The situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) has gone from bad to worse in recent weeks, writes Hayes Brown on Think Progress. The international community slowly begins to turn its gears to intervene on behalf of the hundreds of thousands displaced in the ongoing violence.
Brown writes: In the eight months since President Francois Bozize fled as rebels approached the capital city, Bangui, little has improved in the lives of anyone within the country. The ragtag collection of rebel groups that swept into Bangui — known as Seleka, a word that means “alliance” in the Sango language — has promised elections in the next year, an improvement over the undemocratic Bozize, but it has come at a tremendous cost.
Violence at the hands of Seleka members has grown wanton since March when the rebels first took power, and has continued apace in the time after former rebel leader — and current president — Michel Djotodia declared that the umbrella group would be dissolved.
According to the United Nations as of September at least 214,000 Central Africans have fled the country, with another 390,000 displaced internally. A total of 1.6 million people as a result are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
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