Sunday, November 27, 2005
Canadians in Harms Way: And the Dangers of Humanitarian Work
The news of two Canadian humanitarian workers being taken hostage in Iraq highlights the dangers that are often associated with humanitarian work around the world. The truth of the matter being that the pursuit of a just, harmonious and sustainable planet often requires one to meet those elements that are preventing it head on. This often means working in dangerous settings and Iraq is probably the most dangerous.
According to the statistics humanitarian work is becoming increasingly more dangerous. The United Nations reports that between 1992 and 1998, 158 humanitarian workers were killed and 43 kidnapped. Between 1998 and 2001, 198 aid workers were killed and 240 more kidnapped. Increasingly, humanitarian workers are being openly targeted.
Dan McTeague, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, made clear that, “Under no circumstances should Canadians be there," and that, "The situation remains very unstable ... and continues to be a danger for all foreign travellers." However, what most people don’t realize is that it is often humanitarian workers that are the first in a conflict zone and the last to leave. A friend of mine once reminded me that, “the marines were not the first ones in Afghanistan…it was Oxfam,” a British based non-governmental organization.
In fact, if it were not for humanitarian workers, the global response to crisis, from famine and AIDS to refugees would be much slower or perhaps even non-existent. While the United Nations and our governments work at the speed of frozen molasses, humanitarian workers are on the ground forging relationships with local communities and organizations, documenting and reporting the crisis.
Humanitarian workers monitor the pulse of our planet, warning us of coming crisis so it can be mitigated. If the United Nations and Western governments would pay more attention to this vanguard of humanity and act more swiftly on the warnings of humanitarian workers such shameful scars on our conscience, like that of the genocides in Rwanda and Sudan, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, or the massive drought in Western Africa (just to touch the tip of the ice burg), could have been avoided.
Canada has a long history of global good will. After all, peace keeping, Green Peace and Doctors Without Borders are products of conscientious and ambitious Canadians. So as we pray for the safe return of the two Canadian hostages, let us also give praise to them and all humanitarian workers who often work carry out their work in insecure conditions. They are, After all, our greatest ambassadors.
According to the statistics humanitarian work is becoming increasingly more dangerous. The United Nations reports that between 1992 and 1998, 158 humanitarian workers were killed and 43 kidnapped. Between 1998 and 2001, 198 aid workers were killed and 240 more kidnapped. Increasingly, humanitarian workers are being openly targeted.
Dan McTeague, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, made clear that, “Under no circumstances should Canadians be there," and that, "The situation remains very unstable ... and continues to be a danger for all foreign travellers." However, what most people don’t realize is that it is often humanitarian workers that are the first in a conflict zone and the last to leave. A friend of mine once reminded me that, “the marines were not the first ones in Afghanistan…it was Oxfam,” a British based non-governmental organization.
In fact, if it were not for humanitarian workers, the global response to crisis, from famine and AIDS to refugees would be much slower or perhaps even non-existent. While the United Nations and our governments work at the speed of frozen molasses, humanitarian workers are on the ground forging relationships with local communities and organizations, documenting and reporting the crisis.
Humanitarian workers monitor the pulse of our planet, warning us of coming crisis so it can be mitigated. If the United Nations and Western governments would pay more attention to this vanguard of humanity and act more swiftly on the warnings of humanitarian workers such shameful scars on our conscience, like that of the genocides in Rwanda and Sudan, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, or the massive drought in Western Africa (just to touch the tip of the ice burg), could have been avoided.
Canada has a long history of global good will. After all, peace keeping, Green Peace and Doctors Without Borders are products of conscientious and ambitious Canadians. So as we pray for the safe return of the two Canadian hostages, let us also give praise to them and all humanitarian workers who often work carry out their work in insecure conditions. They are, After all, our greatest ambassadors.
