The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contains Africa�s largest single deposit of gold, along with diamonds, coltan, cobalt, zinc, iron, coal, and uranium. It is reported that Congo has been a key source of uranium for the West since the birth of nuclear technology. Congo provided most of the uranium used to make the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

These natural resources are particularly plentiful in the northeastern part of the DRC, where seven militia groups are still fighting two years after the signing of the ?final peace agreement?. The fighting is mainly about the control of the region, for the control of the region brings with it economic power. The latter is extraordinarily crucial for any militia group existing in a country which is in political turmoil, like the DRC.

In June 2004, the investigative NGO, Global Witness, issued a report that detailed how the DRC�s natural resources fuelled slavery, exploitation, suffering, and a civil war. They chronicle the DRC history with all its atrocities from King Leopold�s reign of terror till today.

According to the UN: since 1999, fighting in the northeastern district of Ituri has killed more than 50 000 and forced 500 000 to flee their homes. And, the 16 000 UN peacekeepers in the DRC seem to be incapable of stopping what some describe as the deadliest conflict since World War Two. This is the UN�s largest and most expensive mission, but at the same time the most ineffective and troubled mission the UN has undertaken in recent times.

There have been numerous reports that the peacekeepers are sexually exploiting young girls and women in eastern Congo. The Sunday Independent, South African weekly newspaper, reports that:the UN is investigating 150 instances in which 50 peacekeepers troops or civilians in the DRC mission are suspected of having sexually abused or exploited women and girls, some as young as 12. Furthermore, the UN is also investigating reports of rape or sexual assault in the DRC, including one case in which a French logistics employee was found with hundred of videotapes that showed him torturing and sexually abusing naked girls? - (Source: An article by Mandisi Majavu, April 27, 2005)

The Congo, gorillas and mobile phones

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2005/s1320734.htm - http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2005/s1320734.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2036217.stm - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2036217.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/animals/newsid_2039000/2039396.stm - http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/animals/newsid_2039000/203 9396.stm

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technology/Mobile-phones-kill-great-apes/2005/03/09/1110316091250.html?oneclick=true - http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technology/Mobile-phones-kill-gre at-apes/2005/03/09/1110316091250.html?oneclick=true

But I am not sure if Congo has ever been a ZOG State like Australia.

<I have removed this stuff - all of these posts can be found just by using Google, so I'm removing it so there's less vitriolic stuff lying around here>

Kim...