In late December, Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba, the force commander of the United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID), warned against over-optimism in assessing security in the troubled region. While acknowledging a near absence of clashes between the government and armed groups, he cautioned that “there is absolutely no guarantee that the situation will not get worse.” According to Nyamvumba, “the factors that caused the conflict…still exist.”

The first few weeks of 2010 have largely justified his concerns. Amid reports of civilian deaths and mass displacement, recent events illustrate the complex reality of a place far from peace. SLA commanders accused this week the government of launching an assault near the heavily populated market area of Furung in North Darfur. On Wednesday, the SLA-AW attacked the government-held town of Gulu [Golo], allegedly in response to operations by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) targeting rebel assets in Jebel Moun as well as in Jebel Marra. The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) also claims government warplanes are engaged in sustained aerial bombardment of their positions in West Darfur, causing civilians to flee across the Chadian border.

Highly troubling is UNAMID’s limited access to the sites of these attacks as well as its critical lack of force enablers to enhance its military presence in the vast region. The mission’s peacekeepers were unable to prevent the incidents or provide immediate protection to the local population and humanitarian organizations caught in the clashes. They have been urging both the rebels and the government to allow a UNAMID investigation into the events; however, a force spokesperson could not confirm details from the latest events, indicating that many sectors under both government and SLA-AW control are “no-go” areas for the mission.

Unfortunately, these latest incidents highlight a severe shortcoming in the mission’s ability to implement its mandate of protecting civilians in Darfur. It shows, once again, that the peacekeepers continue to face careful and systematic obstruction by the conflict’s belligerent parties. The international community must recognize that the victims of such obstructionism are Darfuri civilians and the NGOs attempting to provide assistance to those affected by the ongoing crisis. Without resolute political and logistical support to the mission – including the immediate fulfillment of its materiel requirements – UNAMID’s ability to intervene on their behalf is severely limited. United Nations and African Union member states, as well as other key members of the international community, must make clear their condemnation of actions that directly threaten or limit the ability of UNAMID to implement its mandate, and should strongly urge all armed groups in Darfur to both facilitate the mission’s freedom of movement and cooperate fully with its inquiries.

The failure of the international community to more vigorously promote UN-AU access to all areas of Darfur and to investigate without restriction all incidents involving armed clashes will continue to put civilians at further risk of death, displacement, and human rights abuse.