Time Stands Still: Locations

Sudan

An Arab state in North Africa just below Egypt; includes the Darfur region in the west of Sudan, site of the 3-year conflict. The country is made up mostly of flat plains, broken up by mountain ranges, and incorporating the Nubian Desert to the North down to swamps, rainforest, and a six-month rainy season in the South. Southern Sudan voted for independence and split the country in 2011.

Northern Sudan

Southern Sudanese soldier

Refugees and displaced citizens

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan

BBC profile - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14094995

Sierra Leone

A relatively small, tropical country on the coast of West Africa. A major producer of gold, titanium, and diamonds. (Blood diamonds)

Looking for gold and diamonds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_leone

BBC profile - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14094194

Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second-largest country in Africa, and the most populous officially Francophone nation. The DRC and the Republic of Congo straddle the Congo River in Central Africa, and the area is primarily tropical/rainforest.

‘The Second Congo War, beginning in 1998, devastated the country and is sometimes referred to as the “African world war” because it involved nine African nations and some twenty armed groups.’ Fighting still continues in the east. Rape and sexual violence are overwhelmingly prevalent in the area, and over 5.4 million people have died since 1998 – mostly due to malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.

Refugees fleeing an attack in the Northern Congo

Republic of Congo - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14121191

Democratic Republic of Congo - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13283212

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo

Nov. 24, 2012 - NYTimes: Congo rebels ignore appeal to quit attack

Dec.2, 2012 - NYTimes on the Congo

Somalia

A country created in 1960 by merging two territories, a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, and encompassing the ‘Horn of Africa’. A secure government has never successfully been established, and constant unrest and lack of authority enabled Somali pirates to become a major threat to international shipping in the area. Severe drought in recent years has led to tens of thousands leaving for Ethiopia and Kenya in search of food.