“The Darfur case offers an opportunity to analyze and examine the situation of IDP’s who have been displaced because of violent armed conflict on a massive scale and in a situation where the host government is unwilling either to provide assistance or provide the enabling environment for such support from outside. In the specific case of Darfur, the focus of this study, IDP’s have been displaced because of a violent conflict in which they are systematically targeted by militias armed by the host government. This paper provides a nuanced understanding of the plight of the IDP’s within the contexts of armed violent conflicts with Darfur as the case study. In this light it conceptualizes who constitutes an IDP and examines the difficulties and challenges of protecting and providing support to them. The role of sovereignty in this process is also examined. Further the paper discusses the role of the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) as well as those of humanitarian actors. Finally, it identifies the gaps in the provision of support and protection to the IDP’s in Darfur.”
