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The gap between narratives and practices. Darfur: Responses from the arab world

O.Laban-Matte/AFP/Getty Images
This project run by the Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE) aims to investigate the perceived limited responses to the Darfur crisis by the Arab states as well as their causes, and the role that other international actors could play to influence the apparently politically passive attitude of the Arab world in defending the victims of massive violations of human rights or genocide.

The project will develop an understanding of Arab states and society and their attitudes towards massive violations of human rights in their region; aim to generate debate about these issues within the Arab world; and seek to engender ideas about how other actors may play a positive role to engage the Arab world in redressing massive violations of human rights.

The project will:

  • Analyse the policies of Arab nations and the Arab League towards Darfur to identify crisis prevention mechanisms (or a lack thereof) within key Arab States and organisations.
  • Compare different responses by Arab actors to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur in the framework of regional multilateral organisations (AU, AL), in order to gain a better understanding of Arab policies, extract lessons learned and draw up recommendations.
  • Analyse the policies of other international actors involved in Darfur (the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and relevant international NGOs playing an advocacy role in the USA and some other countries) with an emphasis on their relationships with Arab states.
  • Analyse and report on the approaches and perceptions in key Arab countries regarding the protection of victims as well as humanitarian concepts and practices (for example, how the concepts of humanitarian intervention, international justice and the responsibility to protect are approached by academics, the local media and actors with political influence).
  • Produce two sets of recommendations: the first dealing with Darfur, and the other, a document for governments, multilateral organisations and NGOs, that may be useful in similar crises, especially in the area of protection for the victims.
  • Generate an informal network useful for future initiatives of Arab and non Arab actors.

For more information, please contact:
Cristina Barrios

Events:

-Sudan 2010-2011. Arab engagement and the case of Darfur.Hotel NH Zurbano. Madrid. España
-Darfur: the responses from the Arab world. Laico Tunis Hotel Tunis, Tunisia 01/10/2009 to 02/10/2009

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