@ wictor,
yes, it's puzzling that they throw stones at the UN vehicle.
But the situation is much more complicated than it appears.
Let's hope that the bloodshed stops soon.

#31

#2...the UN has not done enough to protect the civilians from the fighting and violence. so, the people are mad, and therefore throwing stones at them.

27 is beautiful.

Picture labeled #19 is pure determination.

Meravigliose, e struggenti. Prego per loro

nothing to say about that... very sad history, so many people without food or home... so many blood...
Hard to figure how to survive in this conditions, and especially how to keep hope in future...

Wow. Beautiful, and heartbreaking. Thank you for making me stop during my crazy day and think of other people.

#30 Perfect!

Le nerf de la guerre est l'argent. Nervi belli pecunia : look at the brand new amunition. We in the West share responsibility for this never ending conflict in which the victims are always the civilians, the children, the raped women. Enough!

I am amazed at the ignorance - "Why are they threwing stones at UN".

They are throwing stones because this is what they do, in the Congo and in a hundred other countries in Africa. These pictures may be recent but you could go to any decade in the last century and take similar pictures. Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, Etheopia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola - all the same. The West will never change this because Westerners never take the trouble to understand the people of Africa. Westerners will continue to push democracy down the throats of those that have no use for it. The UN will never change this because the UN is just useless, a pit of corruption and incompetance. UN troops rape and pillage instead of doing any good. Even if they wanted to make a difference their hands are tied (the troops that is). They cannot take sides and can only shoot in self defense. That means that the UN soldier that your taxes pay to put there is basically a spectator.

When will the West finally wake up?

Tous ces grands regards innocents ou interrogatifs tournés vers l'objectif du photographe sont bouleversants et sont comme des appels à l'aide résignés...
Fait chier de voir un si beau pays dans de telles tourmentes continuelles !!!!
Reportage superbement douloureux...

Thanks for the graphic link on some of the photos. I appreciate the option to choose...

"Beautiful" is not a word I would use to describe this calamity. Tragic, heartbreaking, and very very sad, are more relevant.

Jmunro : If there is "a useless, a pit of corruption and incompetence" it's to be found in most African countries. Please stop your whining. Regarding the UN "raping and pillaging" it's probably unrepresentative trifles compared to what .Africans do to others Africans. Even if a lot can be said about the UN, what I know of the UN isn't into genital mutilation. In the end the EU will send troops to clean up and the rebels will capitulate as usual within 24 hours when they are out of drugs and booze and meet a professional army. Then people like you will whine again about "white colonialist intervention". It's pathetic. Grow up.
.

I'm amazed and distressed that I've not even heard about this in Australian media. Have we simply come to the point where we just shrug and think, 'oh, another conflict in Africa' so we don't even hear about it? Thanks for bringing this stuff to our attention, for whatever it's worth.

I think it's more complicated than to blame the UN. The reason the UN is so weak is because it represents most of the nations on Earth, and it's only as strong as the support it gets from each individual. In this case they UN simply does not have enough resources to deal with the situation, so staying would result in its workers and soldiers being slaughtered. If the nations of the world decided to give it more support it would be more useful. So instead of blaming the UN, blame the people who control how much power it has - i.e. the politicians in your country.

Of course it's completely understandable that people on the ground would feel animosity towards the UN. They told the people they would protect them and they're unable to. While it's easy to understand why this is from our position, certainly we shouldn't expect people in theirs to be able to look at things objectively or to have access to all the information.

This blog is amazing. I'm from Venezuela, and I can't stop watching your photos.
So sad what's happening there.

...the lost continent...

Photo 19 brings tears to the eyes.

And, of course, this has nothing to do with the demand for coltan, cassiterite and other minerals. Blaming the victims is always easier. When are you guys going to complain about the companies which buy these minerals from the "rebels"?

