http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/2009/08/13/bringing-aid-and-being-a-target/ African business, politics and lifestyle Wed, 22 May 2013 19:18:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/2009/08/13/bringing-aid-and-being-a-target/comment-page-1/#comment-4086 Juniper D Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:46:43 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/?p=1829#comment-4086 Africa's Secret: GABON 30 August election tragically under threat. After embezzling dictator of 41 yrs Bongo dies, ruling party tries to force dynastic successor, his son Ali. http://tiny.cc/01Ddg. Candidate www.Moubamba.com calls for democracy and end to brutal poverty in oil rich Gabon. Support change in Africa Africa’s Secret: GABON 30 August election tragically under threat. After embezzling dictator of 41 yrs Bongo dies, ruling party tries to force dynastic successor, his son Ali. http://tiny.cc/01Ddg. Candidate http://www.Moubamba.com calls for democracy and end to brutal poverty in oil rich Gabon. Support change in Africa

]]> http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/2009/08/13/bringing-aid-and-being-a-target/comment-page-1/#comment-4081 Alex Thurston Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:12:55 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/?p=1829#comment-4081 The ODI report captures the dilemma here: if aid workers get a military escort, they can't make the same connections with local people, but if they don't take an escort it's hard to stay safe. I have nothing but respect for the brave people who operate in the midst of political instability in places like Chad and Darfur, but it seems to me that bringing protection makes sense. The connection may be weakened or lost, but when aid workers are killed or kidnapped it's not only an individual tragedy but also a potential political nightmare for their governments.With that said, though, the root of the problem in the case of Chad and Darfur seems to me to be the lack of an effective policy by the US and the EU toward Sudan. As long as the interlocking crises in Sudan continue to fester, other countries will experience the fallout, and the UN, the AU, and other organizations will suffer as well. The ODI report captures the dilemma here: if aid workers get a military escort, they can’t make the same connections with local people, but if they don’t take an escort it’s hard to stay safe. I have nothing but respect for the brave people who operate in the midst of political instability in places like Chad and Darfur, but it seems to me that bringing protection makes sense. The connection may be weakened or lost, but when aid workers are killed or kidnapped it’s not only an individual tragedy but also a potential political nightmare for their governments.With that said, though, the root of the problem in the case of Chad and Darfur seems to me to be the lack of an effective policy by the US and the EU toward Sudan. As long as the interlocking crises in Sudan continue to fester, other countries will experience the fallout, and the UN, the AU, and other organizations will suffer as well.

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