In the book entitled The Graves are Not Yet full , the author Bill Berkeley discusses the conflicts of the political ,economical, and social peoples of Africa. It brings to life not only the higher authorities involved with such a exuberant continent, but allows the reader behind the scenes and into the people who are directly affected by the authority figures and their decisions. Bill Berkeley writes as a true journalist and as someone who knows what the public wants to hear and knows how to deliver the story. He tackles the tyrannical leaders of such countries as Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, Zaire, the Sudan, Uganda, and closer to home, the selected few who were given the task of "taking care" of African relations , and appointed by various United States Presidents. He approaches the touchy subjects of Genocide, tyranny, anarchy and power relations within a continent that is often over looked when such issues are discussed. He also makes sure that the "little" people, those in the villages , and those that have lost loved ones in the numerous fights and onslaughts within these countries, have their voices heard and their loved ones brought to justice.
To begin the book, he begins with the statement, "This is a book about evil."( p5) But he goes on to say that it is about evil in Africa - not Africa or Africans, are evil in themselves. The chapter continues in laying the foundations of what we will be reading in the future chapters. We are introduced to Charles Taylor and the turmoil that is Liberia. Berkeley uses the emotional side and brings in his statistics "as many as 150,000 Liberians were murdered in the seven years between 1989 and 1997. Out of 2.5 million , 25,000 children and women were raped."(p24) This is just the beginning to numerous other statistics that bring the entire situation in Liberia etc. into reality. We are also introduced slightly to the rivalry between tribes and leaders of specific countries and beliefs.
