The point of departure for the report, Darfur: Dimensions and Dilemmas of a Complex Situation, published by the Uppsala University Department of Peace and Conflict Research, is a field study conducted by the
author in Sudan during the fall of 2007. The purpose of this analysis is
to deepen knowledge about the current crisis in Darfur through a broad
approach. The study includes a short background to the crisis in Darfur
and examines some of the major actors, the situation on the ground, the
peacekeeping process, the negotiations and the international response.
It is argued that the current situation in Darfur is a result of three
parallel and interlinked types of conflicts: communal conflicts, conflicts
between different regional elites, and periphery-centre conflicts. It is
also argued that a comprehensive approach to Sudan is needed to find
a lasting solution in Darfur and other areas of Sudan. Moreover, the
report stresses the vast problems that both the negotiations and the
peacekeeping operation face at the moment. Finally, a call is made for
a stronger commitment from, and co-ordination by, the international
community to solve the conflicts in Darfur.