Soldiers and NGOs (merged thread)

[Tom Odom]

Independence for NGHOs: Independence is defined in the same way as it is in the Code of Conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and NGOs Engaged in Disaster Relief: Independence is defined as not acting as an instrument of government foreign policy. NGHOs are agencies that act independently from governments. NGHOs therefore, formulate their own policies and implementation strategies and do not seek to implement the policy of any government, except insofar as it coincides with their own independent policies. To maintain independence,
NGHOs will never knowingly—or through negligence—allow themselves, or their employees, to be used to gather information of a political, military, or economically sensitive nature for governments or other bodies that may serve purposes other than those that are strictly humanitarian, nor will they act as instruments of foreign policy of donor governments.

Based on my experience with NGOs in Zaire, Rwanda, and elsewhere I would say that the above paragraph (next to last in the guidelines document) means that the rest of the document is fluff, pure and simple. NGOs will do as they please, when they please, until a governmental body or an extra-governmental body (like an insurgency) uses some form of coercion to influence them.

I am not making an anti-NGO stand here. I have worked with NGOs. Some are quite professional. Some are extremely political. All bring the old commercial about "herding cats" to mind.

Best

Tom