I hope this doesn't comment thread does not turn into an argument about the US extreme right's sinister obsession with trying to undermine and ultimately destroy the UN, as that would be a disservice to the suffering of the victims of this conflict shown in these very moving photos. I know no more than what I read in the papers, but I understand that the UN force there is not large enough to be effective as peace keepers, and of course has a limited brief, so I would imagine that perhaps one of the reasons that people might pelt stones at them is frustration. If the people who are supposed to protect you cannot do so, you are not going to look kindly on them.

absolutely amazing, number 19 is incredible.

Sad but true. Amazing photographic job. #19 is breathtaking.

I lived in the area for a few years, I know the places, the faces, I've seen my share of pictures and films of hardship and horror in Africa..., but this photographer is exceptional. Yes these pictures are BEAUTIFUL because it is their artistry that make them so powerful. Watching them, I was so close... and in a sense, even for the "sad"ones (not all are) that is a blessing. It's amazing, even (a lot of) the complexity of the issues comes right at you. Thank you, photographer, for making this possible. Thank you, thank you.

#28 has left me in tears. Even into the 21st century, human dignity continues to take a backseat to the quest for power. Will the human race ever learn?

Imagine there was no country and everybody lived in peace... :(

Such suffering.... :((

Amazing and truely heartbreaking. All that pain, all this suffering are hard to bear. And please don't judge people throwing stones at UN vehicles too fast, history there is really complex.

What a terrible, devastating conflict. It's hard to grasp the ammount of pain these people are suffering, but I think these photo bringes you a little closer.

astonishing photos....

Very very moving...

so amazing...
thank you very much

I live in Africa and this is an unfortunate truth of the Central region. Civil war and tribalism has dominated this beautiful continent and people.
These new developments are too tragic and deserve international attention!
Congratulations on sourcing some phenomenal imagery; truly portraying the story through photographs.

"Marcelo" posted "Weapons and tanks in the hands of ignorant people always have the same outcome", which I agree in general terms but not in the one I think was intended in the post to stereotype African people and their military.
The same could be said of many "western" driven military campaigns, like the one in Iraq for example...

It breaks your heart that some human beings can do this to each other .... is there any solution? With the expect of education (that sadly would take decades to filter through) I think not!

i can't believe the world it's still like this :(

A couple thousand US Marines would stop the rebels in their tracks.

The UN is useless.

Tragic, heartbreaking. My thoughts go out to all the innocent people caught in the midst of this violence and chaos.

I absolutely love this blog, I check it every day for new material, very nice work. Please keep it up.

I'm astounded by many of the comments above. The tenor of, "the UN is weak, the people aren't being protected, the West is complicit in its purchase of (stuff) from the rebels, and trading them for munitions. It shouldn't be forcing democracy on people who have no use for it." ...

I BEG TO DIFFER. We're saddened by the theatre of the primitive, but only in some modernist's dream are there three classes of people in war: the noncombatants, the soldiery, and the UN. Until the people themselves yearn for the peace that comes from lawful order and representational government, they shall have strife and poverty.

The UN peacekeepers neither keep nor promulgate peace. They are the well-meant forward corps that The West sends to bring back reports, to chock complaints and to fret over how to spend new monies to help the displaced. Their guns are for SELF defense, certainly not an intervention as a third force against the rebels and state.

The WEST does buy 'product' from the aggrieved parties, government and rebel alike. One might as well just substitute, 'local entrepreneur' and 'government monopolist', and it would be no less accurate. Yet in our world of upside-down reason and neosocialist schadenfreude, the entrepreneur is bad, the gub'mint is good. Or maybe the opposite. No wait ... the fighters are bad (both of 'em) and the people are good. No, maybe it is the UN which is bad, and the ... I give up.

Of course one feels deeply for the displaced people, one feels no empathy for the camo-bedecked militant strutting about with his Bill Blass sunnies while festooned with hundreds of coppery death projectiles, compliments of The West. But in the end? Without either a strong, lawful government committed to the rights of the individual as well as the careful protection of the state, to whom can the people turn, when the chips are down?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d0d6qgsvTw

It's a shame to mankind to have this type of conflict in 21th century. Great pictures, great blog !

