Talk:Temporary Resource Analysis

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[edit] Where did this article come from?

This appears to be a paper which has been pasted here from another source, written for another purpose. It's potentially useful but needs to be edited and revised to integrate it properly into Wikipedia. Rexparry sydney 03:24, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Rewrite to encyclopedic style

There is nothing wrong with the writing of the article per se, but it is in the style of an academic paper or essay, not an encyclopedia entry. Several sections set context and background which should be replaced by links to that material already on Wikipedia. Rexparry sydney 03:58, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Material removed from article

These paras of general info duplicate other wiki articles and should be integrated there:

To gain a clearer understanding of the situation in the DRC, geographic basics, political history, and Congolese society and culture will be presented. Following will be a discussion of the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural impacts of resource extraction. Finally, proposals for enhancing sustainability in the DRC will be offered.

== Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) ==

===Geography===

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the third largest country in Africa with 2,344,510 square kilometers (CIA World Fact Book 2007); roughly the size of the United States east of the Mississippi river. It is located in Sub-Saharan Africa with the equator bisecting the country. The Eastern border of the country is lined by the Rwenzori Mountains with peaks of over 5,000 meters. Much of the country lies within the watershed of the Congo River and spans across some of the tallest peaks in Africa to highland and lowland plains and river valleys giving it a diverse geomorphologic composition. The climate ranges from hot and arid to tropical and moist. Three major ecoregions can be found throughout the region; Savannah woodlands, grasslands and tropical moist forests (Wolvekamp 1999). These factors have contributed to the biological richness of the DRC.

===Biodiversity===

For some time, the DRC has been well known for its biological diversity, with the Congo River basin remaining as one of the three major tropical wilderness areas left in the world (Draulanis & Krunkelsven 2002). Within the DRC there are over 10,000 species of plants, many of which are thought to be endemic (only found in that area). Additionally, there are over 400 species of mammals, 1000 species of birds and 80 species of amphibians, 51 of which are endemic (Wolfire et al 1998). Of these species, many are endemic, and a large number are considered to be threatened or endangered. The DRC has 30 species of primates of which 19 are endemic such as the bonobo (Pan paniscus), the mountain and lowland gorillas. Other large mammals that can only be found in the DRC are the Okapi (Okapia johnstoni) and white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) (Hart & Mwinyihali 2001). The biological richness is in part due to the shear size of the country, but even within small areas, the diversity found is greater than in most areas of similar size (Wolfire et al 1998, Hart & Mwinyihali 2001).

Many national parks and reserves were created during the 1970’s and 80’s when the country was under the rule Mobutu Sese Seko. The area of protected areas within the DRC totals 180,000 km²; roughly about 7 percent of the country's total land mass (Wolfire et al 1998, Hart & Mwinyihali 2001).

To better understand the links between society, culture and the environment, it is first necessary to explain what is meant by “society” and “culture.” Generally speaking, the term “society” refers to social systems, and institutions such as family, education, religion, politics, and economy. The purpose of a social institution is to meet the persistent needs of a society (Ferrante 2003). The term “culture” can generally be summed up as the non-biological aspects of a social group’s way of life (Klopf 2001), and includes everyday perceptions (beliefs, moral codes, and values) and practices. Cultural practices include such things as family and religious traditions, language, and food production and preparation.

The 60 million-plus citizens of the Congo live in rural areas, cities and dwell in forests. Since Congolese societies and cultures are so diverse, it would be an injustice to attempt to cover the nuances of each unique group; instead, a sampling of some of the diverse groups will be presented. However, one thing all Congolese people have in common is resiliency: Despite their many hardships, the Congolese people continue to carry on many of their rich cultural traditions.

The majority of Congolese people live in rural areas (Heale 1999). Though often very poor, it is typical for the Congolese rural dweller to greet visitors warmly and share what food and drink they have, which might include “roasted groundnuts, grilled corn, or elephant meat” (Heale 1999, pp 73). Women typically tend to farming while men leave in search of wild game. Where communication is concerned, phones are not available, “so people shout the news down the village street” (Heale 1999, pp 73).

Kinshasa, the nation’s capitol, and largest city of the DRC, is the main metropolitan center, and Kinshasa’s city dwellers have their own unique lifestyles. Like other cities in the DRC, Kinshasa has its share of poverty. There is much evidence that Congolese city dwellers have adopted a number of cultural traits, including artifacts, from Western material culture. Aside from that, one can see that in Kinshasa, for example, some women favor more traditional Congolese dresses and head coverings. But, whether one lives a rural or urban lifestyle, disease from insects is a concern. One cultural practice which may have originated in the West has special importance for Congolese women: Ironing. Cosmetics aside, the Congolese are aware that damp clothes are a breeding ground for tumba fly eggs. If the eggs are not destroyed by heat, then they will grow into larvae which end up painfully burrowing into the wearer’s skin (Heale 1999).

At the other end of the spectrum, the Congo still has a number of forest dwelling peoples. Among these are the Efe. The Efe live in the Ituri Rainforest. Although the name given to these people is “pygmy,” for the most part, these tribal groups would rather be identified by their correct tribal names. In fact, many consider the term “pygmy” to be derogatory (Siy 1993).

Other ethnic groups which live in the Ituri region are the Lendu and the Hema. The Hema, who are largely nomadic, pastoralist herders, culturally identify with the Tutsi tribe. The Lendu are primarily sedentary farmers who align themselves with Hutu tribe —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rexparry sydney (talk • contribs) 03:38, 25 September 2007 (UTC)