The document discusses three categories of "terrorist related events" that can affect humanitarian agencies:
1. Attacks against aid agencies by armed opposition groups, which includes 238 events.
2. Incidents where aid workers are caught in crossfire during military action between government and opposition groups, with 88 events.
3. Incidents where governments hinder aid delivery through administrative measures or law enforcement intervention, with 71 events.
The document analyzes differences between these categories, such as weapons used and impact on aid operations, to understand how terrorism may uniquely affect humanitarian work.
This document provides an analysis of multi-stakeholder approaches to security sector reform implemented by various international organizations. It discusses the common theories of change, including increasing positive interactions between sectors, training stakeholders to work collaboratively, and strengthening community engagement. Challenges around inclusivity, community impact, and sustainability are examined. Best practices from programs like Todos Somos Juarez, Interpeace, GPPAC, UNDP and others are also highlighted.
AU Fall 2015 Conflict & Peacebuilding Practicum (1)Joshua Heath
This document provides an analysis of multi-stakeholder approaches to security sector reform implemented by various international organizations. It discusses the common theories of change, including increasing positive interactions between sectors, training stakeholders to work collaboratively, and strengthening social cohesion and community engagement. Challenges around inclusivity, community impact, and sustainability are examined. Case studies of specific programs are also reviewed, with advantages and opportunities for improvement identified.
This document is a thesis submitted to Keele University in 2009 by Gordon Stuart Rhoads investigating multi-organizational confluence in security policy in the United States post 9/11. It examines the creation and implementation of new security policies through the lens of securitization theory and analyzes the localized response in Metropolitan Philadelphia. The thesis focuses on identifying security actors and objects involved in counterterrorism efforts and the challenges that arise from the interplay between organizations under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella.
This document provides an overview of five key primers on preventing atrocities from a toolkit developed for USAID. It acknowledges contributions from Freedom House, ABA ROLI, Global Rights, and Internews.
The first chapter discusses monitoring hate speech, which has historically been used to incite violence, and outlines best practices for creating an effective media monitoring system.
The second chapter examines the role of secure human rights documentation in atrocity prevention by documenting violations to prevent denial and support accountability.
The third chapter analyzes the role of transitional justice mechanisms like criminal prosecutions, truth commissions, reparations, and institutional reforms in preventing future atrocities after mass violence.
The fourth chapter discusses justice sector interventions
This document outlines an identity theory perspective on religiously and ethnically motivated terrorism. It proposes that terrorism arises from a combination of a strongly collectivist cultural identity rooted in fundamentalist religious or cultural principles, a social identity based on sharp contrasts between one's own group and perceived threats, and a foreclosed or aimless personal identity. The authors aim to identify commonalities across diverse conflicts where terrorism occurs in order to build an integrative theory and generate hypotheses to guide future research on countering terrorist organizations. They argue past efforts have failed to understand terrorism by viewing terrorists as psychopaths, criminals, or those lacking identity, rather than seeing terrorism as an expression of identities terrorists strongly hold.
The document provides guidelines for preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV), particularly sexual violence, in humanitarian emergencies. It emphasizes the importance of establishing a minimum set of multisectoral interventions from the earliest stages of an emergency to prevent GBV and provide assistance to survivors. The guidelines are intended to help humanitarian organizations coordinate their prevention and response efforts and establish comprehensive programming as the emergency situation stabilizes.
Power Point Presentation on Red Cross Exploring Humanitarian Law Curriculum by Rosemary Blanchard (College of Ed., CSUS) and Tanya Milelli (No. NV Chapter of Red Cross)
C191 w9tc cmast int humanitarian law and geneva conventionsAKsentinel
The document discusses the key principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Geneva Conventions, which regulate the conduct of hostilities and aim to protect civilians and those who are wounded, sick, shipwrecked or detained. It outlines that IHL protects people who are not participating in fighting, such as civilians, medical personnel, chaplains and aid workers. It also protects those who can no longer fight, like wounded or sick soldiers and prisoners of war. The Geneva Conventions establish humanitarian protections that must be observed by governments and their armed forces during war.
This document provides an analysis of multi-stakeholder approaches to security sector reform implemented by various international organizations. It discusses the common theories of change, including increasing positive interactions between sectors, training stakeholders to work collaboratively, and strengthening community engagement. Challenges around inclusivity, community impact, and sustainability are examined. Best practices from programs like Todos Somos Juarez, Interpeace, GPPAC, UNDP and others are also highlighted.
AU Fall 2015 Conflict & Peacebuilding Practicum (1)Joshua Heath
This document provides an analysis of multi-stakeholder approaches to security sector reform implemented by various international organizations. It discusses the common theories of change, including increasing positive interactions between sectors, training stakeholders to work collaboratively, and strengthening social cohesion and community engagement. Challenges around inclusivity, community impact, and sustainability are examined. Case studies of specific programs are also reviewed, with advantages and opportunities for improvement identified.
