Attacks on Aid Workers and Foreigners in the Sudan

Are those countries most in need driving away those who want to help? 

A few days ago I read the “Muhammad Bear,” story on Confessions of a Closet Republican. Then this morning I read this CNN article indicating that the teacher in question was convicted of the crime of “insulting Islam.” The Sudanese Government sentenced her to 15 days in a women’s prison followed by deportation. But that wasn’t enough for the protesters outside the Sudanese President’s home who brandished swords and sticks and chanted “No Tolerance, Execute her!”

Later I read this article reporting that four people were killed in an attack on a Sudanese hospital ran by the group Doctors Without Borders.

It seems that we constantly hear stories of some compassionate foreigner going abroad to a developing nation, like Sudan, with the best of intentions only to end up deported, imprisoned, or killed. The facts indicate that Americans (and presumably other westerners as well) are more likely to be killed by sharks and spiders while traveling abroad than they are by terrorists. However, the terrorists seem to get all the publicity. To see a list of all of the known attacks on U.S. Citizens check out the Jewish Virtual Library.

Keep in mind that these “facts” include only civilian deaths, and exclude attacks on humanitarian workers. Human Aid workers are constantly being attacked. In fact 12 have been killed in the Sudan this year alone. Attacks on these workers seem to be trending upward in recent years. In the areas where people need the most help is where you will find them…..likely dodging bullets.

In begs the question, are all of these attacks on altruistic foreigners having an effect on the level of aid that they receive? Are these cultures that benefit from the good will of foreigners actually driving them away? Will South Korean missionaries be traveling to Afghanistan anytime soon?  Do these attacks deprive the citizens of these countries of the help that they need?

The only way to answer this question effectively is to ask the people in the organizations that volunteer in the most dangerous areas. In this spirit I have contact the New York office of Doctors Without Borders, as well as Christian Aid Ministries, and Aid Sudan. All of these agencies actively engage in direct aid in troubled and violent areas. I asked each of the agencies one question, “Do attacks on foreign aid workers in your area of operations make you more likely to leave that area, or do you continue operating as usual?”

I spoke with Leona at Christian Aid Ministries based out of Berlin, OH. She wasn’t sure if CAM had anyone active in Sudan at this time, but they were very active in Liberia prior to the war in that region. Leona served in Liberia. She stated that they, “Worked right up until the beginning of the war, when we were evacuated.” She also stated that they won’t send workers into an area if they feel it presents and imminent danger to the workers. However, she stated, “A certain level of risk has to be taken; otherwise it would be detrimental to the work.” I thank Leona for her time and her work.

I received the following from Doctors Without Borders: “Any security incident means we take stock of the situation, but it’s not only the security situation that we think about, it’s also about the needs of the population,”  Erwin van t’Land, communications coordinator for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). We constantly evaluate security situations in contexts like this one. We are staying for the moment with a smaller team.”

I had quite a long conversation with a gentleman named Peter from Aid Sudan.  Peter has lived and work in Sudan for extended periods of time.  He has experienced tribal conflict firsthand.  He stated that his group is hearding to the Bor region of Sudan in two weeks.  He informed me that there are other areas which are experiencing greater violence than Bor.  He likened the violence to gangs in America.  He said, “We [in America] aren’t proud of the fact that we have gangs, but if you know where to go and where to stay away from you will usually stay safe.  If we know that an area is particularly ‘hot’ we will stay away from that particular area, but it won’t stop us from doing our greater work in the Sudan.  We are here to do the Lord’s work.”  He acknowledged that there is risk inherent in the position, and that all people doing that kind of work know the risks.

None of these organizations gave me any indication that they would stop thier work in the region.  But, all stated that they would use common sense and avoid areas where danger was emminent.

What did I learn from these conversations?  I learned that what looks like a clear cut situation from thousands of miles away is really anything but.  I also learned that those people rendering help in developing countries aren’t going to stop going there anytime soon.  They will be smart about thier deployments, but they won’t stop their calling.  I have to say that I’m glad for them.  I wouldn’t do what they do.  And at the first sign of trouble I would be on the first bus (truck, donkey cart, rickshaw, etc.) out of town.