#19 is an amazing photo. You can see the sea of emotions that the man is going through while lumbering through the rain.

I'm pretty astonished that no one noticed that in picture #14 it's said that the DR Congo's president is Laurent Kabila...please...The current is his son Joseph Kabila!!!
On the other hand congratulations to the photoreporter for these great pictures, that should be seen by more people around the world...

@Luc (#51) - Thanks for catching that. Error fixed now.

Very succesfull pictures! All these convulsive pictures awaken people like me who are totally deceived by their local media. God bless them!

Thank you for those breathtaking pictures. Your blog is really topclass!!

The suffering this people has to endure is just not fair.
There's a very famous picture of Laurent by Cedric Gerbehaye wich you can see here, wich I think depicts quite well this man , wich is also a so called "priest" of some obscure cultish church.
Watever your political revindications be , you just can't turn the lives of your own people to hell . No politics justify that , nor the conquest of a so-called freedom .
This is bulsh*t , it's increasing your own ego what you poursue with those actions.

I live in Angola and this situation is already making us tense (because of a possible flow of refugees). The photographs really capture the color of the place, but only those who have been in a war can sense the smell of destruction on these pictures (personal experience). Hope this can be resolved peacefully.

Amazing. I neve get tired of your photos. Every day I check rss feed anxious to see more photos from you.

keep up the awsome work!!!

Amazing Pictures, the Big Picture posts are one of the best places to visit on the Internet.

I grew up in Zambia bordering the DRC. Some things about the UN and Africa in general for everyone to consider.

1: The legacy of Violence in Africa has its roots in Western meddling.

2: The first and most significant mistake by colonialist powers was drawing up country borders with no regard for tribal boundaries. The result of which has forced various traditionally warring tribes into single country borders. The legacy of this arrogant racist attitude lives to this day in the form of regional violence between tribal factions. In almost every African country.

3. The DRC has a long history of subversion by the United States. A bloody, incriminating horrendous and ultimately self serving (to the US) policy that most of the western world knows nothing about. Please Google to get the facts.

4. The UN is hated in Africa because they are powerless to act. If a UN vehicle drives by a rape of murder they cant stop to help. Between the UN charter of the troops on the ground and the long history of Western powers doing everything they can to de-stabilize any country with socialist leaning. Is it really any wonder that the person on the ground hates the UN?

5: It is wrong to assume that the indigenous populations in Africa are too poor or uneducated to understand their own history within the context of their own experience.

6: The tribal customs of the people in the DRC have traditionally been peaceful. It is only since Colonization that the population and culture have changed in response to the brutality of western influence.

7. One day it is my hope that the West is bought to account for the atrocities wrought in their influence for the aim of plundering the riches of the African lands and people.

Thanks for Reading.
Damian

#57 Damian

It's a bit easy to allways hold colonialism (get over it!) responsable for the present woes and problems. It's easy and very, very convenient, as it shifts the focus from the actual contemporary causes. This kind of attitude only is a scapegoat pretext to do nothing and to keep people under the ignorancy spreading the belief that this situation is a sort of curse or fate that cannot be changed.

While I don't negate the bad causes that colonialism generated, it is a very partial view to only consider the negatives aspects of it all.
Moreover , many countries in the world have had dark o difficult periods in their history past, but past is past. That cannot be an excuse to repeat mistakes in the present.
It may be so, that some foreign countries try to destabilize some African countries, but you only can destabilize if you find a propitious ground for it.
The truth (you can google for the facts too) is that corruption is rampant, at any level , comunitarism (or tribalism if you want) prevails. Using State's ressources and founds for the general wellbeing, sanity , education and developpment of the country's population is still a very rare and seldomly applied concept, because money "vanishes" (not for everybody) in the way.