This document is a thesis submitted to Keele University in 2009 by Gordon Stuart Rhoads investigating multi-organizational confluence in security policy in the United States post 9/11. It examines the creation and implementation of new security policies through the lens of securitization theory and analyzes the localized response in Metropolitan Philadelphia. The thesis focuses on identifying security actors and objects involved in counterterrorism efforts and the challenges that arise from the interplay between organizations under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella.
This document provides an overview of five key primers on preventing atrocities from a toolkit developed for USAID. It acknowledges contributions from Freedom House, ABA ROLI, Global Rights, and Internews.
The first chapter discusses monitoring hate speech, which has historically been used to incite violence, and outlines best practices for creating an effective media monitoring system.
The second chapter examines the role of secure human rights documentation in atrocity prevention by documenting violations to prevent denial and support accountability.
The third chapter analyzes the role of transitional justice mechanisms like criminal prosecutions, truth commissions, reparations, and institutional reforms in preventing future atrocities after mass violence.
The fourth chapter discusses justice sector interventions
This document outlines an identity theory perspective on religiously and ethnically motivated terrorism. It proposes that terrorism arises from a combination of a strongly collectivist cultural identity rooted in fundamentalist religious or cultural principles, a social identity based on sharp contrasts between one's own group and perceived threats, and a foreclosed or aimless personal identity. The authors aim to identify commonalities across diverse conflicts where terrorism occurs in order to build an integrative theory and generate hypotheses to guide future research on countering terrorist organizations. They argue past efforts have failed to understand terrorism by viewing terrorists as psychopaths, criminals, or those lacking identity, rather than seeing terrorism as an expression of identities terrorists strongly hold.
The document provides guidelines for preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV), particularly sexual violence, in humanitarian emergencies. It emphasizes the importance of establishing a minimum set of multisectoral interventions from the earliest stages of an emergency to prevent GBV and provide assistance to survivors. The guidelines are intended to help humanitarian organizations coordinate their prevention and response efforts and establish comprehensive programming as the emergency situation stabilizes.
Power Point Presentation on Red Cross Exploring Humanitarian Law Curriculum by Rosemary Blanchard (College of Ed., CSUS) and Tanya Milelli (No. NV Chapter of Red Cross)
C191 w9tc cmast int humanitarian law and geneva conventionsAKsentinel
The document discusses the key principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Geneva Conventions, which regulate the conduct of hostilities and aim to protect civilians and those who are wounded, sick, shipwrecked or detained. It outlines that IHL protects people who are not participating in fighting, such as civilians, medical personnel, chaplains and aid workers. It also protects those who can no longer fight, like wounded or sick soldiers and prisoners of war. The Geneva Conventions establish humanitarian protections that must be observed by governments and their armed forces during war.
International Humanitarian Law Debate Championship 2016Terence Aaron
These are the motion, context and information slides for the International Humanitarian Law Debate Championship 2016.
Adjudication Core: Banun Sabri (IIUM/International Islamic University of Malaysia), Terence Aaron (UT MARA/University of Technology MARA) and Leeroy Ting Kah Sing (UM/ University of Malaya)
Dates: 9-11 December
If you have any questions on the slides, feel free to forward
Role of ICC in Promoting International Humanitarian LawAnurag Chakma
The International Criminal Court investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. It was established in 2002 and has 120 member states. The Court complements national courts and only investigates crimes within its jurisdiction when states are unwilling or unable to prosecute. If convicted, individuals face up to 30 years imprisonment or life imprisonment for the most serious crimes.
Human rights and international humanitarian lawOnyinye Chime
This document summarizes a scholarly paper on human rights and international humanitarian law as it relates to armed conflicts since 1945. It discusses how the atrocities of World War II led to efforts to establish universal human rights and hold violators accountable. The United Nations played a key role through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which outlined civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. However, the declaration is non-binding, which some see as an advantage allowing flexibility, while others view as a shortcoming due to its lack of legal force. Overall, the document examines the development of international law on human rights and its application during armed conflict.
International Humanitarian Law governs armed conflicts to minimize suffering. During the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the conflict evolved from an internal struggle to an international war. While the Geneva Conventions applied, violations may have occurred such as the My Lai Massacre where U.S. soldiers killed civilians. Other controversial actions included the use of Agent Orange to defoliate jungles, which left health issues for Vietnamese. The war ended in 1975 with North Vietnam defeating South Vietnam and reuniting the country.
International humanitarian law (IHL) applies during armed conflicts and prohibits acts aimed at terrorizing civilians. Even when IHL does not apply, fundamental human rights and humanitarian laws cannot be violated. States must ensure counterterrorism measures comply with international law. The use of force in self-defense is permitted under Article 51 of the UN Charter in response to an armed attack, but the response must be necessary, proportional, and avoid further escalation when possible.
