Under what circumstances can humanitarian or reconstruction aid contribute to the prolongation or re-emergence of armed conflict?

Edward Hurley

Contents

The introduction

The effect of humanitarian aid on armed conflicts

Case study: Rwanda

The effect of humanitarian aid on the duration of a conflict

The effect of reconstruction aid on armed conflicts

Case study: The Philippines

The role of humanitarian personnel

Conclusion

Introduction Humanitarian and reconstruction aid is seen as a fundamental tool in the mission to reduce poverty and fighting in conflict-riven countries.

These large foreign aid programs can backfire and actually prolong the violence, in some cases, making the violence worse. Aid influence the conflict in terms of the levels of violence and the duration of the conflict.

In this presentation I will explain how humanitarian and reconstruction aid can contribute to the prolongation or re-emergence of armed conflict.

The effect of humanitarian aid on armed conflicts

In Somalia, humanitarian aid intended for the victims of the war and the drought, instead subsidised the militias.

The legitimate beneficiaries of the aid (usually the civilian population) can become targets of militia groups, that are trying to get hold of resources and supplies.

Humanitarian aid can cause an increase violence. This happens because of the resources that are brought into the country.

If the resources are captured and diverted, they can be used to buy weapons and aggravate the conflict.

This victimization includes:

• pressure and violence towards the aid’s beneficiaries to relinquish the aid they have received.

• the forced recruitment of young men and the displacement of people by militias, when food distribution requires large groups to assemble in one place.

• militias taking large groups of civilian hostages, because they can be swapped for humanitarian aid, which is used to buy more weapons.

• attacks on the people receiving aid, this includes looting and murder.

• attacks on the humanitarian workers, warehouses and convoys.

The purchasing of arms by diverting humanitarian aid is the main reason for a rise in violence. However, humanitarian aid can also drag out the duration of the conflict.

Aid is a substitution for political action to resolve the conflict, and this presents a problem. If aid successfully completes its role of lowering violence, that fact then minimizes the need to resolve the conflict, and therefore prolongs it.

Humanitarian aid influences conflicts through their duration and the levels of violence.

The effect of humanitarian aid on the duration of a conflict

Case study: RwandaIn the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, the Hutu killers fled across the border to what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here, there were huge refugee camps erected by a range of international agencies, meanwhile back in Rwanda, there was no aid, while Tutsi bodies filled graves.

The international community was looking for refugees (the symbol of a humanitarian crisis) and the refugees were Hutus. The Hutu militias that had committed the humanitarian crimes received the aid from international agencies and appeals.

The surviving Tutsi victims were left with nothing.

Linda Polman, an author of three books on humanitarian aid, claims that the aid enabled the Hutu extremists to continue the conflict.

"Without humanitarian aid… ...the Hutus' war would almost certainly have ground to a halt fairly quickly."

The effect of reconstruction aid on armed conflictsAn increase in violence is usually concentrated in the early stages of the reconstruction programme. This is before the funds are distributed and before eligible regions commit to the programme.

The rise in violence is all within the first six months after local governments find out if they're going to receive aid. The rise in violence happens before the resources actually come through.

So it's not a matter of the militias grabbing the money, because the violence increases before any aid is given to the local governments.

The increase in violence from reconstruction aid is caused by:

• Giving the aid in a form of development that supports the elites, and is controlled by them. In numerous cases the aid then furthers structural instability where there is corruption.

• Ignoring established patterns of territory.

• Giving resources into one suffering region while neglecting another.

• Gaining support for the government and undermining the militias.

During the Philippines low-level civil conflict (1969 – present), reconstruction aid caused a spike in the number of casualties. Government forces saw the highest rise in casualties as a result of militia attacks.

The reason for the spike in violence is that the reconstruction aid poses a threat to the insurgents. They don't want the aid to come in and give the government a success story.

These types of conflicts are all about winning support, therefore the government’s success story might undermine support for the militias.

This civil conflict is not like the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it is too violent for humanitarian agencies to operate.

For these agencies, the challenge isn’t about whether to help, but how to help without exacerbating the violence.

Case study: The Philippines

The role of humanitarian personnel

Humanitarian aid takes responsibility off of the warring parties. If the aid causes an increase in violence, international agencies may use humanitarian personnel to prevent it.

When the soldiers witness violence or crime they must take steps to help the victims and ensure the violence doesn’t reoccur.

This can be done by reminding the state of their obligations in the crisis.

Conclusion Humanitarian and reconstruction aid is essential to helping the victims of armed conflict. However, it is not always as effective as it is hoped.

To provide aid while reducing the negative effects on the conflict, the aid agencies must:

- Analyse each situation in terms of:

- Socio-economic context

- Cultural context

- Have access to the victims

- Have transparency from recipient governments

- Uphold the principles of Impartiality and neutrality (Red Cross & Red Crescent)

The international community must respect the humanitarian law, that those in need have access to aid. In the event of humanitarian law violation, everything must be done to stop the crimes and see the perpetrators punished.

The End