The Editor, Sir:

I wish to use the expression of sympathy coming from the Burmese population in Jamaica on behalf of the slain pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar to talk about another deeply disturbing crisis on the African continent.

I pray that the Burmese people will be successful in their fight for democracy. It is good that we 'weep with those who weep'.

It would be good if Jamaicans and other persons or nationalities who identify with Africans could even once strike a match or even pause for one minute in sympathy with the thousands of Africans who are being hacked to death in Darfur and other parts of Africa where military governments are terrorising the citizens.

Raised in outrage

I would love to see the international community make a positive and humane response to the African phenomenon.

International voices should be raised in outrage against the illegal ivory trade,(sacrificing elephants), persecution of Christians, margina-lisation of women.

According to a news item from Data.org,Why Africa, 70 per cent of Sub-Saharan Africans live on less than US$2 a day; 200 million go hungry every day. This year alone, at least a million Africans, most of them young children, will die of malaria and two million will die of AIDS.

The worst part about the crisis is the apathy of other nations to their plight. We share a common bond as human beings in spite of race, creed and our geography.

As the poet Donne says in his Meditation XVII: Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morieris: 'Now this bell tolling softly for another, says to me, Thou must die'.

I am, etc.,

CHARMAINE SMITH

che8492000@yahoo.com

Kingston 10