This document discusses the legal framework governing armed conflict under international law. It outlines the purpose and key principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. It also discusses the relationship between IHL and International Human Rights Law, and how both apply during armed conflict. Finally, it examines some of the challenges posed by contemporary armed conflicts, including issues around non-state armed groups and implementation of the law.
International humanitarian law (IHL) has its origins in the 19th century but is based on older principles of mitigating human suffering during armed conflict. IHL is derived from both historical sources like the 1864 Geneva Convention and 1907 Hague Regulations, as well as modern treaties like the 1949 Geneva Conventions and 1977 Additional Protocols. These sources aim to balance military necessity with humanitarian protections for civilians and combatants. IHL also includes customary international law derived from widespread and consistent state practice followed out of a sense of legal obligation.
This document summarizes international humanitarian law (IHL), including its sources in customary international law and treaties like the Hague and Geneva Conventions. It describes the key principles of IHL like distinction, proportionality, and military necessity. It discusses the different types of armed conflicts and protected persons under IHL such as civilians, prisoners of war, and the wounded. It also outlines prohibitions on means and methods of warfare and the application of IHL to non-international armed conflicts.
International humanitarian law presentationRida Khan
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) regulates the conduct of armed conflicts and seeks to limit human suffering. It originated in the 19th century and is now comprised of the Geneva Conventions and additional protocols that protect civilians, prisoners of war, and others not participating in hostilities. IHL applies in both international and non-international armed conflicts and restricts certain weapons and tactics while providing humanitarian protections and oversight of compliance.
The document discusses the definitions and sources of international humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the laws of war. It explains that IHL aims to limit suffering and protect civilians during armed conflicts by establishing rules for combatants and military objectives. The main sources of IHL are lawmaking treaties like the Geneva and Hague Conventions, as well as customary international law. The document outlines the key purposes and applicability of IHL, and consequences for violating its provisions.
Militaries Role In Combating Terrorism
Essay On Terrorism
Essay on Terrorism
Terrorism : A Global Issue Essay
Essay on terrorism
Essay on Terrorism: Its Forms and Effects
Terrorism Essay
Essay on Terrorism
Essay on Terrorism
This document summarizes research on the relationship between terrorist organizations and mass media. It discusses how terrorists have become "learning organizations" that strategically use media coverage to disseminate their messages and evaluate the effectiveness of their actions. While some argue terrorists and media have a symbiotic relationship where more coverage encourages more attacks, the document also notes that terrorism is ineffective in countries without free press. It examines techniques terrorists use to manipulate media coverage and how their understanding of audiences helps shape their tactics.
This document discusses definitions of terrorism. It notes that there is no universally agreed upon definition, but most definitions reference elements like violence, political motives, creating fear, and planned/organized actions. The document also discusses different types of terrorism like state, state-sponsored, and insurgent terrorism. It argues that the term "terrorism" is a politically constructed label used to delegitimize certain actors and justify state responses. Overall, the document examines the complexities around defining and conceptualizing terrorism.
1. The document discusses the threat posed by ISIS to global human security and international law. It argues that both minimalist and maximalist approaches to human security are needed to adequately address the human rights abuses committed by ISIS, including acts of extreme torture, rape, and sexual slavery.
2. A key point made is that the international community must not only acknowledge the evil and inhumane acts of ISIS, but must also employ legal channels and instruments to criminalize the atrocities and hold perpetrators accountable. Collective security requires recognition of abuses as well as justice through appropriate punishment.
3. The paper aims to examine ISIS's religious ideology and connection to sexual violence, discuss theories of
This document summarizes a paper on using soft power and diplomacy in counter-terrorism strategies, with a focus on Turkey. It begins with definitions of hard power and soft power, noting that hard power approaches to counter-terrorism have not always been effective. It then discusses reasons for terrorism, including social and political injustice, the belief that violence can create change, lack of education and poverty. The document reviews literature on the role of diplomacy and aims of soft power in counter-terrorism. It identifies specific soft power strategies like conducting information campaigns and creating negative images of terrorists. It concludes that while effective use of force is important, preventing radicalization through soft power is even more critical to counter-terrorism
This document discusses definitions of terrorism from various government and international organizations. It notes that there is no universally agreed upon definition. The US Department of Defense, FBI, and Department of State each have their own definitions that focus on unlawful violence or threats of violence intended to create fear and coerce for political, religious or ideological goals. The UN and British government also have their own definitions. The document examines key elements of terrorism, such as it being a tactic to influence audiences beyond the immediate victims, and how terrorists seek publicity through violence. Experts note challenges in defining terrorism given its politically charged nature.
