Madam, - Congratulations to Vincent Browne for again bringing into public focus the ongoing tragedy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Opinion, May 26th). The fact that 5 million innocent people have perished in this country, many violently, since 1997 is appalling; that the international community did nothing and is doing nothing to stop the carnage is inexplicable.
There is less than a month left of the Irish presidency of the European Union. Is it too much to hope that the Government will take an initiative on this, the world's greatest disaster in terms of lives lost since the second World War? - Yours, etc.
JOHN O'SHEA, GOAL, PO Box 19, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
Madam, - When visiting your nice and friendly country last week I bought The Irish Times and was deeply shocked to read Vincent Browne's column of May 26th.
This honourable journalist probably knows well the present situation in the Congo but appears to be - deliberately? - ignorant about the past.
To write that the Belgians "were the most brutal murderous and exploitative of the colonial powers" might apply to the 1885-1907 period, when Congo was a personal property of King Leopold II and was murderously exploited by capitalist companies (though at the same time missionaries were bringing schools and hospitals). But after that first period, the Belgian parliament took over the management of what became a "colony", which was rather a model of colonisation with primary schools, hospitals and public services all over the country.
May I add that we Belgians do not consider the Irish as the most brutal and murderous people of Europe, although some unionist and Catholic extremists have been killing innocent people for many years? - Yours, etc.,
PIERRE-PAUL STRUYE, Ferrieres, Corcelies, Belgium.