Good evening friends, I hope you are having a good week and a good night. Today I asked a question in the House of Commons regarding the crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR). A new transitional government has taken power in CAR, with the hopes of ending the brutal violence plaguing the country. The UN lists CAR as one of its top three global humanitarian emergencies, with half of the population in need of humanitarian aid. As of January 29, 4.6 million people have been affected (2.3 million of them children), and 825,000 people have been displaced. Children are being recruited into armed groups and targeted in revenge attacks. Such attacks violate international humanitarian and human rights law. They must stop immediately, and concrete action is needed to prevent further violence. A recent (revised) UN appeal has received only 11 percent of a $551 million target. The government should show solidarity with the African diaspora during this time of crisis, and leadership abroad. What we do now or fail to do will have an impact on individual children, their families and their society, for years to come. Thinking of you all, Kirsty
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 03:58:33 +0000