More than five years into the crisis in Darfur, insecurity continues to displace people, humanitarian operations are coming under attack, and a political settlement appears distant. Over 4.5 million people are now affected by the crisis, many of which depend on humanitarian assistance to survive. As the crisis continues, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps are reaching capacity. Furthermore, despite the presence of large-scale humanitarian efforts throughout Darfur, the UN announced that malnutrition rates among children rose throughout 2007, reaching the World Health Organization’s “emergency threshold” for the first time since 2004.

Rebel groups have continued to splinter, adding to the complexity of the crisis and increasing the number of confrontations on the ground. In late October 2007 peace talks opened in Libya. However, it quickly became evident that the talks would not be successful after key rebel groups did not attend and those who were present lacked a coherent set of demands. Lack of rebel unity will continue to obstruct the peace process unless efforts are taken to unify rebel groups.

Over the last year humanitarian aid workers increasingly found themselves under attack, thus jeopardizing the very operations that sustain so many people in Darfur. Insecurity has created a climate where humanitarian vehicles are hijacked, staffers are intimidated, assaulted, and in some cases even killed. Meanwhile, the perpetrators are rarely held accountable.

Some hope came with the deployment of the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in January 2008. Night patrols by UNAMID, which are aimed at increasing security in the face of armed militias, are being counted among the mission’s earliest successes. However, as of February, only 9,000 of the expected 26,000 troops had been deployed and the mission lacked key equipment, including helicopters. Furthermore, the restrictions imposed on UNAMID by the Sudanese government could jeopardize the success of the mission.

The situation may be growing more complex by the day, but it is not improving. According to an August 2007, report by the UN Secretary General, the number of internally displaced persons has now surpassed 2.2 million and the number of conflict-affected people has increased by 500,000 over the summer alone, topping out at 4.2 million people. The lack of rebel unification is currently a pressing issue. To have sustainable peace, all the rebel groups must be willing to come to the table.

With the expulsion of the humanitarian aid groups after Bashir’s indictment by the International Criminal Court, increased conflict in South Sudan, and internally displaced persons camps that grow every year, the situation remains dire.