The US State Department issued a belated release late Monday (March 26), condemning the violence of last week in the Democratic Republic of Congo. What is most disturbing is that the number of dead and wounded was low-balled at 12 dead and 47 wounded by China, which has huge economic interests in the region.

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The US State Department issued a  two line, belated release late Monday (March 26), condemning the violence of last week in the Democratic Republic of Congo. China was the first to publish the State Department comments. What is most disturbing is that the number of dead and wounded was low-balled at 12 dead and 47 wounded in the Chinese release. Yet, yesterday MONUC was reporting 100 dead and sources on the ground were telling me that, “Despite official figures, there are over 400 dead and more than that wounded.”

That figure has “officially” increased dramatically today with wire reports quoting the European Union expressing concern that the violence left between 200 and 500 dead. The figure came from hospital sources, aid groups and diplomats, the German envoy, Karl-Albrecht Wokalek, told a press conference given by 14 EU ambassadors, according to wire service reports.

Until the EU report came out today, Reuters was reporting that the Soccer Nations qualifier cup is being called off due to the clashes. They have finally picked up on the casualties.

I have said before that truth shape shifts in Congo.

Still, nothing appears in mainstream media here.

Meanwhile, Anderson Cooper spent a good portion of his air time on 360 examining Anna Nicole Smith’s tox screens. Over four million are dead in DRC and counting.

Authors Website: http://www.georgianne-nienaber.com

Authors Bio:

Georgianne Nienaber is an investigative environmental and political writer. She lives in rural northern Minnesota and South Florida. Her articles have appeared in The Society of Professional Journalists' Online Quill Magazine, the Huffington Post, The Ugandan Independent, Rwanda's New Times, India's TerraGreen, COA News, ZNET, OpEdNews, Glide Magazine, The Journal of the International Primate Protection League, Africa Front, The United Nations Publication, A Civil Society Observer, Bitch Magazine, and Zimbabwe's The Daily Mirror. Her fiction expose of insurance fraud in the horse industry, Horse Sense, was re-released in early 2006. Gorilla Dreams: The Legacy of Dian Fossey was also released in 2006. Nienaber spent much of 2007 doing research in South Africa, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was in DRC as a MONUC-accredited journalist, and was living in Southern Louisiana investigating hurricane reconstruction and getting to know the people there in 2007. Nienaber is continuing "to explore the magic of the Deep South." She was a member of the Memphis Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and is a current member of Investigative Rorters and Editors.