In its eighth mission to the troubled Darfur region of Sudan, Refugees International is conducting an assessment of the protection response to the internally displaced in South Darfur. With recent reports of unrest and the recent displacement of over 15,000 people in South Darfur, the peace process is clearly failing. The two million displaced persons in Darfur are extremely vulnerable, and are likely to remain so well into 2006. While the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) has stepped in with about 7,000 troops, lack of logistical support and an unclear mandate have left them unable to prevent violations against the displaced.

RI has continuously advocated for a swift and forceful response to the Darfur crisis, including better coordination and increased provision of humanitarian aid, as well as the establishment of an effective peacekeeping force to protect civilians. Building upon past missions that have focused specifically on security conditions, the AMIS force’s contribution to protection, and the protection needs of displaced women particularly in the face of gender based violence, the RI team will examine to what extent progress has been made to improve protection for the displaced in South Darfur.

RI will assess UN and humanitarian agencies' efforts to meet protection and assistance needs and identify any constraints. We will focus on the degree to which responses to assistance needs have included protection components. We will also examine coordination mechanisms within the international response. Finally, RI will continue its recent work on AMIS, which culminated in the report No Power to Protect: The African Union Mission in Sudan, by interviewing displaced people about their understanding of the role and effectiveness of the AMIS troops.