The OAU wants reparations. Idiots.

The 7 member panel appointed by the "Organization for African Unity" (OAU) who nobody has ever heard of, thinks the U.S., France, and Belgium ought to pay reparations for not stopping the slaughter in Rwanda.

I can't believe these people are serious. Firstly, (yes, I said "firstly") we must acknowledge that the failure to stop the slaughter in Rwanda is a horrible tragedy which the world ought not repeat in Darfur, or anywhere else. Secondly, we must acknowledge that some people are insane. Moving on...

Where was the OAU, or her proud members during the slaughter? Why should the Western powers pay for a uniquely African horror?

I'm afraid there is a mentality in Africa akin to that of teenagers, drug adicts, and American liberals; "save me from myself." Somehow it is everyone else's fault when the tribalism of Africa spills into open slaughter. By some conivance, the rich world has again tricked the poor dictatorships into a civil war. Aren't we clever. I'm sure we probably did it for oil, or some other such nonsense.

How about this: redraw your borders based upon tribal affiliation, or overthrow your dictatorships and install accountable governments. How about joining the modern world rather than blaming that world for allowing you to act like animals. Hate the Western world too much? okay, look to South Africa who has sucessfully and bloodlessly (bar the Apartheid atrocities) converted to a democracy, Thailand who has maintained a clannish but thriving democracy(bar the south), Singapore who has built an empire out of a small society of cooperative people, anywhere not ruled by warlords and dictators.

Either way, look to yourselves to solve your problems, nobody else. That's what being an adult, mature country is all about.