AFRICA'S DIMINISHING PEOPLE

by Dr. D. J. Mingo

            Over the past ten years, projections of AIDS deaths in Africa continue to puzzle many.   While some health organizations put HIV infections rates at 38 percent in some areas of Africa, clearly these projections are far too low.  After many years of living in Africa, a startling personal conclusion is immerging; Africa's people are disappearing.

        Many African governments grappling with this unfolding human tsunami are doing the best they can with limited resources, but others are clearly not doing enough.   While this clergyman seeks not to criticize governments, for they are dealing with a catastrophic problem far beyond any Western government's ability or desire to comprehend, it is the opinion from first hand observation and life in Southern Africa that current AIDS projections are far too low; very, very, low. 

        Take for example the village of St. Chad's nestled in the hills and mountains of Natal just outside of Ladysmith.   In every village, there is what the Zulu people refer to as "Umuzi."   These are homesteads made up of a group of huts which constitute a home in the African sense.  The "Imizi" (plural) dot the country side throughout Africa.

        Recent trips to St. Chad’s reveal a startling fact.   Within many "Imizi" there are graves; graves upon graves of the recently deceased.   First hand observations in numerous African communities reveal that the cemeteries are full.  Since funerals are expensive anyways many rural South Africans revert to a more traditional means for honoring their dead.   They bury them in their back yard -- to use a more American expression.

        Everywhere this practice is evident.  Graves upon graves are in some communities more common than the living.  So too is this individual's observation of Africa's Diminishing People.   Having lived over twenty years in South Africa -- one of the most beautiful countries in the world -- there is a noticeable absence of the fifteen to forty year old population groups in many rural communities.

        The World Health Organization is currently looking at revising its HIV - AIDS projections.  Some agencies put the HIV infected population at almost 40 percent of the entire Southern African Population.  This would agree with this worker's life experience and observations in Southern Africa.

        Recent projections by UNICEF put the African Orphan's population at 18 million by 2020.  And, this brings home the point.  Africa is on the verge of human catastrophic destruction beyond which this modern world has ever seen.

        Imagine a continent where perhaps 20 million of its inhabitants are orphans. Imagine if 40 percent of America's population were HIV positive.  Or, imagine if only one fourth of America was HIV positive; let's say 10 percent.  America's government and America's people would call this an epidemic catastrophe, a national disaster, a country on the brink of collapse and rightly so. 

    Already the world stands by witnessing sex-trading, slave-trading, genocide, civil wars and AIDS ravaging Africa's people.  After speaking with clergy, social workers, politicians, and citizens in the  United States, one prevailing attitude emerges regularly, "Well, Africans need to get their act together before we can be expected to help them beyond what we are already doing."  Oh, in every encounter there is concern, even empathy and sometimes tears, but the prevailing attitude is, "This is primarily Africa's battle to fight."

        Now imagine millions of hungry sick wandering African orphans struggling to survive.   Imagine desperate highly impressionable orphans falling prey to every vice and abuse imaginable.  Imagine the fertile grounds for drug trafficking, terrorist recruiting, and just about every other worse case social scenario.   Now forget about trying to imagine!  It is becoming reality.

        Africa is a daily occurring tsunami or Hurricane Katrina of which the world fails to recognize, embrace, and do much about it.  More people die in Africa everyday then in these two events combined.

        Such a situation is difficult for busy Americans to grasp.  It's way over there in the far place called Africa.  Yet, Africa lives in America, Canada, and Europe today.  Throughout the West are large communities of Africans.  Modern travel ensures that many Africans seeking to escape their hopeless state will continue migrating to the West.

        Africa's problem is not just Africa's problem any longer.  This is not just a question of Africa's survival.  It is a question of every one's survival.  As this tragic human sunrise becomes more visible in the horizon of the Western world, how will we respond?

        Africa must be on the top of everyone's to-do list.  Africa's governments, peoples, health workers, communities, churches, mosques, temples, and service organizations are actively struggling to combat HIV - AIDS in Africa.  Yes, more can be done, more will be done, but they are clearly overwhelmed.  They can not win this battle alone.  If it becomes theirs only to fight, it will most likely be a battle lost over time with extremely high casualties.  All will suffer, as the loss will severly impact every one, every economy, and the social welfare of every country over time.

        While the Tsunami and the Hurricanes of 2005 brought natural destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen in the last one hundred years,  these tragedies pale in comparison to Africa's plight, our plight, everyone's plight; Africa’s Diminishing People – Our Diminishing People.

        My fear is too few will read, too few will understand, too few will care, and too few will respond in time to avert this looming disaster.