Africa

While the media are understandably preoccupied with momentous events in Europe, and with dour and dastardly events in Latin America, I was gratified to read your editorial on the need to face grim facts in Africa (“Facing Facts in Africa,” Nov. 27).

In essaying to predict the geopolitical structure of the world in the next decade, the temptation is strong to overlook the second largest of the continents--not only because Africa still seems remote and strategically inconsequential to the rest of the world, but because its grave problems and acute suffering appear to be beyond solution and therapy.

Unless Africa is to become history’s greatest tragedy (if the measure of such a tragedy is a mortality statistic) there will have to be a global rescue operation of unprecedented sacrifice, generosity and dimension.

If indeed the Cold War is ended, as statesmen and pundits now boldly proclaim, then could we not see some of the billions spent on arms redirected to aid sub-Sahara Africa.

Here, surely, is a cause worthy of our epoch! Here is an opportunity to move mankind towards fulfillment of the most stirring of ancient prophecies--”They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks . . . neither shall they learn war any more.”

DEREK GILL

Redondo Beach