Unspeakable acts of violence are committed daily in Central African Republic. While adults may be responsible for the conflict, ultimately, it's the children paying the highest price and many of them have already lost their lives.
While the number of child soldiers being used in this conflict continue to rise, the killings in CAR are quickly approaching what many people are considering to be genoicide. Recently, two children were publicly beheaded, with many others intentionally murdered. Hundreds of thousands suffer from a lack of food and medical services. In total, it is estimated that there are 2.3 million children now caught in the middle of this savagery.
The immediate conflict stems from the 2013 coup of former CAR President. Christians and Muslims have taken up arms and committed atrocious acts of violence against one another. Nearly 1 million civilians have been displaced and left homeless as they've flee the bloodshed. And now, Children in CAR are being murdered simply because they were born Muslim or Christian. This is a heartbreaking, intolerable situation and if more attention is not immediately paid to this crisis, many children are going to die.
We are resolved to raise as much awareness about these terrifying events as possible. We hope our fellow netizens will not turn a blind eye to the nightmare in which these innocent children are living.
- What is going to happen?
On Monday, Jan. 6th we will attempt to push this issue onto the center stage. We will release a document containing pre-written tweets one hour before our Twitterstorm. If you wish to participate, next Monday at 3pm EST (8pm GMT) copy the tweets and post them onto your timeline for at least one hour. We will attempt to force a specific hashtag to trend on Twitter. (The hashtag isn't released until 1 hour before to prevent hijacking and to allow it to trend properly.)
********* DO NOT BEGIN TWEETING UNTIL 12PM PST / 3PM EST / 8PM GMT *********
--------->>>> INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Copy + Paste the tweets below. Important: Retweet does not help the hashtag trend, though you can.
2) If you are writing your own tweets, make sure to include the #KidsOfCAR hashtag!
3) You do not need to post more than once every five minutes.
********* DO NOT BEGIN TWEETING UNTIL 12PM PST / 3PM EST / 8PM GMT *********
COPY / PASTE TO TWITTER:
PHOTO: Two children killed by senseless violence in Central African Republic #CAR: pic.twitter.com/rwiBL5tGVh #KidsOfCAR
Children are being purposefully murdered due to the senseless conflict in Central African Republic: http://aje.me/1ctHMgb #KidsOfCAR
In Central African Republic #CAR at least two children beheaded, and one of them mutilated. #KidsOfCAR
Please a donation to @SavetheChildren, who has reached nearly 40,000 children with aid: http://bit.ly/JTeixX #KidsOfCAR
Before now, children in #CAR were collateral victims, but today some of them are targeted directly. #KidsOfCAR
UNICEF has verified 16 killings of children since December 5, while 60 more youths were wounded in clashes. #KidsOfCAR
935,000 civilians in #CAR have been displaced nationwide. 60% are believed to be children. pic.twitter.com/Sufiyy5lp6 #KidsOfCAR
The vicious conflict in #CAR is now affecting 2.3 million children. They being targeted because they are Christian or Muslim. #KidsOfCAR
As of December, over 1 million children lacked access to food in Central Africa Republic #CAR. pic.twitter.com/EJClwfZjLa #KidsOfCAR
Video: Crisis in the Central African Republic: http://youtu.be/7-9F3hbYpAE #KidsOfCAR
Video: Many of the former rebels continued roaming the country, raping, murdering, and looting: http://youtu.be/tjHBf4ETbR0 #KidsOfCAR
Video: Many now consider the conflict in #CAR to be genocide: http://youtu.be/3zJ0at0CD9o #KidsOfCAR
Video: Violence in #CAR disintegrated into banditry, score-settling and horrific brutality: http://youtu.be/7ATk30mD9i0 #KidsOfCAR
Video: In December alone, 1,000 were killed in #CAR. 370,000 people were displaced within three weeks. http://youtu.be/v_rVSqBiyXc #KidsOfCAR
Donation to @SavetheChildren, who is working to bring aid to the children of #CAR: http://bit.ly/JTeixX #KidsOfCAR
The number of children forced to be soldiers in #CAR has doubled in recent months. #KidsOfCAR
Hospitals have been looted and destroyed. There are few doctors in #CAR to children injured by violence. #KidsOfCAR
Millions of children in Central African Republic #CAR are vulnerable to disease, hunger and attacks by armed groups. #KidsOfCAR
U.N. says aid crisis worsens in Central African Republic: http://nyti.ms/1ctIN7Z #KidsOfCAR
Doctors Without Borders have been forced to reduce operations in #CAR, due to the level of violence: pic.twitter.com/sa0OTBuB9A #KidsOfCAR
WFP aims to feed 1.25 million people in Central African Republic, @wfp_media needs almost $107 million. #KidsOfCAR
Children are frequently targeted for death based on their religion in Central African Republic: pic.twitter.com/S28Cg77wdB #KidsOfCAR
Children suffering severe injuries from violence in the Central African Republic: http://bit.ly/1gGTDvA #KidsOfCAR
Children beheaded as violence engulfs the Central African Republic #CAR: http://bit.ly/1hoLCMq #KidsOfCAR
Your encouraged to write your own tweets, but remember to include the hashtag #KidsOfCAR when you do.
