REGARDLESS of your opinion on the war in Iraq, it is difficult to argue against the great need for granting humanitarian aid to the people of Iraq.
The coalition forces have promised it; the UN demands it; but how do we distribute it?
This has become a much debated topic lately, as the inefficiency and inexperience of military troops in handing out aid becomes evident and humanitarian organisations become reluctant to step in, refusing to participate in the effort unless they can do so completely disassociated with the military.
Military or civilian, affiliated with a coalition government or not, what is the difference so long as the aid gets out, right?
Not quite. Nobody doubts the expertise of the United Nations and its affiliated non-governmental organisations in distributing humanitarian aid. But its demand that the distribution of aid be a strictly civilian affair, to be completely disassociated with the military, is an important one.
The primary reason for this demand is a matter of trust; how can a civilian organisation win the trust of the local population and convince them that the aid is being distributed impartially, in a non-judgmental way, and that nothing is required of recipients in return?
An association with coalition troops ‘ or even with a particular country ‘ is a red flag to the local people that the aid is being distributed with political interests in mind. Pride or strong beliefs may prevent some Iraqis from accepting the aid if they see it as coming from the enemy’s camp, and the presence of heavily armed soldiers among the aid workers may scare away the very people whom often need aid the most, women and children.
Another very important consideration is the safety of the humanitarian aid workers. Distribution of aid in a war zone is hazardous enough. If these workers are travelling with and distributing supplies alongside the military, this now also makes them a fair target for attack.
Just as many journalists have died or been injured while travelling with troops, aid workers who are forced to work with the military would find themselves in the same precarious situation.
Finally there is the matter of efficiency in distribution. Throwing bottles of water off the back of a truck into a crowd of desperate people does not constitute successful (nor humane) distribution of aid.
Experienced workers must be allowed to go into the war-torn areas, perform assessments to determine what the people truly need, and then, upon receiving the necessary supplies, distribute them in a humane and professional manner that ensures everything is allocated fairly.
Civilian humanitarian organisations are experts at this, with missions based on disaster recovery and emergency relief. Requiring these organisations to work with the coalition forces would result in a number of unnecessary road blocks to distributing aid.
Security fears might preclude Iraqi nationals from participating in the distribution of aid, a highly unfortunate consequence as many humanitarian organisations build trust and credibility among the local people by employing highly capable nationals to actively participate in local relief efforts.
Security concerns or hostility towards coalition troops may also limit an organisation’s access to certain parts of the country, preventing aid from reaching all who might need it.
Finally, humanitarian organisations that must align with the military will be required to answer to coalition governments on how and to whom aid is distributed, most likely resulting in bureaucracy and politics interfering with the quick and efficient distribution of aid.
The distribution of aid to Iraq is an important issue that needs immediate resolution, as the Iraqi people need the aid now.
Simply sending over food and water will not solve the problem. Supplies must be distributed quickly, efficiently and impartially to ensure that all Iraqis who are in need of aid receive it.
If the coalition forces sincerely wish to avoid a major war-provoked humanitarian crisis in Iraq, it is time for these governments’ leaders to step back and let the experts in. Leave the distribution of the aid up to the humanitarians.
Bea Przybysz is a member of the Augustinian Volunteer Program and assists in the work of St Augustine’s NGO (Non-Government Organisation) which is accredited with the United Nations. She lives in New York City. The opinions expressed in this article are her own, and are not meant to represent the views of the Augustinian NGO as a whole.
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