C/P/28. Humanitarian Relief in Conflict Areas

Humanitarian relief projects have been criticized for exacerbating conflict situations by indiscriminate supply of food and medications to militant groups or their family members and supporters. The essay considers this debate in the context of several humanitarian relief operations, including Rwanda (1994) and Afghanistan (1980s), concluding that lack of thorough understanding by aid workers of the situation on the ground does inadvertently lead to the prolongation of conflict. In addition, the essay considers the developmentalist argument to the effect that relief efforts, when uncoordinated with long-term aid programmes, tend to worsen rather than improve the economic situation in the affected areas by distorting market prices and creating aid dependency. The essay argues for an integrated approach to relief and development, manifested, firstly, in provision of appropriate security and demilitarization of refugees and, secondly, in coordinated work by relief and development agencies to assure long-term recovery and development of areas affected by conflict or disasters.