As outlined in the course lesson, the United Nations (UN) has plmallisonshavon
As outlined in the course lesson, the United Nations (UN) has played an active role in protecting and serving the global community in a variety of areas that include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development, and upholding international laws. In this discussion, you will consider the role of humanitarian aid.
The UN is well-known for providing humanitarian aid such as food, water, medical supplies, personnel, resources, and necessities after disasters, such as terrorist attacks, that occur in war-torn areas of the globe. Do you believe that the humanitarian aid provided by the UN is enough? Do you believe that other NATO nations should be required to provide humanitarian aid after a terrorist attack? Why, or why not?
ANSWER THE ABOVE QUESTION AND THEN REPLY TO MY CLASSMATE’S RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTION AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU AGREE? (A MINIMUM OF 150 WORDS EACH)
CLASSMATE’S POST
This is an interesting question. The United Nations is, indeed, well-known for their humanitarian efforts around the globe. According to the United Nations website (n.d.), “The Organization is now relied upon by the international community to coordinate humanitarian relief of emergencies due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of national authorities alone.” However, what one has to consider is
what is
enough
?
The mission of the United Nations is, indeed, a good one. It brings together nations from across the globe to help each other in the areas descried in the Professor’s post. In assessing
is it enough,
one has to think about the obstacles that occur in the provision of humanitarian aid. In third-world countries, the aid doesn’t always reach the intended target. In war-torn countries, there are often attacks on those trying to simply deliver humanitarian aid to those in need. “Tragically…the growing threat of violence against aid workers is putting humanitarian efforts at risk” (Warren, 2020). One would think that someone trying to aid other men, women, and children would not be at risk but, unfortunately, that is simply not true. Patricia McIlreavy, Vice President of Humanitarian Policy and Practice at InterAction, as cited in Warren (2020) states: “Aid workers are under attack. We are bleeding from a thousand small cuts. We are being robbed, raped, and murdered in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and countless other places.” Therefore, the question lingers of how to effectively deliver humanitarian aid to all countries in need when it is so very difficult in some places. Van Brabant, as cited in Childs (2013), states “Acceptance, in the sense of a risk management strategy, is the reduction of the likelihood of targeted attacks by reducing or removing the motivation to attack.” In response to this quote, Childs (2013) states “Aid agencies have depended upon an appre ...
[2012 12-04 3] - terrorism definition and typeCarlos Oliveira
The document discusses definitions of terrorism and analyzes prevailing definitions. It notes that an agreed upon international definition is lacking due to various perspectives and complexities. Existing definitions are seen as vague, biased and based on self-interests. They also fail to distinguish between terrorism and legitimate freedom struggles. The document proposes that a comprehensive discussion under the UN is needed to develop a definition that is not influenced by self-interests and differentiates terrorism from freedom fighting and guerrilla warfare. It also outlines various types of terrorism like religious and nationalist terrorism that exist due to factors like globalization and social injustice.
The document discusses terrorism risk in the insurance sector. It defines terrorism and outlines the challenges in quantifying terrorism risk due to the unpredictable nature of terrorist attacks. Terrorism risk has three main components - threat, vulnerability, and consequence. Threat refers to the probability of an attack occurring, vulnerability is the probability of damage resulting from an attack, and consequence is the expected magnitude of damage. Terrorism risk is calculated as the product of these three components. Estimating each component is challenging due to uncertainties. The document also provides a brief history of terrorism and different types of terrorism.
This document discusses the role of media in terrorism. It begins by defining terrorism and outlining its history. It then examines how terrorists now exploit technology and media to advance their causes. Terrorists utilize communication devices like cell phones and laptops to plan attacks more easily. They also leverage the internet and software to develop and execute their plans. The document argues that modern technology has amplified the threats and horrors of terrorism, and that terrorists misuse engineering fields like electronics and biotechnology to create havoc in the world.
This document is a research paper that examines how changing media technologies have influenced modern Islamic terrorism, focusing on al-Qaeda and ISIS. It discusses how these groups have exploited new media to control their messaging and directly reach target audiences, circumventing traditional media. The paper charts the evolution of terrorist media strategies, from al-Qaeda's early use of televised interviews and attacks designed as "spectacles", to innovations like online propaganda by Zarqawi and Awlaki, and ISIS's heavy reliance on social media. It analyzes several major propaganda releases to show how terrorism has adapted to technological changes.
International Humanitarian Law Debate Championship 2016Terence Aaron
These are the motion, context and information slides for the International Humanitarian Law Debate Championship 2016.
Adjudication Core: Banun Sabri (IIUM/International Islamic University of Malaysia), Terence Aaron (UT MARA/University of Technology MARA) and Leeroy Ting Kah Sing (UM/ University of Malaya)
Dates: 9-11 December
If you have any questions on the slides, feel free to forward
Role of ICC in Promoting International Humanitarian LawAnurag Chakma
The International Criminal Court investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. It was established in 2002 and has 120 member states. The Court complements national courts and only investigates crimes within its jurisdiction when states are unwilling or unable to prosecute. If convicted, individuals face up to 30 years imprisonment or life imprisonment for the most serious crimes.
