SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Darfuris were amongst the thousands of migrants and refugees arriving in Europe in 2014, thus becoming part of Europe’s so-called “refugee crisis”. Rather than creating a crisis in Europe, however, their flight reflects a new phase in Darfur’s humanitarian crisis and a new trend in Darfuri migration. This article examines the historical, political and humanitarian dimension of migration to Europe and the risks that Darfuris face at each stage of their journey. It argues that migration to Europe was a result of ongoing conflict and violence but that existing policies made this invisible. In addition, Darfuri journeys to Europe reveal fundamental new challenges to humanitarianism. These include migration and asylum policies that risk complicity with refugee-producing regimes and that create humanitarian crises in Libya and Europe. Darfuris, as some of the poorest refugees coming to Europe, are amongst the most vulnerable. The article examines policy failures, their effects and the implications for humanitarianism.