My Take on "Blood River" by Tim Butcher

After reading this book it made me appreciate Africa even more and at the same time feel really bad for it. This is the only continent in the world which has experienced many sectarian wars and genocides. Even though Africa's history is exciting, it's marred by violence throughout. Author Tim Butcher gives a rare view to those who read his book The Blood River what's really going on behind deep jungle in the Congo region. 

In the beginning, Butcher writes of the reason for his plans to travel to this remote country to retrace the route of explorer Henry Stanley. Stanley came to this area to chart the Congo River in 1877 only to lose many of his men who tagged along with him because of harsh conditions. Butcher knew that before he were to set foot into war-torn Republic of Congo, he will have to go through red tape and bureaucratic hurdles--all because this is how the business is done in Congo these days. Because the economic conditions are so bad here Butcher writes that nothing can be done to help this country. He writes: "Injection of money will not help it [the economy] because of corruption," p.67. He tells a story of meeting a little Belgian woman named Mlle Nagant who had lived in a little Congo village for many years to help foster relationships and give villagers hope. Miss Nagant claims here efforts are only to "water the seed before it blossoms," (p.113). She has seen much in her days here but she's a living optimist who sees a way out for people of Congo. I myself wish there were plenty of people like this woman lived in Congo so progress can root itself even further. 

One British missionary told the author that people of Congo don't have many options. She said that they have two options; either join church of Congolese military (p.196). Unfortunately, because it will be difficult to profit from working for a church, the military option is the easiest way out for many because one becomes a property of the government. It was heartbreaking to read about a man who traveled on bike through the jungle for months with little food trying to trade palm oil and other goods. Even more unfortunate is that once he's stopped by the militia members he could lose all his goods in matter of minutes-just to preserve his own life. That's the reality the news media does not talk about but rather focus on celebrity juicy gossip and junk news; and this is what makes me so mad!

I was surprised to find out how little did the natives knew about current events happening around the world, let alone their own country's history. Because of poor technological achievement, people living deep in jungle have never heard of September 11th terrorist attacks and have never learned about massacres happening in their backyard, except through word of mouth. I feel so privileged to have an iPod Touch and computer from which I get my daily and breaking news. I'm surrounded with technology which can be used to access information literally about anything in matter of seconds. 

Towards the end of this adventurous book I have developed emotions for the forgotten people of Congo. Butcher writes how each time he asked locals to tell him about violence in their village they would end their stories by saying "and we fled into the bush." That's the only place they have to escape the everyday violence. How sad. He also wrote about a man asking the English traveler to take his son from him to give him a better life. Butcher couldn't smuggle a child within the UN ship and had to refuse the offer. As he neared the end of his journey along the Congo River, Butcher writes about men on little boats trying to get onto the UN ship to escape the country or sell goods for at least some kind of profit that they could get. In my recent trip to Morocco, I witnessed firsthand the hardship the people go through each day to meet the little wage that still is not enough to survive of.

All these are some of the hardships Tim Butcher has experienced and seen for himself as he tried to mark Stanley’s route along the Congo River. There are still many other problems that continue to handicap this country rich with natural recourses. Sadly, the money only goes to few powerful individuals who have high-stakes interests in diamonds, gold and cooper. It’s the regular people who perform the manual labor are ones who suffer the most at the while rich and powerful elites benefit at their expense.

Nobody will ever know the cost that Congo and many other neighboring countries have paid at the hands of imperialists and corrupt political leaders throughout generations and even today. It’s important that ordinary citizens get the voice they so badly need to tell the world of atrocities being committed by the hands of local militia and abuse from wealthy politicians. Tim Butcher’s book does not reveal much as I would have expected but it still gives a glimpse into this secret world. The author ends his book with this statement: “The major lesson I learned on my trek through modern central Africa was that the most valuable asset stolen from the Congo was the sovereignty of its people.” (p.334). Now is the time for those people to have a platform to stand on and have the freedoms back they’ve been robbed of for so many years.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned a great deal about situation on Congo. I just now wish I can do something for these people while we still have the time.