Human rights and international humanitarian lawOnyinye Chime
This document summarizes a scholarly paper on human rights and international humanitarian law as it relates to armed conflicts since 1945. It discusses how the atrocities of World War II led to efforts to establish universal human rights and hold violators accountable. The United Nations played a key role through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which outlined civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. However, the declaration is non-binding, which some see as an advantage allowing flexibility, while others view as a shortcoming due to its lack of legal force. Overall, the document examines the development of international law on human rights and its application during armed conflict.
International Humanitarian Law governs armed conflicts to minimize suffering. During the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the conflict evolved from an internal struggle to an international war. While the Geneva Conventions applied, violations may have occurred such as the My Lai Massacre where U.S. soldiers killed civilians. Other controversial actions included the use of Agent Orange to defoliate jungles, which left health issues for Vietnamese. The war ended in 1975 with North Vietnam defeating South Vietnam and reuniting the country.
International humanitarian law (IHL) applies during armed conflicts and prohibits acts aimed at terrorizing civilians. Even when IHL does not apply, fundamental human rights and humanitarian laws cannot be violated. States must ensure counterterrorism measures comply with international law. The use of force in self-defense is permitted under Article 51 of the UN Charter in response to an armed attack, but the response must be necessary, proportional, and avoid further escalation when possible.
This document discusses the legal framework governing armed conflict under international law. It outlines the purpose and key principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. It also discusses the relationship between IHL and International Human Rights Law, and how both apply during armed conflict. Finally, it examines some of the challenges posed by contemporary armed conflicts, including issues around non-state armed groups and implementation of the law.
International humanitarian law (IHL) has its origins in the 19th century but is based on older principles of mitigating human suffering during armed conflict. IHL is derived from both historical sources like the 1864 Geneva Convention and 1907 Hague Regulations, as well as modern treaties like the 1949 Geneva Conventions and 1977 Additional Protocols. These sources aim to balance military necessity with humanitarian protections for civilians and combatants. IHL also includes customary international law derived from widespread and consistent state practice followed out of a sense of legal obligation.
This document summarizes international humanitarian law (IHL), including its sources in customary international law and treaties like the Hague and Geneva Conventions. It describes the key principles of IHL like distinction, proportionality, and military necessity. It discusses the different types of armed conflicts and protected persons under IHL such as civilians, prisoners of war, and the wounded. It also outlines prohibitions on means and methods of warfare and the application of IHL to non-international armed conflicts.
International humanitarian law presentationRida Khan
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) regulates the conduct of armed conflicts and seeks to limit human suffering. It originated in the 19th century and is now comprised of the Geneva Conventions and additional protocols that protect civilians, prisoners of war, and others not participating in hostilities. IHL applies in both international and non-international armed conflicts and restricts certain weapons and tactics while providing humanitarian protections and oversight of compliance.
The document discusses the definitions and sources of international humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the laws of war. It explains that IHL aims to limit suffering and protect civilians during armed conflicts by establishing rules for combatants and military objectives. The main sources of IHL are lawmaking treaties like the Geneva and Hague Conventions, as well as customary international law. The document outlines the key purposes and applicability of IHL, and consequences for violating its provisions.
Militaries Role In Combating Terrorism
Essay On Terrorism
Essay on Terrorism
Terrorism : A Global Issue Essay
Essay on terrorism
Essay on Terrorism: Its Forms and Effects
Terrorism Essay
Essay on Terrorism
Essay on Terrorism
This document summarizes research on the relationship between terrorist organizations and mass media. It discusses how terrorists have become "learning organizations" that strategically use media coverage to disseminate their messages and evaluate the effectiveness of their actions. While some argue terrorists and media have a symbiotic relationship where more coverage encourages more attacks, the document also notes that terrorism is ineffective in countries without free press. It examines techniques terrorists use to manipulate media coverage and how their understanding of audiences helps shape their tactics.
This document discusses definitions of terrorism. It notes that there is no universally agreed upon definition, but most definitions reference elements like violence, political motives, creating fear, and planned/organized actions. The document also discusses different types of terrorism like state, state-sponsored, and insurgent terrorism. It argues that the term "terrorism" is a politically constructed label used to delegitimize certain actors and justify state responses. Overall, the document examines the complexities around defining and conceptualizing terrorism.
1. The document discusses the threat posed by ISIS to global human security and international law. It argues that both minimalist and maximalist approaches to human security are needed to adequately address the human rights abuses committed by ISIS, including acts of extreme torture, rape, and sexual slavery.
