Famine Crimes: Politics & the Disaster Relief Industry in Africa (African Issues)

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Summary: americans shot black hawk down
Review: Grown-ups should know that journalists rarely get their stories right. This book, presented as a straightforward examination of the NGO's 'Aid-Game' and their complementary 'Aid-Circus', ends up being all the more poignant when it targets Western misconceptions and the Neo-colonialism that has installed itself in the Western media and elites under the catchphrase 'Humanitarian Intervention'. You don't have to believe me - just read this fantastic book, written by a former member of the NGO's international, and find out how and why famines really start and really end, as opposed as what you hear on newspapers and TV. If you wanna know why Black Hawk went down, this is the book to start. If you remember those Ethiopian children you thought you saved by buying tickets for charity concerts, maybe you wanna know the truth.

Rating:
Summary: A thought-provoking,worthwhile read.
Review: This is a managable text,even for the novice in African current afairs and is written by the co-director of the Africa Rights group,based in London. De Waal contends that the causes of famine are invariably political and avoidable.He is critical of the activities to date of many aid agencies and observes that they have in many cases paradoxically perpetuated the very crises they have been seeking to end. This work has raised many questions for me and is a starting point for further reading on the subject of how aid to developing countries can be best delivered.