Witchcraft

Just when you think that Africa might be showing a degree of progress - socially or economically - we are confronted by stories told from the Darfur region, or the incredibly high HIV infection rates in South Africa.

Or this.

Despite hundreds of millions of dollars in 'aid' from the affluent nations over a generation, parts of Africa still shock us when revealing the differences between western culture - and those of the 'Dark Continent'.

Is it be too much to ask our leadership (ie: the guys who write cheques with our taxes) to actually achieve some sort of tangible, long term change in rates of education or economic improvement, for all of the money put into the region?

And if they fail - if literacy and abject poverty grow, or the latest dictator of the month makes off with millions in aid - shouldn't they quit their post?

It's not too much to ask. But as history is littered with examples, it's too much to expect of politicians and bureaucrats.