... but since we largely do nothing but make inarticulate mouth-noises in response, it doesn't really matter if the crises are "overlooked." I think if my whole world were falling apart, I'd just as soon it did so in shadow, then have Geraldo Rivera make me eat a microphone so complacent millionaires could send me their "thoughts and prayers."

-- Mal

It will supplement the report provided by the O.P.

A brief history

Sudan is a country of many promises, and a lot of broken dreams. To go back early in history, Sudan and Egypt had close ties. These two regions were ruled by a single leader or by several leaders. When the area was ruled by several leaders, they would work with each other and sometimes against each other. Egypt and Sudan are now separate countries; Egypt has stabilized as a society, whereas Sudan is a brutal country to live in.

In the 1850’s, the British (being all things are British) occupied both Egypt and Sudan. The British ruled Sudan as if it was two separate areas. The country was divided into arid desert in the north and a tropical area in the south. When the British were in charge, there were separate administrations in the north and in the south. Sudan won its independence from both the British and Egypt in 1956. This has led to many of the problems of today.

Sudan’s population is diverse, as is the climate. Four different languages (with as many or more dialects) are spoken. The country’s ethnic makeup is 52% Black, 39% Arab, 6% Beja and 3% other. Its religious makeup is 70% Sunni Muslim (mostly in the north), 5% Christian (mostly in the south and the capital of Khartoum) and various indigenous beliefs. Sixty-one percent of the population can read and write. There is a government program to arabicize the country.

In 1955, a civil war broke out between the north and the south. There was peace in all parts of the country from 1972 to 1982. In 1983, the government in Khartoum decided the peace agreement was no longer in their interest. The south revolted against the capital government. As a result of the renewed hostilities, the north also armed itself against the Khartoum government. In 2003, hostilities started against the civilian population in western area called Darfur. This new aggression was helped along by the Khartoum government. In 2006, the north/south war against the Khartoum government ended with a treaty called the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. This gave autonomy for six years to the southern part of the country. After 6 years, southerners will vote on whether or not to remain part of Sudan or become an independent country. To this day, hostilities continue in the Darfur region and are moving into the neighboring countries of Chad and Central African Republic. This conflict is destabilizing the region as a whole.