The Humanitarian Crisis in Darfur: Analysis of a Neglected Genocide

International law defines genocide as one of the core international crimes and requires all States to prosecute and punish acts identified as such. Its definition, as provided by the 1948 Genocide Convention, is narrow and necessitates the acknowledgment of a clear intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a group of people as such. However, this process of recognition is not easy and has historically led to difficulties in finding a common agreement on whether certain humanitarian disasters can be classified as genocides. The region of Darfur, in western Sudan, has been under siege for more than twenty years, torn apart in a brutal conflict that has caused millions of displaced. This situation has been the subject of a debate regarding its recognition as a genocide: the International Criminal Court has accused Sudan’s former government of committing acts of genocide against the population in Darfur, however human rights violations are still ongoing, met with the silence of the international community. This thesis will explore the long history of the Darfur conflict, addressing its root causes and analysing the actors involved. By looking at the current situation under the lenses of the Genocide Convention this research aims at explaining why official recognition of genocide is essential to foster international intervention. Finally, this thesis discusses international responses adopted in past crises in order to pin down possible future approaches to stop this endless cycle of violence and unravels the question of why the worst humanitarian crisis of the twenty-first century is also a forgotten tragedy.