You probably won't be singing the Rolling Stone's 1969 hit, Gimme Shelter, during your Christmas caroling. However, it would be appropriate as celebrate this season of Peace. "War, Children, Its Just a Shot Away!"
As I read the lyrics of Gimme Shelter, I had a flashback to Vietnam War. I remembered the pictures of soldiers in the field during an arranged cease-fire agreement. A short period of peace was observed by both sides. This Christmas season Gimme Shelter is again relevant and in the news.
This time, Ben Affleck and musician Mick Jagger teamed up to launch a short film called "Gimme Shelter" drawing attention to the plight of these Congolese families driven from their homes by more than a decade of war. Many Congolese families, the fortunate ones, will spend Christmas in a UN refugee camp. "Its Just a Shot Away!
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The conflict indirectly affects all of the Congo and the entire Great Lakes region of Central Africa. Even these boys in Bulape are affected, too.
The Congo is a country without basic necessities of sanitation, running water, and electricity. Resources that could be used to improve utilities, roads, schools, and the health systems are being stolen by the warlords and rebels. "Its Just a Shot Away!"
Congo's rich mineral resources will bring us the Joy of Christmas. However, there will be little joy for those families in eastern Congo this Christmas season. There riches have made them poor! There riches have made them homeless! There riches have made them suffer and die!
Affleck teamed up with UNHCR and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger in a new campaign to "help raise funds and awareness about the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the work of the UN refugee agency."
They hope to eventually raise $23 million in 2009 to help pay for items like clean water supplies and emergency humanitarian assistance kits.
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