True African leaders (some did) shoud come up and start the mentality change. Many Africans that had the chance or the courage to leave the country for a better leaving, or better education, abroad, should go back and fight (peacefully) to get their people and their county up and contribute for a true change.

Get the power ! If you really want things to change, then be the change yourself, it is far better than holding others responsable...

Best regards

Amazing pictures. Thanks for sending photographers in this place of the world.

thank you for all..

I appreciate that you believe colonialism is the cause of the troubles in Africa (and in the past it probably was), but that was many MANY years ago. Colonialism was rampant the world over, including India and the Americas but they are not fighting and killing each other; indeed they have developed into major world superpowers. Africa as a whole has the potential to become just as powerful as any nation on Earth but the ruling parties and elite are to swept up with the lust for power. From reading a wide variety of comments on a number of websites (BBC, The Times), the general consensus is one of great sympathy and sorrow for what is happening (which reflects my opinions), but also one of great frustration. The fact is that this is ANOTHER war in Africa and no matter how much money or help "the West" gives, it usually ends up in the wrong hands or directed in the wrong direction. It is an African problem that only Africa can sort out, and until it can agree to work together to eliminate the corruption that is endemic in it's ruling structure, there will always be just one war after the other. It pains me to state this when you see the suffering of the thousands of innocent people that want nothing more than peace, security, a home, a job and their families (no different to us really), but are under threat every single day of their lives by self appointed generals who say they are acting in the best interests of the people.

So frightening and so sad. Truly heartbreaking.

Please help click Pictures, some are beautiful thanks. Agnes

This photojournalism image blog is by far the MOST interesting (and my favourite) site on the internet at the moment.

Thankyou

In response to #61...
Actually, colonialism in the DRC didn't end until 1960, which wasn't that MANY years ago. Let's not forget that even in America, it took 45 years for the Civil Rights movement to yield America's first Black President. The fighting in the DRC probably won't end until the citizens have decided that they have had enough of their corrupt leaders, but don't be so quick to dismiss colonialism as a cause of the mindset that underscores the corruption.

The problem in all of this is that things will only get worse in future- that is , if there is no suitable international intervention- War is the same for all in the many conflict zones the world over - it is always the innocent who chooses not to be involved , who ultmately endures the worst suffering -it is every individuals own prerogative if they want to take up arms against their fellow human beings and in the process become murderers , rapists and criminals - these people here are not soldiers fighting for a cause , they are killers , killing merely to satisfy their lust for power - it is not war - it is peoples obsession with power and greed.

@ victor
Things are not totally black or totally withe. Try to qualify a bit more your opinion
The UN force is not as virtuous as name can let be think. There is a strong resentment against tne UN force in Congo.

The Boston Globe deserves a Pulitzer for all these big pics. So much better than the crappy postage stamp pics on most newspaper websites. I already plan to use their big pics to school my son about other cultures and history in the making elsewhere in the world

#28 is very moving.Hope peace prevails there soon

The UN soldiers are in the DR Congo for almost 10 years and it's like we are coming back at the starting point. It's clear that at the beginning, their presence was somehow a stabilisation factor, but so far, we don't know why, they're stuck in the middle of nowhere, prisoners of a situation that makes the allies of a loyal army that goes away at the first shot, that loots and rapes its own population.
Recently, MONUC had to ask the different armed groups to respect the ceasefire which has resulted in total aberration: if the loyal army could gain some areas, they were asked to withdraw to "respect the ceasefire", letting the rebels come back to their original position. After some times, the rebels gained some areas as well, attacking from the areas that had been returned to them by the loyal army. This situation gave the local population the feeling that MONUC is supporting the rebels, that's why they throw stones at them. Moreover MONUC does not assume its responsibility to protect civilians, which doesn't give them any credit for the population they sould protect and that is still object to rapes, loots and violence.

