The Democratic Republic of Congo is site to the modern world's worst warfare - the International Rescue Committee reports that since the end of the first war in the Congo in 1998, 5.4 million people have died (more than 8 percent of the Congo’s population of 66 million). Every month, 45,000 Congolese—half of them children—die from hunger, preventable disease, and other consequences of violence and displacement. The widespread violence in the area makes it the longest running war since World War II. Over one million people are internally displaced as a result of the ongoing conflict. Eastern Congo may be the deadliest place for women in the world. Rape is used as a large-scale weapon of war, destroying the entire social fabric of Congolese communities. Rape victims are brutalized and ostracized, with little chance for repatriation in a war zone. Armed groups in the Congo are also notorious for forced recruitment and mistreatment of child soldiers (estimated to be roughly 30,000 in all). One of the primary sources of the conflict is violence to control Congo's vast natural resources - minerals we use every day to fuel our laptops, cellphones, and MP3 players. Regional and ethnic tensions, along with a highly profitable but unmonitored mineral supply source, lead to continuing aggravations and human rights violations. Most recently, a peace agreement between the Congolese government, the CNDP, and more than 20 other armed groups effectively collapsed late in 2008 leaving many to wonder whether there is any solution for a country so ill-managed that its people starve and live in destitution in a country abundant in natural wealth. For more information, please visit Raise Hope for Congo and Amnesty International.