am but one man with impacts equal to that of a single ant in the great forest.

Tell me why do any of us put out the energy--when we rarely, if ever, see the result.

Why scream, why? We've screamed for years and the world has muted our voices.

Why?

No matter how often or loudly I bang the drum the rhythms are seemingly absorbed by the world. Why must I keep banging?

Why?

Because that is what I believe.

I wish the readers of "SCREAMING at the TV!", all of those who may be impacted by the bass notes from the beating of the drum, a peaceful and healthy new year.

You have been given a voice, use it. Go out and SCREAM! about something you care about.

Politics, Humanitarian, Society