No one and nothing is ever truly good or evil. The same statement stands for countries or states. We are all used to believing information that mass media feeds us, but it usually fails to show the other sides to the stories it covers. Many countries that have taken unorthodox or undemocratic measures have been hated by millions of people. However, you might not know that they have also pursued good endeavours, especially over the last years. Perhaps this has come to pass because of the campaigns for freedom and democracy which have taken place. The following list comprises 5 infamous countries that did good deeds but were poorly covered by the media.
1. Serbia
Serbia is the first country on our list. During the 1990s, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo were responsible for numerous war crimes, while they were trying to form the ethnically pure state of Serbia. Even today the country is still considered by many as being evil. Kosovo managed to become independent after the intervention of NATO in 1999. However, there is another side to the story that happened after the Balkan Wars. Serbia is taking steps to recognizing Kosovo, and is also coping with the refugee crisis. Furthermore, the state has also handed over the war criminals from the past. A couple of months ago, the European Union has publicly praised its humane actions in regard to the refugees. The same cannot be said about other Balkan states.
2. Libya
You all remember the notorious leader of Libya, Colonel Gaddafi. What you might not know is that he was friends with Nelson Mandela, one of the biggest peace symbols in history. This is because Mandela was supported continuously by Gaddafi’s Libya in the fight against apartheid. However, even Mandela was once considered a terrorist by the U.S. and Great Britain. When the two states were vouching for a white regime in South Africa, Gaddafi backed Mandela many times with money, arms and hiding places. As a result, Mandela supported the dictator until the last days of his reign. It is very probable that without the help of Gaddafi’s Libya, Nelson Mandela would have never managed to achieve his great feats.
3. China
Despite its notorious abuses regarding human rights, China cannot be truly named evil. The United States and China need one another, no matter their differences. However, the country has taken positive steps towards another aspect: climate change. It is well known that China is the biggest polluter in the world. More than often, big cities are covered in smog and you cannot even see the sky. In order to grow its economy, the state has continually refused to lower its emissions, and its refineries continued to function. This year, China decided to take drastic measures in this respect by investing more than $90 billion in clean energy. This is quite a lot, seeing that the U.S. has only invested $52 billion. Beijing, the capital, has already started following the new regulations.
4. Russia
Russia is often considered the bad guy of our times. After the terrible conflict in Ukraine and Crimea, it would seem that the state wants to re-annex regions that once belonged to the huge Soviet Union. What you don’t get to see in the media is that Russia is also a great regional aid giver to its allies. First of all, they sent medical help to Central Asia to cope with the influenza pandemic in 2006. Secondly, the state managed to save Tajikistan’s economy back in 2009 by giving them lots of financial aid. And last but not least, Russia is currently leading the fight against the extremist militant group ISIS, while also sending $1 billion to Kyrgyzstan, in order to insure the stability of the region.
5. Cuba
One of the villains of the 20th century, especially during the Cold War, Cuba has not escaped its title even today. Furthermore, the country is well known for its bad reputation regarding freedom of speech. However, not many seem to notice that Cuba has led the fighting against Ebola. Having a very good healthcare system, it has sent a lot of doctors into the wide world to help with medical crises. At the moment, there are about 50,000 Cuban doctors in sixty-six different countries, including Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea where Ebola is killing people. 12,000 medical staff volunteered to go to the dangerous regions and help in defeating the virus. Their response was highly praised by the United Nations and has overshadowed other countries with better finances and technology. Not to mention that a Cuban doctor normally earns about $67 per month.
