The worries of so many are pervasive and solutions are elusive. Experts say Africa has not been so consumed by conflict since the colonial days. Tens of thousands have died. Hundreds of thousands have been uprooted from their homes. Elephants and gorillas are poached for food.
Economies are in a free fall and distrust is growing.
The United Nations is attempting to solve the problem by introducing a small number of peacekeepers that most argue is too small and will be ineffective. The nearly 5,000 troops will be placed in a strategic area roughly the size of all of western Europe. Hence, the pessimism that such a small force will really make a difference. In short, we are witnessing the demise of the nation-state of Congo and the destruction of nearly all of central Africa. It is a monstrous tragedy.