Topic: Protecting Humanitarian Workers in Conflict Zones
Country: Colombia
Delegate Name: Ashley Guynn
School: Fishers High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Colombia position papers GLIMUN 2011 committees
Colombia is in the middle of a major humanitarian conflict as the number of internally displaced people grows within our nation. The people of Colombia are receiving the help and assistance they need through humanitarian aid, but their work is being affected as the number of death of both international and national aid workers increase. Colombia believes that a combined effort of both the nation and UN Security Council is needed to provide protection for humanitarian workers.
In order to properly protect humanitarian workers two questions need to be addressed; which humanitarian workers are being targeted and why are they being attacked? By answering these questions the Republic of Colombia believes that the killings of humanitarian workers will be better understood and more effect policies can therefore be put into place. A report by the Humanitarian Policy Group found that attacks on local staff have increased compared to the international aid workers, but yet the number of local aid being put into conflict areas are still increasing. One reason that the local staffs are being attacked more is possibly because they are being put into more dangerous conflict areas. When looking at the question of why these workers, both local and international, are being attacked a number of different explanations can be viable. Sometimes humanitarian workers collateral damage when an attacker is targeting a certain village. However, the more serious problem is when they are being targeted. Their work is seen by some groups as helping the enemy, therefore they consider the workers to be enemies as well, and targeting the workers to weaken the people they are helping. The humanitarian programs that the workers start or are involved in sometimes cause the conflict. For example, when they feed communities, they are taking away from the local farmers business and make the people of that community dependent on the meals the aid workers give them. This can foster resentment and hostile feelings for the humanitarian workers, ultimately resulting in violence.
In order to combat this type of violence, a series of security measure need to be taken. First and foremost, Colombia believes that it is the nation’s responsibility to reduce the vulnerability of these humanitarian workers by increasing local acceptance of the organization, its work, and its employees. This includes building relationships with the local leadership and communities as well as making sure the local’s image of the workers is peaceful. These activities can help reduce the motive for targeting aid workers. The Republic of Colombia believes that it is the UN Security Council’s job to provide protective devices for the humanitarian workers. This includes body armor and helmets, armored cars, and housing international staff in secure and defensible compounds, and using national staff only when it’s determined that the risk for foreign aid is too great. If the environment stills proves to be too dangerous, then evacuations of the workers may need to be in order.
Colombia feels that with the nation and the UN working together, attacks on humanitarian aid workers will significantly decrease.
