The Darfur conflict began in February 2003 and became the 'World's Worst Humanitarian Crisis' according to the U.N. records. The international community has been slow to respond to the crisis in Darfur. The U.N. Commission of Inquiry in Darfur concluded that the atrocities amounted to 'war crimes' and 'crimes against humanity' and the Human Rights Watch supported this. Conversely, the U.S. government declared that 'genocide' was indeed committed in Darfur. This sentiment was supported by the European Union, Germany and Canada. The role of the international community in Darfur is of great significance because, as the twentieth century proves, the absence of punitive measures against the perpetrators, the ignorance of victims and the forgetfulness of such crimes facilitate the path for genocides to happen again.