Congo: January 5, 2005

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Eleven of 36 ministers were dismissed for corruption. A major cause of this was the reluctance of foreign nations to send aid, when so much of it is stolen by government officials. Commanders of the UN peacekeeper force also insisted that corrupt Congolese military officers and troops be fired as well. Congolese police and soldiers are notorious for their looting, often in front of foreign relief workers and journalists. All this clean government activity is not expected to eliminate corruption, but its a move in the right direction. Congolese officials who complained, that more aid was going to tidal wave victims in the Indian Ocean, than to the Congo, were told that local officials in the countries in the Indian Ocean might steal 5-10 percent of the aid, while in Congo, over half would disappear.