"Women do not make sandwiches
Women make revolutions
Women make dreams come true"
–Fatma Emam, Nubian Egyptian Diaspora member in Cairo

On January 9, 2011, in a referendum provided for by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the people of southern Sudan voted overwhelmingly to secede from the north. The new nation of South Sudan attained its official independence on July 9 of that year. Unfortunately, violence in both countries has continued.

United Nations observers monitoring violence in Syria suspended operations today amidst increasing violence and threats to their safety.  The lead monitor, Robert Mood, became concerned after some of the monitors came under fire last Tuesday as they entered the scene of a massacre.  This comes over a month after a ceasefire was supposed to take effect.