One way that the world community can really help in averting this kind of situation is to remove the economic incentive that drives most of this conflicts. We should put a freeze on buying Diamonds,Gold,Oil, uranium,copper,raw materials, e.t.c. from any country which does not have a functioning,democratically elected government or has experienced violence in the last one year. This means that the generals who are behind this conflicts would have little reason to continue as they are motivated by greed.
I know this is alot to ask but I hope this pictures will help us accept to forfeit those billions of dollars and instead promote peace for the men,women and children we see in these pictures.

I dont understand one thing. If you have a look around the world you would find that most of the problem around the world is in the place where lot of natural resources are found. Or to put it in another perspective, the share of sell of natural minerals is too too high compared to any other goods or services. A case in example is Africa and middle east, ideally speaking these should be the places where you should find all people having excellent education, great health care benefits, superb infrastructure and very peaceful society. As THESE are the places which feeds you car, or make your car, make you jewelery. On the other hand what is happening is just reverse of it. Only coutries which industries are there are rich and developed. So is it the case that if you are given some thing by nature you dont know what you have and fight for silly reasons. And if you happen to labor to make the natural resources to some good use you are much much better off.

I think its high time people in the world realize what they have in them and what they can do with it!

If you want this conflict to stop ask the Belgium,Rwanda and Ugandan presidents to stop looting diamonds and other minerals from Congo. They are the ones who will not allow this conflict to stop. the general you see here is nothing but an excuse for people to continue fighting for control. The world can do something about it but choses not to until a million people are killed in 100 days then it becomes an important genocide and everyone runs to get credit for stopping it

I agree with the need to remove the economic incentive which minerals in these countries provide however that is easier said than done. Diamonds in particular drive many of these African conflicts and although movies like Blood Diamond have heightened peoples awareness of conflict diamonds there are still always willing buyers.
The West have always been willing to step in when there have been economic implications for themselves ala Iraq and oil. Hopefully under new administration they will see the need to support peacekeeping alongside UN forces in Africa as well. If I recall correctly one of the many reasons given to overthrow Saddam Hussein was because of his human rights abuse. There are ongoing human rights issues in African countries like Zimbabwe let alone the Congo yet where are the US forces? Perhaps the CIA have once again had a hand in funding this conflict. Yes don't be surprised as they funded many conflicts during the 70s and 80s in Africa and elsewhere.
As somebody who lives in Africa it is easier said than done to let the Africans sort it out amongst themselves. We can only hope that a peaceful solution can be found to the many African conflicts which rob families daily of loved ones.
A worthwhile read for anybody who is truly interested in Africa since colonial rule began is a book titled 'The State of Africa' by Martin Meredith.

Damian,
the West is responsible? We interrupted traditional WARRING tribes?
unfortunately we interrupted no such thing, you don't have enough oil.
As far as the powerless U.N tanks are concerned, is it possible that those kids cannot read english abbreviations? (UN) and one tank looks like another?
They will get no help, maybe it is a godsend to them to not have t.v and the internet, because otherwise they would truly feel misbegotten.
The pain there is awful hideous and mind numbing. How do you propose to go about fixing it? You great african man.

What a graphic (though depressing) presentation! Thanks for the photo shots. The UN and AU should take control and contain the problem in DRC for the benefit of the helpless (children, disabled and women). If need, a neutral mediator (e.g. Koffi Anan) should be appointed by these two bodies to preside over the affairs of DRC in a three-year transition period that would pave way to free and fair elections. It is just about time that we all noticed that your neighbours business is squarely your business and stopped being indifferent.

You don't feel sorry for them for throwing rocks at an armored vehicle!!?? So who's the one throwing stones now. A sad attitude of lack of understanding. Walk a mile in a man's or rock-throwing boy's shoes for better understanding.

Photo #19 broke my heart

"in picture 4, why are they threwing stones at the UN vehicle? I hardly feel sorry for them with that behavior.
Posted by wictor November 3, 08 01:29 PM"

'Them?' those 3 kids are hardly representative of the Congolese people as a whole.
You are a moron and a biggot.

