h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

.....before sorting out our governments perhaps you should sort out Africa's, so more good money isn't thrown after bad.

.....Swazieland has the highest percentage of AIDS suffers in the world.
.....their king spent double their entire health budget on a new presidential jet for himself AND over £200,000 on a special Rolls Royce for himself!

.....Swazieland [sic] has the highest percentage of AIDS suffers in the world.

Well, lets ignore them them, then, they obviously don't deserve anything from us! Do you have any idea? If you're desperate for for money, you'll sell your body for it. You won't care about AIDS; hunger is immediate.

Ok, anyway, I'll just pop over and sort out Africa's governments, shall I?

We are not after a five minute solution. What we propose will take years. It is a broad base from which to work.

You know the facts. If you agree,you will help to make poverty history. If you don't, you won't.


At the end of the day, it's not about Governments. It's about one person in 7 having access to clean water, one child dying every three seconds. You can actually help to stop the situation in Swaziland. SO WHY THE HELL DON'T YOU??? Why waste time posting to me when theres the the Swazi Embassy and your locaol MP to contact?

Get your head sorted out, and get back to us when you've done something,

.....just the sort of answer I expected from you, that it is always OUR fault and never anything to do with anything being wrong in Africa. A king spending double their entire health budget on a new jet for himself is very much relevant....the money should have been spent on his own people.

.... while watching Live8, I got a lecture about it was all MY fault that Africa had problems, how I ruined Africa, her country, how I was guilty for slavery, when I pointed out that slavery was a terrible thing but the fact that people could do that to their own people were far worse, and that African people had raided villages nearby for revenge and money (as shown on Trevor Phillips documentary) she went quiet.
......when I pointed out that Dlauda Equiano wrote in his book about his time as a slave that slavery existed in Africa before any white person went there, my accuser was also silent.
.....Dlauda Equinano was sold to slave traders aged 12 which was horrific....but surely even worse was that slavery was already part of African culture, indeed his own family owned 2 slaves....and he was in constant fear of being enslaved by other Africans, as he eventually was. He was handed from slave master to slave master before being taken to coast to coast.
......the point is that Africa is partly to blame as well, by given lectures, like I was given , by the now silent woman, you get peoples backs up.....slavery was horrific, but EVERYONE who was involved in it was to blame, incuding Africans ....sweeping statements like I got like 'It was all you white peoples fault' mearly make people angry.

I didn't say it was anyone's 'fault'. Nor did I say that everything in Africa is great. What strange notions

However we are in a fairly privileged position in that we can take action to start to sort out the whole bloody mess. The irony is that you have more power to help out than the people actually suffering, if you want to use it.

And if an entire country's health budget is only half the cost of a jet, isn't there something wrong there? How many people could you give decent healthcare to for that much money? Yes, we must tackle corruption too, but I don't buy the argument that we should sit and do bugger all.

......wrote that slightly wrong, it should have said that some African villages raided other vilages for revenge and for money, and sold people as slaves to slave traders from other countries.

And why is that relevant?

....it's relevant as much has been said lately about slavery, due to Live8, but never how everyone was involved in it, giving an unbalanced view.....and as I said, I was given a lecture as to how I was to blame for slavery in her country while watching Live 8....when the facts were pointed out, she had no answer.

So, you're having a go at me because someone had a go at you about slavery?

......I am indifferant to you.

......but when it is talked about doubling aid, the money for which doesn't appear out of thin air, then I think it is fair comment that where money is being wasted in countries being given aid, it should be pointed out.

......it is also fair comment that when slavery is often mentioned as one of the ways in which we are supposed to have harmed Africa, it is pointed out that it was being carried out by Africa's own people....giving lectures is NOT the way to get people on your side.

I'm just interested to know where this statistic came from? Swaziland has the highest percentage of HIV sufferers in the world?

Just asking, cause this is the field I work in and I havn't heard that statistic before . . . .

