The Afghanistan NGO Safety Office (ANSO) (worst website ever by the way…) differs from many organizations operating in the country in that they have regularly published their data. Despite the benefits to openness, many organizations hold onto their data with a tight fist. ANSO’s Quarterly Data Report for Q1 2009 offers insights into the behavior towards NGOs working in the state. The report finds that the number of attacks on NGOs in Q1 2009 increased six percent since the same period in 2008. The most dangerous provinces are Kandahar, Herat, Kabul and Kunar with four, six, four and four attacks respectively.
As the report points out, the distribution of attacks on NGOs across Afghanistan likely has more to do with where humanitarians operate rather than variations in the security situation. That is, most of the provinces are dangerous for NGOs, and the variation in the number of attacks is simply due to the level of NGO presence.
The data on NGO attacks in Afghanistan is further evidence that the neutrality of NGOs is dying, or never existed in the first place. If NGOs are going to operate effectively in Afghanistan and elsewhere, they must either do so under the security umbrella of GoA / Western forces (which comes with its own set of problems) or make local agreements of neutrality with tribal leaders and combatants. The take away point: humanitarians cannot rely on international norms of neutrality, and perhaps never could.
H/T: Christian Bleuer
Christopher Albon is a Ph.D. candidate specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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The Taliban know that the war in Afghanistan is one for the hearts and minds of the people. Aid given by the western NGOs is viewed as pro-Western; therefore, a negative in the Taliban war effort. They view the NGO as agents of the war machine. My personal view is that the people are firmly in the grasp of the fundamentalist and no amount of bombing or military action is going to change this. Further, the Afghanistan War is a Path To Anarchy In Nuclear Pakistan.
Agreed regarding the NGOs Joe. In wars amongst the people any side that is capable of winning public opinion and gaining the support of the population is not going to be considered a neutral party.
Maybe then NGOs will stop treating uniformed members like we were dipped in poop.
I know, that’s a broad brush, but the shoe fits.
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