This blog post is a mixed bag of summings-up and news. A lot is happening in the field of aid work security, both positive and negative.
The kidnapping and later fatality of aid-worker Linda Norgrove is one of the tragic events. You can read a full account of the details and different articles about the situation and its aftermath on this link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/13/linda-norgrove-us-commando-disciplinary
On the positive side, three kidnapped aid-workers have been returned. First, the aid-worker from Samaritan´s Purse who was held for 105 days in Sudan: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/mb/hostage_freed_in_sudan
And just last month, a security consultant for Save the Children and his fixer were both kidnapped and moved into Somalia. Their safety had been guaranteed by local clan elders, and their own militia followed the kidnappers and negotiated for the two to be set free. You can read an account of how the kidnappning happened, narrated by Frans Barnard, the consultant, here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/22/british-hostage-recalls-somalia-ordeal
Aid-work is a broad field all over the globe: the amount of people who work in it are estimated to be around 250 000 as of 2009. Risks are still increasing, and as of October 2010 it seems like the trend with security risks for aid workers will hold. Many medium and smaller NGO´s still have little or no idea about security, and no idea about the possible risks their staff or volonteers take in the field. The bigger organisations have varying degrees of interest and skill, all the way from just lip-service checklists to full dedicated departments and staff. There is still a lot of work needed to bring common-sense security skills to medium-sized and smaller NGO´s. In these two links you can read the numbers from Patronus Analytical on aid worker fatalities 2009, and the map of where they happened.
As well as the fatalities, part of the trend is kidnappings. These have increased in numbers over the past few years. You can read our report from the NGO Security Conference 2010 about long-time kidnappning management consultant Suzanne Williams and her advice to NGO´s here: http://www.smallchange.se/ngo-security-conference-2010-including-ngo-anti-kidnapping-advice-suzanne-williams
New books: many in the aid-work security field are now looking forward to the revised edition of the ”NGO Security Bible” – the GPR 8 by Konrad van Brabant. Its full name is Operational Security Management in Violent Enviroments, published in 2000. The revised version is still in the works, but it is planned for publishing during 2010. You can read an update about the GPR 8 revised and its contents in this overview by Adele Harmer at ODI: http://www.odihpn.org/report.asp?id=3115
Another interesting read is this update of the ANSO quarterly. Here are the latest numbers of threats, incidents and trends for aid-workers in Afghanistan:
Coming soon on SC Blog on NGO security: a review of Linda Polman´s War Games – the story of aid and war in modern times.
Remember that good security awareness helps you help more people. Take care out there.
Daniel Skyle
