The Role of Humanitarian Aid in Conflict

Authors

  • Charity Njeri Muriuki University of Nairobi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47604/jcm.558

Keywords:

Humanitarian, aid, conflict

Abstract

Purpose: The term "˜humanitarian aid' has outgrown its traditional Red Cross definition of "˜providing swift emergency assistance to people in disaster or emergency situations'. Today humanitarian action is commonly defined in a broader sense. The study sought to establish the role of humanitarian aid in conflict.

Methodology: The research was purely qualitative. Desktop literature review was conducted. Critical analysis of the literature was conducted.

Findings: The study found out that it is important to reiterate that humanitarian aid is not neutral in the midst of conflict. Aid and how it is administered can cause harm or can strengthen peace capacities in the midst of conflicted communities. All aid programmes involve the transfer of resources (food, shelter, water, health care, training, etc.) into a resource-scarce environment. Where people are in conflict, these resources represent power and wealth and they become an element of the conflict. Some people attempt to control and use aid resources to support their side of the conflict and to weaken the other side. If they are successful or if aid staff fails to recognise the impact of their programming decisions, aid can cause harm.

Unique Contributions to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study advocates for the use of conflict sensitive planning and programming in humanitarian intervention. In addition, it is recommended that coordination of efforts is by far a very important aspect that needs to be put into consideration in order to maximize the impact of humanitarian assistance. The researcher further recommends the use of Anderson DNH frame work, whose primary purpose of the DNH framework is micro conflict analysis, project planning and programme quality, and impact assessment of programme on conflict.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adebo, T., Post-conflict peacebuilding and prospects for democracy with reference to Africa, (Uppsala: Life & Peace Institute, 2005)

Almquist, K., Sudan: The Continuing Costs of War (World Vision, Spring 1999)

Anderson, Mary B., Do No Harm: How Aid Can Support peace - Or War (London: Lynne Reinner Publishers, 1999)

Badal, R. , Local Traditional Structures in Sudan: A Base for Building Civil Society for the Promotion of Peace and Reconciliation, Life & Peace Institute, Nairobi, 2006.

Bercovitch, Jacob & Patrick M. Regan, "The structure of International conflict management: An Analysis of the Effects of intractability and mediation" in The International Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 4. (Washington, DC: George Mason University: accessed 12 January 2006)

Burton, John. Conflict: Resolution and Prevention. (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990)

Deng, Daniel, Self-Reckoning: Challenges of socio-cultural reconstruction and unity in Southern Sudan (New York: UNICEF, 2003).

Duffield, M. & Prendergast, J., Without Troops & Tanks: Humanitarian Intervention in Ethiopia and Eritrea (New Jersey, Red Sea Press, 1994)

Galtung, Johan, "Violence, peace and peace research" in Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Oslo: International Peace Research Institute, 1969)

Goldstein, J. & Pevehouse, Jon C., International Relations (7th Edition) (New York: Pearson Longman, 2006)

Heinrich, Wolfgang, Building the peace: Experiences and reflections of collaborative peacebuilding - the case of Somalia, 2nd Ed, (Uppsala: Life & Peace Institute, 2006)

International Crisis Group, Capturing the moment: Sudan's peace process in the balance, (Brussels: International Crisis Group Press, 2002)

International Crisis Group, God, Oil and Country: Changing the Logic of War in Sudan, (Brussels: International Crisis Group Press, 2002)

International Crisis Group, Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement: The Long Road Ahead (Nairobi/Brussels, 31 March 2006), Africa Report No. 106

Johnson, Douglas H., The Root Causes of Sudan's Civil Wars (Oxford: James Currey, 2003)

Jordan, L., & Tuijl, V, Peter. , (Eds), NGO Accountability: Politics, Principles & Innovations (London & Sterling, VA, 2006)

Kwaje, Samson L., "The Sudan Peace Process: From Machakos to Naivasha" in Makumi Mwagiru (Ed), African Regional Security in the Age of Globalisation (Nairobi: Heinrich Boll Foundation, 2004)

Lederach, John P., Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies, (Washington, D. C., United States Institute of Peace, 1997)

Lesch, Ann Mosley. , The Sudan: Contested National Identities, (Indiana: James Currey, 1998).

Macrae, J., et al. (Eds), War & Hunger: Rethinking International Responses to Complex Emergencies (New Jersey: ZED books Ltd, 1994)

Morgenthau, H. J., Politics among nations: The struggle for power and peace (6th Ed.), (New Delhi: Kalyani Publishers, 1991).

Mwagiru, M (Ed), African Regional Security in the Age of Globalisation (Nairobi: Heinrich Boll Foundation, 2004)

Nyama, Basil B. (Ed), "Sudan: Past, Present, Future: A working document for advocacy on the Sudan," unpublished (Nairobi: Life & Peace Institute, 2003).

Peffenholz, T. & Reychler, L., Introducing the Peace and Conflict Assessment Model (Bern: Field Diplomacy Publishers, 2004)

Peters, M., "Studies on Country-Related Conflict Analysis - Sudan", prepared for the Germany Department Services and the Fredrich Ebert Foundation, (Germany: 2004).

Prendergast, J., Frontline Diplomacy: Humanitarian aid and conflict in Africa, (London: Boulder, 1996).

Rolandsen, O. H., Guerrilla government: Political changes in the Southern Sudan during the 1990s (Uppsala: The Nordic Africa Institute, 2005)

Rubenstein, Richard E., "Conflict Resolution and the structural sources of conflict," in Conflict Resolution: Dynamics, Process, and Structure, ed. Ho-Won Jeong. (Vermont: Ashgate Publishing Co., 1999)

Russett, Bruce, Grasping the Democratic Peace, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993).

Smock, David R., "Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict in Africa" in Peaceworks No. 6 (Washington DC: United States Institute of Peace, 1996)

Stiglitz, J., Globalisation and its Discontents (London: Penguin Books, 2002)

Swedish International Development Agency, Manual for Conflict Analysis: Methods Document for peace and security through development cooperation (Stockholm: Sida, January 2006)

Woodrow, P, Reflecting on Peace Practices Project (Massachusetts: Collaborative for Development Action, Inc., 2004)

Young, J., "Sudan's changing relations with its neighbours and the implications for war and peace," paper presented to the Institute of Governance Studies, Simon Fraser University.

Downloads

Published

2017-12-15

How to Cite

Muriuki, C. (2017). The Role of Humanitarian Aid in Conflict. Journal of Conflict Management, 1(1), 72–86. https://doi.org/10.47604/jcm.558

Issue

Section

Articles