If you want to put something right - why dont you pettition your government NOT to give funds only to African Governments but the well-established and well-audited NGO's that DO exist in Africa, then people could be sure that the Kings of Africa dont spend their money "unwisely". Btw, what was the expenditure of the Queen of England last year? I dont suppose anyone cares much tho - afterall, its her monarchy and her legacy and I guess since there aren't hundreds of thousands of children dying in the streets of England its ok if she buys a jet or two (how much money do you think England made out of stripping Africa of comodities? - just a thought).

And just for your information, Swaziland is one of the better African contries in terms of standards of living, the King supports hundreds of humanitarian development projects for the Swazi people. The biggest problem Swaziland has is the refugees fleeing other countries and living illegally on the streets or in squatter-camps.

Maybe find out what the third world debt issue is really about, do some more reading and then visit an HIV orphanage or two and tell the kids that they dont deserve any assistance cause their King just bought a jet. Then come back and tell us all how we should let africa rot.

Kosh

.....actually, I believe the Queen is cutting down on transport costs, I have recently seen her using a British Airways with ordinary passengers ...maybe the king could, and use the new plane money to buy a few million condoms to prevent AIDS in his country.

....The person blaming me for slavery in Africa as I am white, has lead me on a voyge of discovery, as well as finding out slavery was part of African culture before any Europeans started their horrific trade, I have found on the BBC that people were snatched by African slave traders, from Britain. British coastal areas were raided by slave traiders from Algeria, also from 1609-1616 alone 466 British ships were raided for slaves.
.....in Europe in general, from 1530-1780 one million and three hundred thousand men , women and children were snatched and sold to be used as slaves along the Barbery coast, Tripoli, Tunis, Algeria....most died of starvation, maltreatment, etc......so you can say Live8 was an education, but perhaps not in the way intended.
.....although perhaps partly joking, elsewhere on H2G2 someone suggest starting a collection for someone to kill Mugabe, although perhaps not suggesting that, if someone had done it a few months ago then a couple of hundred thousand lesss would have been homeless.....mind you make it a few years ago and maybe a few thousand less would be starving, due to the now ruined farms still being in operation supplying much needed food.

....oh by the way, was talking to someone from Mugabe's cheerful country yesterday, and she suggested less money going to rich African leaders, and more money for condom use to cure AIDS in Africa.

......sorry, can't find original story with HIV statistics, but I went onto BBC notice board and found a section on HIV, etc.
.....seems that two thirds of HIV sufferers are in Africa.

.....seems the UNaids/WHO people don't classify Africa as a whole anymore, statistics wise, but in regions.

....they give Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana as having the highest percentage figures for HIV.


...and no you can't blame children for having AIDS but you CAN blame some adults.....your friend Bod Geldof showed what he called the road of death last night in Africa....it was just a busy road with lorry parks. There were prostitutes working there, drivers were casually having sex with women with out using condoms.....I know what you are going to say.....the woman are starving (which they didn't look like) and need the money...ok but...often I have heard that Africans can't afford condoms, but if the man can afford a prostitute, he can afford condoms.....and I know ignorance will be blamed, but I simply can not believe that the man or prostitut had never heard that AIDS is spread that way!.

....and as Sir Bob said, death now move further on.

Yes, Botswana's stats are the highest, but that's also because they started anti HIV campaigning much earlier and encouraged testing much earlier. I know at least 10 people in my immediate environment who I can see are positive but wont admit to it since there's such a stigma arround it.

In general tho - you're missing the point. The spread of HIV in Africa is only due to ignorance arround condom use (although there was a rumour for years that it was just a ploy by the "white man" to stop population growth in the african groups) - but rather in how cheap life is in Africa. Life is cheap because someone will kill you for a loaf of bread because they're starving - so really - you dould be shot tomorrow - does it really matter how you die?

Most homes dont have television and only the well-to-do ones have working radios. Teenage girls seldom make it to 12 as virgins and one in 100 000 teenager can afford to see a movie once a year. Life is cheap and entertainment needs to be even cheaper. THESE are the challenges of mass poverty - together with lack of education etc.

