Photo Credit: Refugees International/ Eileen Shields-West
02/17/2005

Children displaced by the conflict in Darfur, look out at the sprawling Abushouk camp. Fighting between rebel and government forces has triggered vicious attacks against civilians. As a result, some two million people --- one third the population of Darfur --- have fled from their farms and villages. Most are living in huge camps in Sudan like this one, but some 200,000 are living as refugees in Chad. The displaced won't return home until the fighting stops and they feel secure.

Despite assertions by the government of Sudan that peace is returning to Darfur, violence against civilians continues. The government’s failure to acknowledge the causes and consequences of the extensive death and displacement is a major impediment to productive peace negotiations. Refugees International is advocating for a swift and forceful response to the Darfur crisis, including better coordination of and more provision of humanitarian aid and establishment of an effective peacekeeping force to protect civilians.