2. A key point made is that the international community must not only acknowledge the evil and inhumane acts of ISIS, but must also employ legal channels and instruments to criminalize the atrocities and hold perpetrators accountable. Collective security requires recognition of abuses as well as justice through appropriate punishment.
3. The paper aims to examine ISIS's religious ideology and connection to sexual violence, discuss theories of
This document summarizes a paper on using soft power and diplomacy in counter-terrorism strategies, with a focus on Turkey. It begins with definitions of hard power and soft power, noting that hard power approaches to counter-terrorism have not always been effective. It then discusses reasons for terrorism, including social and political injustice, the belief that violence can create change, lack of education and poverty. The document reviews literature on the role of diplomacy and aims of soft power in counter-terrorism. It identifies specific soft power strategies like conducting information campaigns and creating negative images of terrorists. It concludes that while effective use of force is important, preventing radicalization through soft power is even more critical to counter-terrorism
This document discusses definitions of terrorism from various government and international organizations. It notes that there is no universally agreed upon definition. The US Department of Defense, FBI, and Department of State each have their own definitions that focus on unlawful violence or threats of violence intended to create fear and coerce for political, religious or ideological goals. The UN and British government also have their own definitions. The document examines key elements of terrorism, such as it being a tactic to influence audiences beyond the immediate victims, and how terrorists seek publicity through violence. Experts note challenges in defining terrorism given its politically charged nature.
As outlined in the course lesson, the United Nations (UN) has plmallisonshavon
As outlined in the course lesson, the United Nations (UN) has played an active role in protecting and serving the global community in a variety of areas that include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development, and upholding international laws. In this discussion, you will consider the role of humanitarian aid.
The UN is well-known for providing humanitarian aid such as food, water, medical supplies, personnel, resources, and necessities after disasters, such as terrorist attacks, that occur in war-torn areas of the globe. Do you believe that the humanitarian aid provided by the UN is enough? Do you believe that other NATO nations should be required to provide humanitarian aid after a terrorist attack? Why, or why not?
ANSWER THE ABOVE QUESTION AND THEN REPLY TO MY CLASSMATE’S RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTION AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU AGREE? (A MINIMUM OF 150 WORDS EACH)
CLASSMATE’S POST
This is an interesting question. The United Nations is, indeed, well-known for their humanitarian efforts around the globe. According to the United Nations website (n.d.), “The Organization is now relied upon by the international community to coordinate humanitarian relief of emergencies due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of national authorities alone.” However, what one has to consider is
what is
enough
?
The mission of the United Nations is, indeed, a good one. It brings together nations from across the globe to help each other in the areas descried in the Professor’s post. In assessing
is it enough,
one has to think about the obstacles that occur in the provision of humanitarian aid. In third-world countries, the aid doesn’t always reach the intended target. In war-torn countries, there are often attacks on those trying to simply deliver humanitarian aid to those in need. “Tragically…the growing threat of violence against aid workers is putting humanitarian efforts at risk” (Warren, 2020). One would think that someone trying to aid other men, women, and children would not be at risk but, unfortunately, that is simply not true. Patricia McIlreavy, Vice President of Humanitarian Policy and Practice at InterAction, as cited in Warren (2020) states: “Aid workers are under attack. We are bleeding from a thousand small cuts. We are being robbed, raped, and murdered in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and countless other places.” Therefore, the question lingers of how to effectively deliver humanitarian aid to all countries in need when it is so very difficult in some places. Van Brabant, as cited in Childs (2013), states “Acceptance, in the sense of a risk management strategy, is the reduction of the likelihood of targeted attacks by reducing or removing the motivation to attack.” In response to this quote, Childs (2013) states “Aid agencies have depended upon an appre ...
[2012 12-04 3] - terrorism definition and typeCarlos Oliveira
The document discusses definitions of terrorism and analyzes prevailing definitions. It notes that an agreed upon international definition is lacking due to various perspectives and complexities. Existing definitions are seen as vague, biased and based on self-interests. They also fail to distinguish between terrorism and legitimate freedom struggles. The document proposes that a comprehensive discussion under the UN is needed to develop a definition that is not influenced by self-interests and differentiates terrorism from freedom fighting and guerrilla warfare. It also outlines various types of terrorism like religious and nationalist terrorism that exist due to factors like globalization and social injustice.
The document discusses terrorism risk in the insurance sector. It defines terrorism and outlines the challenges in quantifying terrorism risk due to the unpredictable nature of terrorist attacks. Terrorism risk has three main components - threat, vulnerability, and consequence. Threat refers to the probability of an attack occurring, vulnerability is the probability of damage resulting from an attack, and consequence is the expected magnitude of damage. Terrorism risk is calculated as the product of these three components. Estimating each component is challenging due to uncertainties. The document also provides a brief history of terrorism and different types of terrorism.
