Laura Jones's blog

Late last week, the Sudanese government and the Liberty and Justice Movement, or LJM, agreed to adopt the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, as well as a separate protocol on LJM’s political participation and the integration of its limited forces into the national army. While the signing of these documents could in many ways be considered progress, there is little hope that they will lead to any sort of comprehensive and sustainable peace for Darfur.  Read More »

The Justice and Equality Movement, or JEM, suspended its participation in the Darfur peace talks in Doha this week to protest the ruling National Congress Party, or NCP, plans to hold a referendum on the administrative status of Darfur. The referendum, which would determine whether Darfur stays divided as three separate states or is unified into one region, appears to be the NCP’s latest attempt to look conciliatory while pursuing its own interests.

This most recent development comes on the heels of president Omer al-Bashir’s announcement last week that he had signed a presidential decree, unilaterally paving the way for the Darfur referendum to go forward.  Read More »

Much of the news currently emerging from Darfur offers a bleak picture of the ongoing peace negotiations in Doha and an even bleaker picture of the prospects for a political deal between Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party, or NCP, and the rebels not currently taking part in the negotiations.  Read More »

There is little chance that the Sudanese government's new strategy for Darfur will bring peace and stability to the troubled reason for two reasons: one, because it is not built on a realistic vision of the current state of Darfur; and two, because its core function is to mask the government’s true intentions for the region.  Read More »

The drama that transpired as a result of the U.N.’s high-level visit prompts important questions about how to raise awareness without putting individuals in danger in a volatile place like Darfur.  Read More »

Darfur may not be in the media spotlight, but that doesn't mean the situation there is improving for the 3 million displaced Darfuris. Meanwhile, the Sudanese government is taking full advantage of the inability of international community to multitask in Sudan.  Read More »

Both the Sudan Tribune and Inner City News reported Sunday that the state of South Darfur plans to relocate the residents of Kalma camp to two new camps in the area of Beliel, southeast of the state capital Nyala.  Read More »

For far too long, members of the Obama administration have claimed that the United States has no leverage with the government of Sudan. This belief has in recent years defined U.S. strategy towards the country and caused tremendous rifts between some members of the administration—a divisiveness that has weakened U.S. policy, ultimately making the lack of leverage a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Read More »