Humanitarian aid is a profession, and I know most here would agree, however:
Whenever tragedy strikes most of us want to do something to help, and the best way to help is donating to groups who specialise in the assistance required.
Avoid Missionary zeal:
Some of the worst damage was done, the tribes will tell you, long after the Indian wars were over, when missionaries moved in. They broke up families, shipping children off to boarding schools where they were shorn of their language, their hair and their culture. They banned tribal customs like the potlatch — where Indians compete to give away gifts — and spirit rituals that had been passed on for centuries.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...
Rushing off into the unknown with a plan that has not been thought through is of no help whatsoever and in fact can do a great deal more harm than good.
As in the article above shows the law, culture and the nature of the disaster determine what aid will be effective.
So please leave it to the professionals who know what they are doing.
What to do:
The shelter box movement here on Kos was the right way to go, a tried and tested piece of equipment fully adapted to the reality on the ground. It gives instant comfort to those receiving it and a sense of doing something positive to those who donate.
What not to do:
Rush off into a foreign land, round up some children and then try and take them out the country. This helps nobody in the end.
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Disaster relief and humanitarian aid take years of planning before the disaster/crisis has even happened so that if it does the response is good, even then there are major problems with agencies and governments getting up each other noses. So you can imagine what amateurs do to the mix.
The US turns to its military as a first step, this sometimes goes down none to well due to American interference in much of the world. Our military is well organized but tend to be somewhat of a bully on the ground, sometimes justifiably sometimes not.
I have long argued that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers be demilitarised along with part of the U.S. Army Medical Department, Medical Service Corps.
We fund these services already, it would do no harm to build up the civilian equivalent.
For security I have always believed that soldiers wearing blue helmets are potentially less inflammatory than those wearing US military insignia. Then troops of appropriate nationality, ethnicity/culture/language could be deployed. There is no point in shouting English at French/Spanish/Swahili speakers.
The UN is a one stop shop [or should be], although many hark on about how useless it is; and indeed it can be heartbreakingly slow but it has so many dedicated people who are more than qualified to do the work necessary. Support the UN properly and it will get the job done.
Next in line are the specialised Charities and NGO's and individual governments specialised teams.
The best thing individuals can do:
1] Offer your services to an NGO/charity, let them decide if your skills are suitable for the situation on the ground, your own judgement may be suspect.
2] Donate to the NGO/Charity that has the most relevant experience in relation to the event.
3] Keep out the way, its a bit like gawking at a traffic accident its hinders rather than helps.
I am not a fan of religious organisations even though some do good work all arrive with preconceived ideas and agendas, and can often do long term damage.
I wont dwell on what Christian and Muslim missionaries have done in Africa, but cleaning up the mess always takes longer than creating it in the first place does....
Niger Update
My initial diary
The positive news is that famine relief is still progressing as 'normal' there has been no interference from the military junta in place at this time.
Diplomats around the world privately agree that it was inevitable and probably necessary. This will enable dialogue to progress more quickly so that a return to democracy can be facilitated. Nothing entrenches a military takeover faster than universal condemnation it stops negotiations in their tracks.
Since the coup is showing no tendencies towards a purge, they will try Mamadou Tandja for treason but will not ask for the death penalty that the constitution permits.
"President Tandja has been trying to extend his mandate in office," State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said Thursday. "Obviously, that may well have been ... an act on his behalf that precipitated this act."
Crowley said the coup showed the need for Niger to move forward and hold elections. Now that Tandja is out of the picture, the way would seem to be clear for just that.
Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/...
So positive signs from our government.
Another positive
NIAMEY (Reuters) - Members of Niger's military junta and a transitional government due to be set up will not be allowed to stand in promised elections, the ruling junta said on Wednesday.
http://af.reuters.com/...
Corruption the bane of Niger and much of Africa as a whole needs to be stemmed.
"The task of the junta is not to clean up the public finances or put a government program in place. It was to intervene to put an end to political tension created by Mamadou Tandja. Its agenda is to organize free elections," he said.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/...
Many would argue that it is, its fine for Lawal Tsayabou to say that it is not, however the past has shown that there is little motivation of Niger's politicians to do so.
Anway let's see how this pans out
More news can be found here:
http://allafrica.com/...
and
http://www.irinnews.org/...