On Tuesday UNICEF warned that education was becoming another casualty of the conflict, with half the country’s schools shuttered and hundreds of thousands of students at risk of missing out the entire year. ‘The new Government must prioritise protection of and investment in the education system in order to respect and fulfill children’s basic right to education and provide this generation of children with hope for a healthy future.’ a representative said. Since the Séléka rebel coalition launched an offensive in December, 1.2 million people have been cut off from essential services and human rights violations have been widspread. Last weekend three artillery shells crashed into the Evangelical Federation of Brothers Church in Bangui killing seven members, also 20+ people died after gun battles last weekend where many children were wounded and transferred to the paediatric hospital for treatment. Many residents have fled the Boy-Rabe and Cité Jean 23 areas of the capital - the two worst affected by recent violence. See: http://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/2013/04/article_2415723.html/

Pray: for all the families caught up in this conflict. May NGOs and those now in authority successfully work together to provide a safe environment. (Ps.121:1-2)

More: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44731&Cr=central+african+republic&Cr1=#.UXeITsqbXAI