This document discusses the role of media in terrorism. It begins by defining terrorism and outlining its history. It then examines how terrorists now exploit technology and media to advance their causes. Terrorists utilize communication devices like cell phones and laptops to plan attacks more easily. They also leverage the internet and software to develop and execute their plans. The document argues that modern technology has amplified the threats and horrors of terrorism, and that terrorists misuse engineering fields like electronics and biotechnology to create havoc in the world.
This document is a research paper that examines how changing media technologies have influenced modern Islamic terrorism, focusing on al-Qaeda and ISIS. It discusses how these groups have exploited new media to control their messaging and directly reach target audiences, circumventing traditional media. The paper charts the evolution of terrorist media strategies, from al-Qaeda's early use of televised interviews and attacks designed as "spectacles", to innovations like online propaganda by Zarqawi and Awlaki, and ISIS's heavy reliance on social media. It analyzes several major propaganda releases to show how terrorism has adapted to technological changes.
This document discusses definitions of terrorism from different perspectives and their implications. It examines definitions from international bodies, governments, law enforcement, counterterrorism groups, legal systems, and academics. While a universal definition has been elusive due to different biases and goals, the document emphasizes that terrorism involves premeditated violence against non-combatants for political, social, or psychological goals. Legal definitions are important for successful investigation and prosecution of terrorists, but they must balance security with civil liberties. Education is also discussed as significantly impacted by terrorism.
The document discusses terrorism and its causes and responses. It notes that terrorism first emerged during the French Revolution and has since become a prominent problem worldwide. Modern terrorist groups like ISIS have carried out deadly attacks in cities like Paris. While some argue for diplomatic solutions, the document asserts that using military and special forces to target leaders and funders is a more realistic approach to ending terrorism, as many terrorist groups are too radical to negotiate.
Similar to Is Terrorism an Issue for Humanitarian Agencies? (14)
Security in Numbers Database (SiND): Monitoring Actions that Interfere with A...Insecurity Insight
The document discusses the Security in Numbers Database (SiND) which monitors security incidents affecting aid delivery. The database profiles patterns of threats and vulnerabilities to help agencies improve security management. It tracks who did what to whom, when, where, and with what weapon. Partner organizations can access aggregated data on trends, request security profiles for countries, and get tailor-made analysis of their own incident patterns compared to others. Submitting basic incident descriptions helps supplement information and improves the database's reliability, with confidentiality protections for all agencies.
How do security events affecting humanitarian agencies differ between rural a...Insecurity Insight
The document analyzes security incidents affecting humanitarian agencies between 2008-2010 to compare differences between urban and rural environments. It finds that while more incidents were reported in rural areas, international NGOs faced slightly higher risks, while UN agencies and the Red Cross faced greater risks in urban areas. Rural incidents were more likely to involve attacks by armed groups during the day on service buildings, vehicles, and checkpoints. Urban incidents saw higher crime, especially burglaries at night targeting residences, compounds, and staff. The analysis aims to help agencies anticipate location-specific risks to better manage security.
Aid, Gender and Security: The Gendered Nature of Security Events Affecting Ai...Insecurity Insight
Men and women experience security events affecting aid workers in gendered ways. The data analyzed comes from 1,361 aid workers affected in 615 incidents between 2008-2010, though gender information was missing for 583 victims. While men comprised the majority (622) of reported victims, the data is limited and does not indicate differing risk levels. The analysis found that women experience proportionally more threats and crime-related events in urban areas and at residences/workplaces. Men experience more injuries/deaths from state militaries and non-state actors during travel or in rural areas. Regionally, men are more affected in the Middle East and Asia while women face more events in Africa and Latin America.
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Explosive weapons like bombs, artillery shells, and IEDs cause thousands of civilian deaths and injuries each year when used in populated areas. They often have wide-area effects that users cannot control, disproportionately killing and injuring women and children. While states prohibit civilian possession of such weapons, international law has not effectively minimized their humanitarian harm. The report argues explosive weapons should generally not be used where those employing force are responsible to the local population, and that their use in populated areas should be stigmatized. It calls on states and organizations to prevent such use and better support victims.
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LAND USE LAND COVER AND NDVI OF MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UPRAHUL
This Dissertation explores the particular circumstances of Mirzapur, a region located in the
core of India. Mirzapur, with its varied terrains and abundant biodiversity, offers an optimal
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Therefore, human intervention has significantly influenced land use patterns over many
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Accurate understanding of land use and cover is imperative for the development planning
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Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
9
Changes in vegetation cover refer to variations in the distribution, composition, and overall
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ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, and GDPR: Best Practices for Implementation and...PECB
Denis is a dynamic and results-driven Chief Information Officer (CIO) with a distinguished career spanning information systems analysis and technical project management. With a proven track record of spearheading the design and delivery of cutting-edge Information Management solutions, he has consistently elevated business operations, streamlined reporting functions, and maximized process efficiency.
