ACT International Warns Against Linking Humanitarian Airdrops and Military Actions

"It is dangerous to do this," warns Prois, who worked in Afghanistan for four years as a representative of Norwegian Church Aid, one of ACT's members. "These air drops are not meeting the most basic principle of humanitarian aid -- that aid should be given to those who need it most." ACT members of the network are concerned that the simultaneous air strikes and airdrops constitute a total confusion of humanitarian and military actions, thereby potentially compromising the basic concepts of neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian actions for the future. ACT believes that such actions could in an already tense and fragile environment hamper and even delay future relief flights and other humanitarian actions in Afghanistan. Prois asks, "Why should Afghan authorities and the population trust 'real relief actions' by the UN or NGOs in the future, once the concepts of impartiality and neutrality have been broken?"

ACT believes that although extensive human suffering is an inevitable and totally predictable consequence of waging an even limited war in such a fragile humanitarian environment as that of Afghanistan, token airdrops should not be allowed to obscure this fact. Even massive airdrops of food will be insufficient to meet the needs of those who need it most. According to the World Food Program, to supply such food drops to some 400,000 people in northern Afghanistan will take at least 1,800 Hercules cargo flights a month. According to UNHCR reports, more than 7 million people are in need of food aid in Afghanistan. "At best these airdrops are a symbolic gesture," says Prois.

ACT members who have worked in the region for twenty years through local partners say that experience shows that airdrops are dangerous and ineffective means of assisting people in need. Prois points out that there is no guarantee that the food will reach those in need. "Chances are that you risk assisting only the strongest who are armed and in organised groups. It also carries a high risk of provoking fights and riots over meagre resources and the likelihood that the food will end up for sale in the markets."

Afghanistan suffers the added problem of being only second to Angola in the number of anti-personnel mines that cover the country. If food is dropped in areas where unexploded landmines are present and food shortages exist, people, and especially children, could be exposed to serious injury or death.

ACT International believes that while air strikes and other military activities continue in Afghanistan, rendering humanitarian assistance to large sections of the population who are in desperate need of help will be very difficult.

ACT international is also concerned with the closing of all international borders with Afghanistan and advocates that Afghanistan's neighbours recognise the refugees' right to seek refuge from warfare and drought. However, Prois says that people who are being forced to move because of a lack of resources due to drought conditions should rather be assisted where they live. "They are better off being helped where they are -- that is if they are not in danger from the internal fighting and the US-led military attacks," he says. "But, if they are in personal danger from any kind of attack, they should be granted the right of protection according to international laws that protect the rights of people seeking refuge." Should the borders not open, the best short-term solution to gaining access to people would be to create 'safe corridors'. ACT warns however that this concept will depend on a shared respect for the same 'fair play' and humanitarian principles by all parties to the conflict.

Prois points out that the current crisis in Afghanistan is not a new one. "We have been warning people for years that there was a looming crisis in Afghanistan due to the civil war and the severe drought. The tragic events of September 11 with its devastating consequences for the Afghan people, only added to the humanitarian crisis." Prois says.

ACT International's members, working with and through Afghan NGOs will continue to visibly show solidarity and co-operation between Christians and Muslims and between the Afghan people and "outsiders". As ACT International and its members' work is bound by the Code of Conduct of the International Red Cross, the Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief, all co-operative work will be conducted in a transparent and open manner, reflected in the awareness and information work done by ACT members internationally. ACT International's co-ordinating office is based with the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva.