Central African Republic

Today's New York Times featured a piece on the Central African Republic (CAR). Caught between its neighbors Congo and Sudan, suffering its own internal unrest, and overshadowed by the media blitz over Darfur, CAR has been quietly seen approximately 50,000 of its citizens turn into refugees.

Despite two years of fighting, CAR has received only $50 million in international aid to feed and protect its civilians. Compare that to the almost $1 billion currently allocated for Sudan. Where's Angelina when you need her?

The Times piece doesn't point out how instability in CAR threatens progress in Congo and Sudan. At best, an influx of refugees into already-troubled nations threatens to unsettle any progress towards piece. At worst, it threatens the very lives of those seeking sanctuary in a neighboring state.

Read the full Times piece here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/world/africa/02car.html?ref=world

Get more background on the situation in CAR here: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc108?OpenForm&emid=ACOS-635NQG&rc=1