RESUMO
Congo Brazzaville was racked by civil war between 1998 and 2000. Fighting forced a large part of the population to flee from the capital, Brazzaville. Starting in 1999 many people began coming back to the city in dire physical and psychological condition. With little or no press coverage, this return went largely unnoticed by the general public. Volunteers from Médecins Sans Frontières were present not only to provide assistance and care to these war victims but also as to bear witness so that this tragedy should not be forgotten. By means of epidemiological surveys in the field, workers were able to paint a "picture of suffering" and to document the violence and deprivation inflicted mainly on the civilian population. This article summarizes the findings of this investigation.
Assuntos
Inquéritos Epidemiológicos , Cooperação Internacional , Missões Médicas/organização & administração , Saúde Pública , Trabalho de Resgate/organização & administração , Guerra , Adulto , Altruísmo , Causas de Morte , Criança , Congo/epidemiologia , Diarreia/epidemiologia , Feminino , Febre/epidemiologia , França , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Distúrbios Nutricionais/epidemiologia , Vigilância da População , Prevalência , Estupro/estatística & dados numéricos , Violência/estatística & dados numéricosRESUMO
This article beckons readers to reflect on the extreme acts of violence inflicted on populations when civil warfare degenerates into war against civilians. The authors raise the issue of political, media, and humanitarian choices determining the response of industrial countries to crisis situations in economically challenged countries. They advocate an approach based on the "assist and testify" principle of Médecins Sans Frontières.
