Africa in Perspective

I just read a column in the LA times online that really puts the media spin on African assistance into perspective. Check it out. The article cites the sensationalism that Western media places on the plight of the African people, Making everyone on the continent out to be an AIDS infected refugee torn from their war-ridden homeland and chased by platoons of children wielding AK-47s. Here, however is what the article states:

What percentage of the African population would you say dies in war every year? What share of male children, age 10 to 17, are child soldiers? How many Africans are afflicted by famine or died of AIDS last year or are living as refugees?

In each case, the answer is one-half of 1% of the population or less.

The problem is he doesn't actually cite where he got this statistic. The article makes some very good arguments and for that reason had a large amount of notoriety on social bookmarking sites such as digg.com, but I think some of the assertions are ridiculous.

The author basically states that Africa is doing just fine, and is progressing at a good pace and what they really need isn't assistance, but expanded trade with the west and more entrepreneurs. This is true, but the article diminishes the plight of the African people in their battle against the progress-killing epidemic of HIV/AIDS.

He goes on to quote the noted journalist "Andrew Mwenda" as saying:

What man or nation has ever become rich by holding out a begging bowl?

I think if you asked a few sisters in Calcutta that question they might have a few examples for Mister Mwenda. Do both. Free trade + Free aid = better Africa.