ABSTRACT
As demonstrated in Chapters 3–6, the downward spiral of hostilities that defines the Darfur crisis is a multiplicity of communal conflicts, conflicts among local elite groups, center–periphery conflicts, and Cross-border conflicts. During the height of the violence in Darfur, one of these conflicts would often trigger another, which would then trigger another—a volatile chain reaction that escalated hostilities seemed virtually intractable and irreversible. Meanwhile, various stakeholders from Sudan and the international community actively pursued peacebuilding, imploring the protagonists to address their grievances through non-violence and inviting them to create the conditions necessary for a favorable future in Darfur. Following the initial reports of the genocidal atrocities in Darfur, some international organizations brought the conflict parties together for peace talks. But these initiatives often turned acrimonious and had the effect of fragmenting the resistance movements. At the time of this writing, the prospects for sustainable peace appear dim at best.