But the problem is here now - some countries have estimated stats of up to 72% of HIV positive populations. South Africa's own Minister of Health went out in public and said that the government would not issue anti-retrovirals to pregnant mothers because it couldnt' afford the orphanages (so just let the babies die right?) and this is one o the best countries. The government has stopped building houses for the homeless because it knows that in 5 to 10 years there will be millions of homes unoccupied. Is what we KNOW will happen not payment enough for you western-types for our ignorance? If you think we should suffer for it - be content - we will. Millions will die - FACT. Millions of children will be orphaned and die - FACT. This is a global disaster. What our continent is looking for is for the G8 to negate the INTEREST on the trillions of dollars of capital that has been borrowed by Africa (the capital has already been paid back at least twice!) to help Africa to get out of the debt spiral its in so that MAYBE we can start preparing for the millions of orphans and the impoverished.

I have a light-beige/pink complextion and I also refuse to be blamed for what has been done to Africa. But I dont still benefit from any wealth accumulated under Aphartheid or slavery and I didn't strip out all of Africa's minerals or falsly suppress the gold price to remain the dominant controlling global parties. The western governments did however, and its time to address that Poverty that has resulted.

This is not about give to the poor what the rich have - its about assessing the needs of the planet - the actions that have brought us to this place and rectifying what's gone wrong. There is no winner when the african population is decimated (unless the rumours that HIV was introduced to Africa by the west to clear the land for more westerners to live on is true) - but the world might just gain something if one of the babies that miraculously survives birth from an HIV infected mother grows up and discovers a cure for cancer.

Dont you see that????

Kosh

You have been passing some open windows

......why, thank you for the applause.

......Soz, couldn't resist, lol.

......you are all well meaning, but I have no doubt, Bob Geldof will be droning on again in another 20 years time.

Cheeky git

>Bob Geldof will be droning on again in another 20 years time.

Only if we all do nothing.

.....Oh God, please, please, please! sort out every single problem in the world,

....the thought of having to hear Bob Geldof droning on again is enough of a threat for anyone, Africa has enough problems without him going back again as well....

Sorry, I don't believe we've heard your fantastic ideas for solving africas problems. Would love to know. Involves a lot of sitting on your a**e, I imagine.

.....well, not that I have worked out some sort of action plan.

.....certainly the first thing is to drop the guilt trip of blaming the west for Africa's problems....I got that and it doesn't work, especially if found out that Africans were involved in slavery too....sure minerals, etc were stolen, but you can bet your bottom dollar Africans were making a quick buck somewhere too...that's life.
.....admiting it's everones fault would be a good start.

,,,,aid has it's place, but can cause dependance, and there seems to be a lot of it disappearing, perhaps greater control there would help....I understand some aid suppliers have admitted to lax systems.


....I am sorry, but the spread of AIDS is partly self inflicted....no one is forced to have sex with a prostitute.... I spoke yesterday to someone from Magabe's country
and she felt that Africa is painted in a bad light, certain areas she pointed out are very badly hit with famine, etc, but not everyone is in fear of being shot for a loaf of bread, so doesn't care if they get aids or not...there are areas that condoms can be afforded....but ideas that having sex with a virgin will cure you/protect you from aids , spread death....and anyway no one is , in general, forced to have sex......discounting rape,etc

......also, Africa has to help its self in the sense of it harms itself by the gangs who go around cutting off limbs off villagers....it isn't the fault of the people who get attacked....but it is Africans hurting them selves....


.....these are just a couple areas that spring to mind, getting off someones a**e as you so delicately put it may not be the answer....Africa changing what it does may help more......selling a few jets maybe a good start.


......Oh and stopping making out Africa is a sh*t heap may help....it isn't all bad, been to north africa a few times, and if they can do well, then maybe the rest can as well/

But a lot of what of what you're saying is what Make Poverty History are campaigning for...

>Oh and stopping making out Africa is a sh*t heap [very delicate, as you say] may help....it isn't all bad, been to north africa a few times, and if they can do well, then maybe the rest can as well/

1. I haven't mentioned Africa, especially in this context.
2. Koshana is South African and works in development. Read her words and mark them...