Social Science Research Council

According to the reports received by UNAMID, there were 67 deaths directly attributable to violence in Darfur during October.
This figure is subject to the usual caveats, which is that UNAMID access is uneven. In some places UNAMID patrols have been turned back by security officers, for example when investigating inter-tribal clashes in south-east Darfur. In [...]

The UNAMID monitoring data for violent fatalities in Darfur recorded a sharp increase in September. The usual caveats apply to the figures: they are based upon reports from multiple but probably incomplete sources. The Sudan Government continues to give UNAMID incomplete freedom of movement and despite improved access to some rebel-held areas, UNAMID’s ability to [...]

I would like to address Jeff Howell’s comments, posted on September 28, 2009 to Annette Jansen’s posting: “Drawn by Disasters: Why the Human Rights Movement Struggles with Good News Stories.”

Mr. Howell states that the report cited by Ms. Jansen terminated in 2002. He also wrote: “It would be interesting to know what those figures [...]

Based on all the incidents reported by UNAMID, UN agencies, NGOs and the authorities that interact with all of the above, the level and pattern of fatalities from lethal violence during August was similar to previous months. Armed conflict between the Sudan Government and the armed movements (principally JEM) was confined to skirmishing, while lawlessness [...]

The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo is often called the world’s most deadly since Korea. Perhaps if the long liberation wars in Ethiopia and Eritrea (1975-91 and 1961-91) respectively were fully assessed, the verdict might be different. In any case, it is salutary to recall just how bloody the fighting was in Ethiopia [...]

According to the incidents reported by the different branches of UNAMID, forty people were killed by violence during the month of July. There are further reports of fatalities in areas controlled by the SLA-Abdel Wahid, as yet not investigated, which may increase the toll. As usual, the figures reported are not official and should not [...]

What is a ‘low-intensity conflict’? It is still a conflict. Even though lethal violence is low, the other other dimensions to the conflict may continue with a high intensity, including a risk of high-intensity violence.
In this posting I will examine the debate around the question of how to define a ‘low-intensity conflict’ and what [...]

The incident statistics collected and verified by UNAMID for June show that harassment of UNAMID and international actors continues unabated. The general pattern of violence continues to manifest the characteristics of a low-intensity conflict, with a low level of confirmed fatalities amidst a generalized situation of insecurity.
Sixteen fatalities have been recorded in June. Twelve of [...]

Just how credible are UNAMID monthly mortality figures? The unhappy truth is that UNAMID is weak, ineffectual, widely despised by Darfuris, and has a clear interest in minimizing mortality so as to make its failure less conspicuous. I regard 98 “violent deaths” as a deeply misleading figure to cite in assessing current mortality in Darfur. All the acts specified in the 1948 Genocide Convention continue to take place in Darfur and eastern Chad.

I have continued to monitor closely the incidents involving fatalities in Darfur. The UNAMID monitoring reports are thorough. Cross-checking with other sources bears out the impression that the reporting is close to comprehensive. During May, there were 29 reported incidents involving deaths on account of violence.
The most important incident by far was the fighting between [...]