Government/Civic Understanding Education/Governments/Triangle of Misery

Standard:SS7CG2 Students will explain the structures of the modern governments of Africa. a. Compare the republican systems of government in the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of South Africa to the dictatorship of the Republic of Sudan, distinguishing the form of leadership and the role of the citizen in terms of voting and personal freedoms.

Standard:SS7CG3 Students will analyze how politics in Africa impacts the standard of living. b. Describe the impacts of government stability on the distribution of resources to combat AIDS and famine across Africa.

Agenda Message Agenda Message: After-school tutoring is cancelled for Wednesday. Students interested in re-taking Africa quizzes can do so 1 st period Thursday or Friday. Standard: Describe the impacts of government stability on the distribution of resources to combat AIDS and famine across Africa. Essential Question for Tuesday March 24 th : What is referred to as the “Triangle of Misery” in Africa? Warm-up: European partitioning has led to what results in African and Southwest Asia? Today We Will: Today We Will: 1. HIV/AIDS epidemic, Civil War, & Famine in Africa

E.Q. Answers for Tuesday March 24 th : Africa’s Triangle of Misery are three far reaching problems that effect/threaten the entire continent of Africa. They include; 1. HIV/AIDS 2. Conflict & Civil War 3. Famine Warm-Up: Conflict & civil war

Agenda Message Agenda Message: After-school tutoring is cancelled for today. Re-takes on quizzes are available 1 st & 2 nd periods Thursday & Friday. Today we start our reviews for the GMAS. Standard: Describe the impacts of government stability on the distribution of resources to combat AIDS and famine across Africa. Essential Question for Wednesday March 25 th : What was the leading cause of ongoing conflict and civil wars after African independence was gained? Warm-up: List the four main reasons for the AIDS epidemic spreading in Sub-Saharan Africa. Today We Will: Today We Will: 1. HIV/AIDS epidemic, Civil War, & Famine in Africa

E.Q. Answers for Wednesday March 25 th E.Q. Answers for Wednesday March 25 th : Artificial partitioning of boundaries by European colonial powers led to conflict sand civil war all over Africa and Southwest Asia. Warm-Up: 1. Poor healthcare systems (lack of hospitals and clinics) 2. Poverty 3. Ignorance about the disease and its prevention 4. Lack of government organization

Agenda Message Agenda Message: Make-up quizzes can be taken tomorrow during 1 st & 2 nd periods. BYOT Friday. Standard: Describe the impacts of government stability on the distribution of resources to combat AIDS and famine across Africa. Essential Question for Thursday March 26 th : Why do many African countries face famine? Warm-up: Arbitrarily drawn political boundaries (partitioning) by European colonial powers often lead to what outcome? Today We Will: 1. HIV/AIDS epidemic, Civil War, & Famine in Africa 2. GMAS review

E.Q. Answers for Thursday March 26 th E.Q. Answers for Thursday March 26 th : Many African countries face famine (starvation) today because of; 1. Climate changes, 2. Political conflicts & civil war which disrupts farming & produces poor prices for African goods on the world market, 3. Disease, and 4. Poorly organized corrupt governments. Warm-up Warm-up: Artificial partitioning of boundaries by European colonial powers led to conflict sand civil war all over Africa and Southwest Asia.

AFRICA’S TRIANGLE OF MISERY Part I; AIDS/HIV Epidemic Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest HIV-AIDS infections rates in the world. Estimates are that there are about 25 million people living in Africa with AIDS and another 2.1 million have died from the disease. Because so many of the victims are young and middle aged adults, their deaths have left Africa with over eleven million orphans.

The extent of the disease in Africa is just being understood. Most health officials expect number of those infected and of those who die will increase in the next ten years. Poor healthcare systems, poverty, and lack of government organization, as well as ignorance about the disease and its prevention all contribute to the rapidly expanding number of cases.

The antiretroviral drugs (AVTs) that are able to slow the progress of the disease are expensive and beyond the budgets of many who are infected. South Africa is a different story. Health officials at the United Nations have estimated that 20% of South Africans may be infected with HIV/AIDS, yet few people can get drugs they need to slow the disease.