This is ridiculous, they throw stones at the UN because they've been forsaken, that tank is driving BY them to go save a few foreigners while thousands of african are killed daily!

its really heart breaking the way somecountries in Africa are taking a very nasty direction in solving issues. the 1994 Rwanda genocide was enough, we dont want a repeat of this in another country. But the truth is.. its hapening, and we dont have control of it. i will not take sides, but i tend to agree with the president of Rwanda.."lets go back to the route cause of all this", then we will have solved the issue in Congo which can be traced back to the 1994 genocide.it will only be fair if all the people who committed these crimes be brought to book. Then the different tribes will have peace of mind hence move on.

its really disturbing, its high time for africa as a continent to style up and leave these, everyone wants to enjoy life whether poor or rich, God forgive our leaders! Amen!

The photos very, very awesome.

The Congo true life.

Damien
"The legacy of Violence in Africa has its roots in Western meddling."
No, it is much deeper. Warring tribes were warring long before the colonialism and western meddling. Slavery existed before and exists even now (pigmeys are slaves in CAR, Sudan is still transporting slaves through its own territory)
"The DRC has a long history of subversion by the United States."
As well as Far East and South America. However they are not killing each other in millions (5 million dead in the last Congolese war) and by the way, perhaps you meant France instead of US, but everyone seems to get used to moaning against the US.
“troops on the ground and the long history of Western powers doing everything they can to de-stabilize any country with socialist leaning. “
Well, as far as I remember, it is the Tutsi invading Congo from Rwanda and while retreating, the Congolese army is raping its own people and pillaging the villages it is supposed to protect. The UN is hardly responsible for that.
6: “The It is only since Colonization that the population and culture have changed in response to the brutality of western influence.”
The brutality was nothing to do with it. The French and the Belgians started to “favor” certain ethnic groups. Hutu were traditionally more educated and supported. Tutsi jealousy brought to their methods of equalizing the opportunities. “When there are no smarter people around – you are the smartest”
7. “One day it is my hope that the West is bought to account for the atrocities wrought in their influence for the aim of plundering the riches of the African lands and people.”
West brought hundreds of years of peace to Africa. It brought colleges, roads, electricity, and medicine. Raised average life expectancy, gave money to the governments (a debt that was erased). The west brings free help non-stop to Africa. WHAT did Africa do when the west was ripped by 2 wars that took 60 million people? When every third European died from the “Black death”? When every 4th European ran away to Australia and US from hunger and disease? Stop moaning already and start building your countries, instead of throwing stones at the UN because SOMEONE ELSE is attacking you!

Oh and Damien, let us compare the lives of the black Africans in Rhodesia (the richest country in Africa) vs. Zimbabwe (the poorest country in the world), let's compare the quality of life of the blacks under the apartheid regime in SA, vs. the freedom and equality right now... when a normal person locks himself in his house at 6 o'clock in the evening. Let’s look at Rwanda under the evil rule of the Belgians vs. Rwanda under the beloved mr. Kagame? I apologize for the confusion in the previous post in regards to the Tutsi and Hutu. Actually Tutsi were preferred by the Belgians. Now Rwanda has the fastest growing military in the world and one of the top refugees "providing" country in the world. As for before the nasty colonists, there are indeed very little records… since there was no writing, no archive culture, nothing. Just 25 y/o people dying from being old…
By looking at how the white Africans are treated in Africa, I truly think that they repaid for their grandfathers sins a long time ago. Every fourth white in Zimbabwe was whether killed or left his home. They were Africans, for hundreds of years and still they were burned alive. I have no pity for nations that blame others in their continuous failure to succeed in ANYTHING…

god save Africa

I have only one question, or maybe two:
The first is - Do you know that no one country in Africa is able to produce the guns, tanks and munition? NO ONE !!!
So, the second question is immediate:

Tell me please where from do they have all these modern "toys"? Who supply them with all this killing stuff??? This is the SCANDAL of the contemporary world !!

