Keith, Just a couple of points on your posting. I do voluntary work with an organization that tries to provide aid in various forms to the elderly poor. Neither I nor my co-volunteers have ever rubbed our hands with glee at the plight of our clients. I would also suggest that attributing motives to the people who have decided to return to Goma is a bit hazardous. Given the possibility of further eruptions, it may not be the most astute thing to do and may have more to do with salvaging what can be salvaged than with retaining dignity.
Ed Weick > The events following the terrible volcano and massive destruction at Goma > have given us an interesting angle on "welfare-itis" -- the modern type of > control that one class of people like to establish over another -- as > happened in England 150 years ago and onwards with nationalised education, > insurance, health and the like being forced on the 'workers' by upper > middle-class do-gooders. > > As the lava advanced, covering their homes, thousands of people streamed > out of Goma. The middle-class charities and relief agencies rubbed their > hands with glee at the new opportunities given to them by this spectacular > (and highly telegenic) tragedy. Within hours, plane-loads of food and > materials were taking off from Western airports and new cities rose in neat > tented ranks in neighbouring Ruanda to 'welcome' the refugees. > > But these refugees are not your normal peasants, long conditioned to do as > they're told by landlords or chieftains. They are enterprising city > dwellers and don't take kindly to the conditions laid down by earnest young > middle-class Oxfam-type people from the West. The Gomans might have lost > everything but they've decided to say "No thank you" and are now returning > to their homes despite the continuing danger of further erruptions. I'm > sure they'll accept food and clothing back in Goma but only if they retain > their dignity. > > Interesting! > > Keith Hudson > > __________________________________________________________ > "Writers used to write because they had something to say; now they write in > order to discover if they have something to say." John D. Barrow > _________________________________________________ > Keith Hudson, Bath, England; e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _________________________________________________ >
