icials and the police. There have also been reports of human rights violations in Zaire, ranging from police repression to the torture of political prisoners.
The corrupt politics of the Mobutu regime have resulted in a drastic decline in the living standards of the average Zairian. The economics of the nation are marked by low wages and periodic drops in the gross national product. Zaire's underdevelopment is reflected in the severe poverty which is found in the majority of the nation's people. Because local agricultural needs are ignored, the nation must import most of its food. The ever-increasing costs of food imports have driven most of Zaire's population into starvation. The country has an incredibly high infant mortality rate, and visitors are warned to be careful of the street robberies which occur on a day-to-day basis. Normally, problems such as these would result in the government's leader being forced out of office. However, this has not been the case with Mobutu Sese Seko. The only reason for Mobutu's continuing rulership in Zaire is the fact that external intervention has allowed his regime to stay in power. In particular, Mobutu has received a great deal of assistance from Western nations such as the United States and France.
There are a variety of factors which help to explain why the nation of Zaire is so important to the West. Perhaps the most important Western interest is the mineral resources which are located there. The land of Zaire is rich in copper, cobalt, diamonds, and several other vital minerals. Another reason for Western interest in Zaire is the fact that the nation is strategically located in the central region of Africa. Because of its location, Western politicians consider it important that Zaire be kept out of enemy hands. The United States has also supported Zaire because of Mobutu's willingness to uphold Western policies in the region. Specifically, Mobutu has expressed an an...