My trip to Congo
From the time we landed at the airport in Lubumbashi to the following day when we took a two hour road trip from Lubumbashi to Likasi, my mind and heart went through a roller coaster of emotions – everything from empathy, to guilt, to heartfelt distress, and then even simple joy at the sight of a beautiful smile that ran across the face of a young Congolese boy as I handed him a bread roll.
My first view of Congo as our flight was about to land at the Lubumbashi airport consisted of tiny cottages with shiny metallic rooftops, very thinly spread over a vast expanse of extremely green and fertile land. There was also an electric sub-station and a factory that stood quite distinctly on the landscape. As we descended from the aircraft one of my first few words to my father while I was still in a state of bemusement were, “Papa, my lungs suddenly feel clean!” The first breath of air was like a whiff of heaven. I had lived in the U.S. for five years and had traveled to Europe many a time before but never had I experienced such clean and fresh air and such unbelievably beautiful weather. They say that in Congo the temperature never exceeds 32ºC, even in the peak of summer. The air is literally as good as brand new! The truth is that this is true about everything in Congo – everything from the rich and fertile soil, to the thick and lush green landscape, and even to the beautiful and healthy wildlife. It is all brand new and untouched. Sounds like heaven doesn’t it? Well it is, except the inhabitants of this heaven don’t even know its worth.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is located in Central Africa and is about one-fourth the size of the U.S. The population of the country is estimated to be around 69 million, after accounting for the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS. Median age is 16 years and only about 2.5% of the population lives to be 65 years or older. Degree of risk from major infectious diseases such as bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid, malaria and plague, among others, continues to be very high. This also explains the need to have larger families (average number of children per woman is 6). A Congo based American told me the story of a worker at his factory who did not take so much as half a day’s leave when he lost a son. My American friend was baffled to see him at work the very next day after his son’s demise, and therefore turned to another employee to inquire about the man’s well-being. The employee shrugged his shoulders and said “well that was not the only son he has”! The man was right. He probably has about 4 or 5 other children that he needs to provide for and therefore he has no time to waste! One could only wish that the government of Congo or for that matter the government of any country in general, thought in a similar manner for its people – the people that put their hopes and aspirations into the hands of their leaders and pray that this time they chose wisely.
In a country like Congo, life is cheap and therefore not worth much, as is everything else that grows and breeds naturally. What they don’t have plenty of is money and therefore money holds the highest power. Us Indians are very used to complaining about our corrupt government and the ineffective legal system, and justifiably so. But you don’t know corruption till you’ve been to Africa. I was astonished to learn that the government employees in Congo are paid lower than the minimum wage in India! Their currency is power and they use it generously. The entire legal system in Congo is designed to make a 100% compliance impossible even for the most ideal and god-fearing citizen. As is a well-known fact – a man cannot get away with driving 51 kmph on a 50kmph freeway in Congo, and at the same time a man can get away with murder; the only differentiator being the willingness to bribe.
My trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo was an eye-opening experience to say the least. It is hard to express in a few words what I saw and felt while I was there. ----
However, at the same time I could not help but feel a deep sense of sorrow filled with anger when I saw the great many injustices of the government of Congo. It was frustrating to see so much potential being wasted all for the mere short term personal gains of the self and the family. The rich and the powerful are way too busy gloating in their power and gathering all that they can for themselves and the poor are left with little choice but to do the best that they can (whatever that may be) to make ends meet. Don’t get me wrong; just like in every other part of this world, there are good people in Congo. People who are smart, educated and passionate enough to make a difference against all odds, and I for one was fortunate enough to meet three such people. These people inspired hope and a sense of satisfaction that yes, all is not lost and change will come, even if it takes some time. I would like to end with a quote by Tom Clancy that goes,
“Man is a creature of hope and invention, both of which belie the idea that things cannot be changed.”
