Blurred Lines or Spatial Clustering? Assessing the Association between Peacekeeping Presence and Attacks against Humanitarians in Darfur

Abstract

A prominent explanation of the rising attacks on aid workers is that aid workers in proximity to peacekeepers or soldiers of an intervention force are seen to be associated with them. This article leverages high-quality, disaggregated data collected by the UN about attacks on humanitarians in Darfur between January 2008 and March 2009 to examine this “blurring of the lines” explantion. We argue that rather than a blurred lines logic, spatial clustering of peacekeepers and humanitarians in a given area explains why aid workers are often attacked in proximity to peacekeepers. Consistent with this argument, we find that when controlling for humanitarian activity, the number of peacekeepers in an area is no longer significantly associated with attacks on aid workers. This study has important implications for current discussions on the relationship between humanitarians and peacekeepers and the concept of humanitarian space.