What would your guess be if I asked you what the leading cause of hunger in the world was during the 1990s and into the early 2000s? No doubt, most of you would answer "the weather".
We've all heard and read about the excruciating droughts, the devastating earthquakes, the massive floods that have wreaked absolute havoc throughout this planet - causing millions to suffer and die, while millions more live only to fend off starvation every day of their short lives.
We've cried. We've donated money. We've paid attention. Some have even volunteered directly as aid workers to help end hunger. And, it is always an enormous task with no completion sighted anywhere on the horizon, any time soon. It's depressing.
So, is weather really the leading cause of hunger recently? The answer to that question is "no".
From
AlertNet
ROME, May 23 (Reuters) - War has replaced weather and natural disasters as the world's leading cause of hunger, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Monday.
There it is: WAR
Didn't hear about this news on your local TV news broadcast this evening? Missed it on CNN and FOX? Didn't catch it in the newspaper? Well, I wonder why...
You see, war is something we can actually do something about, unlike the weather - which is beyond mankind's control. If the word got out that ending war could actually cut down on starvation, especially while the US is still at war in Iraq, well that would probably undermine the troops or something. It would be downright unpatriotic!
More than 35 percent of food emergencies between 1992 and 2003 were due to conflict and economic problems, compared with around 15 percent from 1986 to 1991, the FAO said in a report presented at a food security meeting.
Africa, hit the hardest, is home to 23 of the 36 nations the FAO said faced serious food shortages. It was followed by Asia and Latin America.
Of course, we knew about Africa and N Korea is in Asia - and we all know how their dear leader treats his people. But, Latin America? Hang on a minute. I don't hear much about hunger in Latin America. Do you? Hmm...I wonder why...
Let's see what else war causes around the world:
"Armed conflicts are now the leading cause of world hunger with the effects of HIV/AIDs and climate change not far behind," the FAO said in a statement.
It added war "contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS through displacement, rape or commercial sex."
Oh, well I thought HIV/AIDS was caused by backwards people in Africa who just didn't know any better. What's this about rape? Displacement? We don't seem to hear a lot about that either. I wonder why...
Most of the countries where more than 35 percent of the population suffers from "under-nourishment" faced armed conflict during the 1990s, the FAO said.
"The impact ... is not limited to the conflict area. It diverts resources from national development programmes and weakens government capacity, indirectly affecting the provision of services to the whole population," the FAO said.
Is that saying war can be a threat to stable democracies and their important programs? Wait a minute. I thought war=spreading freedom. That quote sure doesn't look right. I wonder if the guys in Washington know about this?
I suppose they do. I guess they don't really care.
I wonder why...