The Graves Are Not Yet Full: Race, Tribe, and Power in the Heart of Africa by Bill Berkeley

The Graves Are Not Yet Full: Race, Tribe, and Power in the Heart of Africa by Bill Berkeley attempts to explain why Africa has so many political problems.

Berkeley an American reporter tries to get past the usual description of African violence, that is being a Hobbesian world of all against all or simply tribal. He makes a convincing case that instead conflicts require "leadership". Much of this our caused by rather unsavory Cold War allies of the West. The behavior of the leaders is more equivalent to how the Sicilian Mafia operates.

There is a very interesting interview with one of Reagan's African adviser's who basically says that they don't care about the Africans just as long as the Soviets stayed out.

Various countries are covered the Wanda, South Africa, Sudan and Liberia. The section on South Africa describes the way government's attempted in the 1980s to foster conflict between different black groups. Something that isn't really known about in the West.

A fascinating and highly recommended book on an important subject.

Is available through Abebooks.