AFRICA - Sudan Update, Nuba Mountains

"George Clooney Puts 'Spotlight' on Bloodshed, Crisis in Sudan's Nuba Mountains" PBS Newshour 3/14/2012

Excerpt

JUDY WOODRUFF (Newshour): Now, an update on the continued fighting in the African nation of Sudan and a well-known visitor to that country.

Last summer, people in South Sudan celebrated as they became citizens of the world's newest nation. After decades of internal violence in Sudan, the South won its independence in a 2011 referendum. But the South's hard-won freedom hasn't stopped the fighting for oil-rich territory and over ethnic divisions. Sudan is a major oil supplier to China and other nations.

Shortly before the formal break, the Sudanese government took military action in the border areas of Abyei and South Kordofan. That region had been aligned with the South, but now lies north of the new border. Fighting there has continued, with growing appeals for world action.

Actor George Clooney is a longtime advocate for peace across Sudan. He visited the border region this past week.