This issue of Humanitarian Exchange focuses
on the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Since conflict began in early 2003, an
estimated 180,000- 400,000 people have died as a result of violence. The
crisis has been labelled "genocide" by the United States, the
first time that this has happened since Rwanda in 1994. Yet legal and political
recognition of the extent of the suffering has not translated into a robust
and effective response.
UN Security Council discussions and
resolutions, diplomatic activity and the threat of sanctions have yielded
some significant improvements in humanitarian access. Peacekeepers from
the African Union (AU) have also been deployed. But these efforts have
failed to halt the violence, or protect millions of people from the forcible
displacement, rape and indiscriminate killing which have characterised
the conflict.
Meanwhile, attempts by the humanitarian
community to fill the "protection gap" through field presence
and global advocacy have had only limited effect.
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