Humanitarian Aid - Allison Ray

The concept of modern aid began in 1859 after the Battle of Solferino in Italy when local citizens came together to care for injured and dying soldiers on both sides of the battlefield. Henri Durant, a Swiss Calvinist businessman, witnessed the town’s generosity and was inspired to set up the International Committee of the Red Cross. Linda Polman’s book, The Crisis Caravan: What’s Wrong with Humanitarian Aid?, explores the negative aspects of humanitarian aid, accusing organizations such as The Red Cross and several others of serving their own financial interests before those of their victims.

            Polman’s first argument is for that of innocent victims, whom she claims are being affected more than ever. In Chapter One – “Goma: A Total Ethical Disaster”, she uses the Hutu and Tutsi crisis in Rwanda as a powerful example. First, Polman describes how humanitarian aid organizations responded to the crisis only when funds had been raised by local organizations to help refugees suffering from cholera. She writes, “As more money became available, more humanitarian aid organizations came to Goma to help spend it, and with them more journalists to film their rescue efforts (Polman 18).” Polman continues on to describe how journalism essentially funds NGOs by offering what can basically be called “free marketing”. This funding makes it possible for aid organizations to settle in crisis areas for prolonged areas of time without contributing to the formation of a permanent solution. Chapter Two – “Contract Fever” reflects further on the money-driven actions of these organizations. Polman explains that plentiful funding opportunities have caused a large growth in the modern aid market. These NGOs battle for contracts to increase their finances and give them a competitive advantage over organizations in the same region.

            The third chapter of Polman’s book entitled “MONGOs” or “My Own NGOs” points fingers at small self-started organizations that collect donations for a cause. The author references Henri Durant claiming that; “The ladies’ auxiliary committees and isolated enthusiasts that Henri Durant watched dabbling on the battlefield of Solferino in 1859 are experiencing a renaissance in the form of MONGOs. As a direct result of those volunteers’ lack of knowledge and experience, Dunant lobbied for the establishment of a professional aid organization. His International Committee of the Red Cross became a reality, but the MONGOs remained. And multiplied (Polman 50).” MONGOs conduct no studies and therefore cannot prove their worth in most cases. The Rwandan Tutsi regime expelled fifty MONGOs a year after the genocide was organized because they could not prove who they were or why they were there. Polman makes serious claims that they are yet another example of how humanitarian aid efforts can influence a rise in the exploitation of crisis victims.

Chapter Five – Aid as Weapon of War summarizes Polman’s beliefs and offers solace as to why she claims, “Aid organizations are businesses dressed up like Mother Theresa (Polman 177).” Although she does not refute the cause behind these organizations she claims that they are operated in a manner that is focused purely on funding and fueled by free press from journalists. The lack of required validation and authority to collect donations for supposed causes without providing sufficient information to the individual making the donation is another reason they cannot be trusted. In order to right these unmonitored wrongs, journalists must refute the pursuit of these organizations and report truthfully with reputable references – even if it means not making the front page. In addition, public governments must attempt to develop a system that regulates any NGOs operating in or out of their territory. Restrictions should be set regarding timeline and who/how the program assists. Polman offers no direct answer to this issue, but requests that we safeguard future help and “…no longer exempt the [emergency aid] system from criticism.”