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Dying at Gunpoint:
The Humanitarian Aid Worker’s Lot?By Martin Griffiths
id21
November 15, 2004The killing of five Médecins Sans Frontières aid workers in Afghanistan in late July, along with the organisation's subsequent decision to withdraw from the country, has refocused attention on the risks faced in providing humanitarian assistance. One reason for this insecurity is the widespread availability of guns, particularly in countries where wars have long since ended. id21 Guest Editor Martin Griffiths argues that until the availability of weapons is brought under control by the international community, the killing of aid workers the world over will continue. With an estimated 639 million small arms in circulation globally (both in war and non-war situations) - the majority in civilian hands - these are among the leading tools used to commit violence all over the world.
Under international humanitarian law, civilians, including aid workers, are protected from attack and refugee camps are designated safe zones, free of weapons and violence. Although all parties involved in conflict are obliged to respect these laws, violations are becoming more common. The recent attack on civilians in a Burundian refugee camp resulting in the loss of 150 lives tragically reiterates how important it is to take weapons out of abusive hands, and restore the rule of law. Because there is often little or no firm reaction from a government after such attacks, a culture of impunity is beginning to emerge that puts many humanitarian operations at risk.
Humanitarian aid workers experience among the highest homicide rates in the world. Between 1997 and 2003, 291 aid workers were killed in acts of violence. Over 1000 United Nations (UN) personnel, including peacekeepers, were killed on duty between 1992 and 2001. Guns are a primary tool used in these killings. According to one study by the John Hopkins Center for Refugee and Disaster Studies, small arms featured in 72% of UN personnel deaths between 1985 and 1998.
When rebel groups, 'resistance fighters' or ill-disciplined state forces have easy access to guns, the threat to aid workers is serious. A survey of relief workers, 'In the Line of Fire', undertaken by Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and the Small Arms Survey between 2001 and 2004 shows that guns are such a common feature of the humanitarian landscape that they are often ignored or treated as an unavoidable aspect of relief and development work.
The survey revealed that aid workers often live in violent security environments, surrounded by military forces, police, private security forces, organized criminal factions, rebel groups and heavily armed civilians (including child soldiers). Relief workers report high numbers of serious personal security incidents, including armed intimidation, armed robbery, armed assault, detention and kidnapping. Many report colleagues having suffered either non-fatal or fatal small arms-related injuries.
Such insecurity creates obstacles to the effective delivery of aid, leading to evacuations, suspensions or delays, and severe limitations of its 'access' to populations in crisis. Small arms availability contributes to the direct victimisation and denial of assistance to millions of civilians caught in situations of armed violence.
'In the Line of Fire' confirms the need for urgent action to reduce the spread and misuse of these lethal weapons. This will require, at the bare minimum that countries
fully implement the 2001 UN voluntary agreement on weapons controls agree to legally binding action to crack down on the activities of illegal arms dealers establish systematic controls on weapons exports the world over. Countries have so far shown little motivation to do what needs to be done. The voluntary nature of the 2001 UN agreement on weapons control is partly to blame for this, and when the agreement comes up for review in 2006 it should be strengthened and made legally binding.
But we can't wait until 2006. In Afghanistan, the Transitional Authority and international community need to step up disarmament efforts and focus on preventing more guns from entering the country. Violent attacks on aid workers must be thoroughly investigated and the offenders punished to deter future attacks. Civilians caught up in situations of violence deserve and desperately need the help provided by humanitarian and development agencies. At the same time, relief workers - those who have dedicated their own lives to protecting civilians - deserve to be protected, as well.
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