A8: Crisis Caravan

In Polman’s book Crisis Caravan, he addresses the several issues surrounding the aid sector and its backing based on how flawed organizations such as the Red Cross along with government agencies create issues based on external factors. Having participated in the aid sector but never truly understanding the political agendas and business requirements needed to have a functional aid system. Through countries and organizational’s alternative motives in regards to handling both funds as well as resources for the aid sector, it is inherently flawed and apolitical. Throughout the various organizations that run humanitarian aid, there is almost a need to be involved in any location that is undergoing extreme poverty, war, or political turmoil and because of this there is a disconnect between the actual aid that needs to be provided and what is actually provided. Polman in the glossary defines this term as “Flag planting, ensuring your organization gets to a disaster area as quickly as possible to lay claim to victims and projects ahead of the competition” (Crisis Caravan Glossary). The aid sector has been corrupted by organizations that seem to be based on principles of helping those in need no matter the cause however there has been a transition into a business based model structured around personal gain and not addressing the actual issues at hand. 

Polman furthers his discussion of the various issues existing in the aid sector through addressing the apolitical issues in several countries. For many countries, the issues surrounding those who need aid are primarily based on political corruption which either results in a large wealth gap, lack of access to mandatory living resources and ultimately war. In Crisis Caravan Polman addresses these apolitical factors in countries like Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and  Sudan. In all of these countries war and destruction has torn them apart creating large issues backed by political benefactors attempting to regain power through force. Guerilla warfare and bombings of their own people have made providing aid in this sector to be extremely difficult as well as dangerous. Yet as Westerners, we think by simply donating money to the organizations responsible for providing aid in these war-stricken countries will solve a family without access to proper medical treatment or foods problems. Polman writes, “No matter how often the Red Cross rules may be trampled underfoot…the humanitarians persist in brandishing their Red Cross principles and accept no responsibility for the abuse of their aid” (pp. 10-11). The passage depicts the problematic status quo of the humanitarian aid sector in regards to its efforts to give out the proper help and need to be tiered towards each location they are actively working in. Rather than attempt to develop plans and strategies for providing the most effective form of aid they are simply dumping money and funds into projects and facilities that aren’t working. In Polman’s analysis of the humanitarian aid sector in Iraq, which is the most heavily donated to a country in terms of aid, almost all their major projects and efforts were a waste and never were finished nor came close to. After billions of dollars from charities and relief funds were poured into the country it still was improperly handled and the projects left Iraq worse off than if they had never intervened. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr5PRzufB_g