Archive for 2005

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Rights and Responsibilities: Resolving the Dilemma of Humanitarian Intervention

By Chris Abbott

Saturday, October 29th, 2005

ABSTRACT

This paper critically examines attempts to conceptualise the use of military intervention on humanitarian grounds, with a focus on the ‘responsibility to protect’ framework, and offers discussion of the way forward in light of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and the US-led ‘war on terror’. It traces the history of the concept from its post-Cold War origins through to the UN World Summit of September 2005. The paper concludes with a brief review of the challenges that face the international community in moving forward, and the specific contributions that might be made by the UK government.

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The Application of Geomatics in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

By Firoz Verjee

Sunday, September 25th, 2005

ABSTRACT

Since the mid-1990s the media has been increasingly dependent on satellite images, maps and three-dimensional terrain visualizations to communicate stories about natural and human-induced disasters around the globe. This paper introduces the non-specialist to the state-of-the-art use of geomatics, the integrated acquisition, modeling, analysis, presentation and management of spatially referenced data (i.e. any type of data that includes its location on earth), to support decisionmaking. The author discusses the origins of geospatial technologies and some of the ways in which humanitarian interventions have benefited from the use of this technology. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of the challenges and potential for the use of geomatics in response to future complex humanitarian emergencies.

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Somalia Reconsidered: An Examination of the Norm of Humanitarian Intervention

By Luke Glanville

Thursday, September 1st, 2005

ABSTRACT

Focusing on the 1992-1994 US-led intervention in Somalia, the objective of this article is to explore three interrelated phenomena that the story of the Somali intervention reveals. The first is that ideas matter and can explain state behaviour. Secondly, in the absence of complementary material interests, a commitment to ideational concerns can prove to be unsustainable when human and economic costs begins to rise as occurred in 1993. Thirdly, the international and domestic norm prescribing intervention functions in direct opposition to the domestic norm of force protections and understanding the interplay of these two norms is crucial if we are to comprehend the possibilities for humanitarian intervention.

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Media Coverage and Foreign Assistance: The Effects of US Media Coverage on the Distribution of US Official Development Assistance to Recipient Countries

By John S. Kim

Friday, July 1st, 2005

ABSTRACT

This paper uses a new dataset on US media coverage of developing countries to test the hypothesis that the media are an important determinant of US foreign aid flows, all else equal. Controlling for several other determinants of foreign aid distribution it examines whether or not the coverage in major US newspapers and television sources influenced the amount of official development assistance a country receives from the US from 1970-1994. It finds that when a natural disaster, epidemic, or war in a developing country is mentioned in a major US media source five times during a typical five-year period —or an average of once a year—that country receives roughly one percent more in US aid per capita over the course of the period than it would otherwise receive. This is the average effect across countries and over time, and by no means must hold true for any given country at any given time. For some countries, even a small amount of media coverage could be worth millions in aid. This result has direct implications for the cost effectiveness of media relations activities by both nongovernmental and governmental organizations interested in affecting aid levels.

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How Far Can Humanitarian Organisations Control Co-operation with International Tribunals

By Kate Mackintosh

Sunday, May 1st, 2005

ABSTRACT

Humanitarian organizations are in a privileged position to observe what happens in war. No surprise then that as tribunals –intentional or otherwise- are set up to try atrocities committed during war, those tasked with the bringing the perpetrators to justice turn to humanitarian organizations to see what evidence they can offer. For many such organizations, and the people they employ who may have personally witnessed atrocities, the question of whether or not to co-operate with prosecutions is contentious. This article sets out the legal tools available to humanitarian organizations to better manage any co-operation with international tribunes. It also addresses such questions as, can humanitarian organizations be forced to testify? Can they hand over information on a confidential basis? And if they do give evidence, can this be kept out of the public domain?

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Women Emerge Much Stronger Than Men in Coping with the Tsunami Aftermath

By Ravi Prasad

Friday, April 1st, 2005

ABSTRACT

The tsunami that struck the coast of Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004, has had major impacts on the social, traditional and customary role of women in the country. The majority of deaths following the disaster were women, however, those that survived have emerged stronger than men in the post-tsunami situation. This article discusses the impact the tsunami had on women’s traditional roles, livelihoods, safety and security, and health and sanitation. Challenges effecting women, including rebuilding their lives, being counselors to their families, and finding employment, are illustrated. A long-term action plan is needed to empower women and help them overcome their grief. A partial list of what is needed to accomplish this objective and to address gender needs is provided.

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The Impact of International NGOs and Civil Society Organisations on the Peace Process in Burundi

By Stijn de Reu

Friday, April 1st, 2005

ABSTRACT

At the end of its transition period, Burundi faces many issues that can undermine the peace process. This study tries to evaluate the impact of INGOs and the CSOs (civil society organizations) in Burundi and is based on field research conducted in the Great Lakes region – Uganda, Kenya, and especially Burundi- during the months of April and May 2004. Findings on the numbers and types of active INGOs and civil society organizations in Burundi was used to research the impact that these organizations had on the peace process and how they influenced the political process. It was concluded that the impact of INGOs and civil organizations on the peace process was rather limited. As a result of the findings, the author specifically formulates recommendations that can strengthen the action and the policy orientations of these organisations’ activities.

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