AIDS took hold in South Africa first in the 1990’s when the country was trying to end the old apartheid system of racial segregation. The early days of the epidemic therefore, were overshadowed by the nation’s other problems. Some see HIV/AIDS as a disease only of the poor. Some men blame it on women. Ignorance has a real impact on how rapidly this disease spreads.

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the world. Government corruption, civil unrest, and suspicion of offers of help from other countries have made Zimbabwe’s problems even greater. Zimbabwe’s poor economy has made expensive antiretroviral drugs impossible for most people to afford.

Nigeria Nigeria has a 3.7% HIV/AIDS infection rate, relatively low in comparison to some African countries. However, Nigeria has a large population, so that 3.7% translates into almost 3,400,ooo people who are currently infected. 210,000 people have died as of Although Nigeria has oil, most Nigerians are relatively poor, and the Nigerian government did not make HIV/AIDS a priority until the late 1900’s.

Since then Nigeria has made HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care a main concern. While Nigeria still has to struggle with the HIV/AIDS problem, the government is working hard to educate the people and make treatment available.

AFRICA’S TRIANGLE OF MISERY Part II, CONFLICT & CIVIL WAR The Republic of the Sudan vs. Darfur When Al-Bashir (the current leader of Sudan) took power, a civil war was already brewing in Sudan. The Muslim north had set out to crush the Christian south, to protect and defend Islam from infidels. Al-Bashir continued the war and wanted to expand the Arab culture and religion throughout Sudan.

In 2003, when international efforts to bring peace between the north and south were finally calming the situation, rebellion began in Darfur in western Sudan. Al-Bashir responded by killing at least 180,000 civilians in Darfur and driving two million people from their homes (making them refugees).

After burning villages, the army attacked the refugee camps where the people had fled. As a result of these indiscriminate religious based attacks Al- Bashir was charged as a war criminal by the World Court in the Netherlands. If he should ever leave Sudan he is in danger of being arrested and tried for the crimes of religious persecution and genocide.

After the U.S. government declared the Sudan civil war to be an act of genocide, a cease-fire agreement was signed in December The civil war in Sudan in many respects continues today even after Southern Sudan voted to form a separate government.

10-Darfur Facts 1. Since the start of the conflicts of Darfur over 400,000 Darfurian citizens have been killed, which means about 150 people lose their lives every day ,000 people have died directly from acts of violence in Darfur % of the villages of Darfur’s targeted ethnic groups have been destroyed % of the killings have been against innocent civilians and executed by militia groups instructed by the Sudanese government.

10-Darfur Facts cont. 5. With every 1,000 births in Darfur, at least 150 die as a result of malnutrition % of the refugees are women and young girls who are consistently the victims of sexual violence. 7. Around 3,000,000 people are now refugees within southern Sudan ,000 people have fled Darfur, mainly to Chad where they face further violence

10-Darfur Facts cont. 9. Humanitarian refugee camps in Chad and Sudan are overcrowded, disease infested, and prone to attacks. 10. In September 2004, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the Darfur conflict was genocide, and called it the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21 st century. This is the first time the U.S. has ever declared genocide while a conflict was still happening.

AFRICA’S TRIANGLE OF MISERY Part III, FAMINE IN AFRICA Many African countries face famine (starvation) today because of; 1. Climate changes, 2. Political conflicts & civil war which disrupts farming & produces poor prices for African goods on the world market, 3. Disease, and 4. Poorly organized corrupt governments.

Zimbabwe is an example of how poorly planned government policies can lead to famine and starvation. A land reform program that was begun was to have placed more land in the hands of native Zimbabweans. Old landowners, many of whom had been associated with the apartheid system of the colonial days were run off the land.

In the chaos that followed, many farmers failed to produce under their new owners, and food shortages quickly followed. Angola just ended a long civil war. People thought this would bring back some prosperity to the country. However, hundreds of thousands of Angolans who had left the war-torn country during the war returned and food shortages quickly developed.

The Republic of Sudan, another country, has experienced famine during their 20-years of civil war. Millions of Sudanese in the southern part of the country around Darfur are now dependent on international aid to avoid starvation.

Uganda has had to deal with fighting among a wide variety of armed people, including different ethnic groups, rebel forces trying to over throw the government, armed gangs, and military factions. Though the country is more stable than in earlier years after independence, conflict continues to disrupt agriculture and trade, making food shortages common.