In response to comment 2.

Well, children throw stones, when somebody with at least some sympathy for them says they are "bad". I mean, their parents might be those supporting rebels (at least, morally) and telling them that UN forces are on the government's (i.e. bad) side. Whether they're right or wrong -- well, I wish we could judge it that easy.

To comment 87: At least, one country in Africa not only produces, but even develops it own weaponry. But I think your point is still good nevertheless.

@87

when the Soviet Union fell, there were a lot of AK-47s for sale.

Son los poetas malditos quienes descubren la belleza en la miseria y el dolor?
Es otra forma de mover a un ser humano. Lo que prevalece es una atmosfera silente, llena de tensa normalidad.
El dinero destinado a las guerras era suficiente para resolver el hambre y la pobreza mundial actual.

@European
I agree with you whole heartedly.
Tribes in Africa have been warring each other since the dawn of time. It is ridiculous to think "the west" or "america" or "the UN" can solve all their problems for them. Eventually they will have to grow up and stand on their own legs.
And "democracy being shoved down their throats"? Written by someone in the comfort and luxury and yes, freedom provided by that same democratic system that they denounce. idiocy. I feel for the average congo citizen, and for the UN soldiers who have no chance to help.

to wictor - there are only 17,000 UN troops in the DRC, a country with a population of 66 million - the people of the Congo feel they have been abandoned by the world...

thank you for these photos

For those who think Apocalypse is not yet here on earth..........let's do whatever we can to help all the people in the middle specially the children. May God bless them all. A really heartbreaking report. Thanks for sharing it with all of us who otherway would ignore this situation.

i was very sad,....................

I ask all Africans to pray to the living God in heaven for this to end.We should all understand that the most affected of all are women and children.I would kindly ask Nkunda to have compassion for all those who have and might just loose the the lives of their beloved ones.
Nkunda remember that he who kills by a sword shall also be put to death by a sword.God help you to review your plans 4 it isnt costfull 2 Congo only but 2 Africa at large.

The 28 is so inspiring, I could look at it for many hours and write a book just by looking at it! Very great job!

Its Amazing and Shocking how some of you find these photos Beautiful etc..Look at Photo 19..What do you see?? A photo of a Model taken in the Runways of Europe or What story do you..
Am a Young Man and a Journalist in Africa and only earlier this year my Country was almost thrown into the brink of a civil war.Trust me there is nothing Beautiful in war, especially a war in Africa. Just swollen eyes as no more tears can drop.
As you sit behind your Computer in the comfort of your home, office or cyber cafe sipping on some coffee, please spare a thought and look critically at the photos again.
Am currently on assignment to do a feature on Refugees and Hunger for an event we will have from 19th Dec - 24th Dec in Nairobi -Kenya whose theme is Refugees and Hunger. Please send your comments and messages about Refugees and Hunger to ocholar@gmail.com
They will be published and read out to our audience. Please state which country you are from.

I think the ONLY way to save the place/people is to train ( & arm ) EVERYONE.

That way, instead of having the population being hamburger/rapefodder, the population would be able to defend against such abominations & make the cost of uniformed abuse much too high to perpetuate.

I can't see any alternative that can work.

Amazing pictures, you can see the horror and desperation in the Congolese faces. Hopefully someone will assassination Laurent . All we can do is pray and maybe God will intervene. That country has gone through so much.

Very moving and powerful.

This is very sad. Leaders should stop punishing the common man for their own advantage

#28 is very touching. Makes us stop for a moment and think about all the little things we complain about and all the things we waste our money on.
THere are so many people in the world who can barely feed their children - that is really sad.

Your pictures are fantastic, but they're breaking my heart.

These photos are very sad and moving and making people realise that there is a struggle and a fight.

wonderful pictures.... i'm very sad for them..

that is so sad just seen then pic break my heart :(