IRC Study Shows Congo's Neglected Crisis Leaves 5.4 Million Dead; Peace Deal in N. Kivu, Increased Aid Critical to Reducing Death Toll

Conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken the lives of an estimated 5.4 million people since 1998 and continue to leave as many as 45,000 dead every month, according to a major mortality survey released today by the International Rescue Committee.

“The conflict and its aftermath, in terms of fatalities, surpass any other since World War II,” says the aid group’s president, George Rupp. “Congo’s loss is equivalent to the entire population of Denmark or the state of Colorado perishing within a decade. Although Congo’s war formally ended five years ago, ongoing strife and poverty continue to take a staggering toll. We hope this week’s peace agreement in North Kivu will mean an end to the hostilities and a restart of reconciliation and recovery efforts.”

How many people have to die in the DRC to appear in the New York Times?

Stealth Conflicts suggests this is the death toll comparison between the conflict in the DRC and the Palestine-Israeli conflict. I am sure that this estimation (based on known figures) is very close to the real figure.

We live in a globalized world, where any information shows up on a webpage in a matter of minutes. But the DRC rarely appears in the frontpage of the most important newspapers. With its absence, the media are sending us a message: depending on where you are born, your life is worth more, or less.

This is so evidently unfair and painful.