The conflict in Darfur, Sudan, has led to some of the worst human rights abuses imaginable. It is nearly impossible to grasp the vast numbers of civilians who have been affected by the violence in Darfur: over 300,000 individuals are believed to have died as a result of the conflict, and over 2.5 million Darfuri civilians have been forced from their homes. More than 100,000 Chadian civilians have also been displaced by cross-border violence. Some 4.5 million people in Darfur, and hundreds of thousands in the neighboring countries of Chad and Central African Republic are at risk of starvation, disease, and further attacks. Systematic and widespread murder, rape, and abduction continue. People are dying everyday.

Despite the presence of an African Union peace-keeping force, the Janjawid - the government's proxy militias - have routinely murdered and raped innocent civilians to steal precious land and cattle. Civilians also face constant threats from rebel groups vying for power in Darfur. Observers suggest that at some point almost every village in the conflict region is likely to have been burned and depopulated.

And the vast humanitarian emergency has recently grown worse. The United Nations Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs has called Darfur the world's worst humanitarian disaster today. Despite a UN estimate that millions of people are at risk of starvation, disease and further attacks, delivery of critical humanitarian assistance has been deliberately obstructed by the Government of Sudan. The people are further threatened by a pervasive environment of insecurity and critical funding shortfalls at the international level.

This conflict has created a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe that continues to threaten millions of people.

While the situation in Darfur is daunting, there are meaningful opportunities to help end the fighting and protect civilians.

Pressure is building on the Government of Sudan to admit United Nations peacekeepers into Darfur in a joint mission with the African Union, with a mandate for full civilian protection. This pressure was generated by Amnesty International, its coalition partners, the U.S. Congress and the international community. Amnesty International, with its 2.2 million members worldwide, has also generated pressure on the international community to fund this vital peacekeeping mission, and on the United Nations to ensure its speedy implementation. Progress is slow, but our actions - your actions - are making a difference. Sudan has agreed to the second of three phases to get the full AU/UN peacekeeping mission on the ground—including 3,000 additional UN personnel. But those UN peacekeepers and others are not there yet, and Sudan has not yet agreed to the third phase—the full UN/AU contingent in Darfur.

Through efforts such as the "Instant Karma" campaign, Amnesty International aims to raise awareness of the ongoing humanitarian crisis, demanding action from the UN and governments around the world, including those of Sudan and Chad, to:

• protect civilians throughout the region
• support African Union and United Nations peacekeepers
• grant access to humanitarian organizations providing emergency relief
• stop rape, which is being used as a weapon of war
• prevent human rights abuses against vulnerable refugees and internally displaced persons
• stop the flow of arms across borders
• hold perpetrators accountable
• implement an agenda for peace and reconstruction

We ask you to join us in urging your government to actively support a speedy transition to a joint African Union and United Nations peacekeeping mission with a full civilian protection mandate.

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