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Date: May 29, 2024
Tags: Information Security, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, Artificial Intelligence, GDPR
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ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, and GDPR: Best Practices for Implementation and...
Is Terrorism an Issue for Humanitarian Agencies?
1. PERSPECTIVES 3
Is Terrorism an Issue for
Humanitarian Agencies?
Christina Wille
&
Larissa Fast
Issued by:
2. PERSPECTIVES
Papers presented under “Perspectives” introduce original contributions and points of view on risk and
security management of non-profit aid organisations. They are not authored by SMI, nor necessarily
represent the point of view of SMI, but are issued by SMI as interesting contributions to the debate on
risk and security management of non-profit aid organisations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christina Wille is the Director of Insecurity Insight. Ms Wille has worked on human security issues for
over 10 years in international organizations and research institutions in Europe, Asia and Sub-Saharan
Africa. From 2003 to 2007, she worked as a senior researcher for the Small Arms Survey in Geneva and
developed a particular interest in documenting levels and patterns of violence in developing countries
where data collection practices are inadequate. She holds an MPhil in International Relations / European
Studies from the University of Cambridge in the UK.
Larissa Fast is Assistant Professor at the Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame and an Associate to
Insecurity Insight on the SiND project. Her research has focused primarily on violence against aid
workers, and she is currently working on a book manuscript titled Aid in Danger. She has worked for
international organizations, primarily in North America and Africa, as a project manager, consultant, and
trainer. Fast's recent publications include a chapter on violence against aid workers in the European
Journal of International Relations (September 2010).
ABOUT INSECURITY INSIGHT
Insecurity Insight is a team of experts who apply an innovative method for generating data on the impact
of insecurity on people's lives and wellbeing. Insecurity Insight runs independent projects and assists
partners in gathering data or making better use of existing data. Its methodology, based on the 'Taback-
Coupland model' of armed violence, has been used to study:
the nature and patterns of people's insecurity during armed conflict
insecurity associated with sexual, criminal and insurgent violence
insecurity arising from particular categories of weapon (e.g. bombs, small arms)
insecurity among particular groups of victims, including journalists and humanitarian workers.
The Security in Numbers Database (SiND) project tracks incidents of violence against aid organizations,
their staff members, programs, and offices as well as the impact of such incidents on humanitarian work
more generally. The database incorporates incidents submitted by participating partner agencies and
open source media reported events.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Security Management Initiative (SMI) is grateful to Christina Wille, Larissa Fast and Insecurity Insight
for making this text available to a wider audience. The authors are grateful to Maarten Merkelbach for
his comments on earlier drafts of this text.
The Security Management Initiative wishes to express its gratitude to the Federal Department of Foreign
Affairs of Switzerland for the financial support that made this publication possible.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 2
3. CONTENTS
I INTRODUCTION
4
A look at the effect of terrorism on agencies’ access and activities
4
What are ‘terrorist events’ that influence humanitarian work?
4
Category 1 5
Category 2 5
Category 3 6
Illustrations of the types of events included in the categories 6
II QUESTIONS AND APPROACHES 7
What does lethality of an event and the weapon’s use tell us about the intention of
the perpetrator? 7
Comparing attacks by armed opposition groups (AOGs) on humanitarian agencies
(category 1) to general ‘terrorist events’ 8
Differences in Patterns between Humanitarian agencies caught in the crossfire
(category 2) and attacks by AOGs on humanitarian work (category 1) 9
The most affected countries
10
The use of law enforcement and administrative measures against humanitarian
agencies (category 3) 11
III IMPACT OF TERRORIST RELATED EVENTS ON AID OPERATIONS 12
IV CONCLUSION 14
ENDNOTES 15
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 3
4. I. INTRODUCTION
THE EFFECT OF Should aid workers be concerned about terrorism? With reports of terrorism
TERRORISM ON regularly appearing in the news, this question is a pertinent one for aid
AGENCIES’ ACCESS AND agencies. In May 2010 the Security Management Initiative (SMI) at the
ACTIVITIES Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP) convened a group of experts and
international aid/humanitarian agency practitioners to consider the impact
of ‘terrorism’ on the work of humanitarian agencies.1 In support of this
theme, Insecurity Insight used its global Security in Numbers Database (SiND)
of events affecting the delivery of aid for empirical evidence to address this
question. The SiND is being built in partnership with humanitarian agencies
and umbrella organisations and brings together information on a wide range
of incidents or threats of violence affecting aid workers and aid delivery,
from the most severe to generalized insecurity and threats of violence.2
WHAT ARE ‘TERRORIST Terrorism can be described as violence used to inflict fear in support for a
EVENTS’ THAT INFLUENCE political goal. However, a definition of ‘terrorism’ in relation to incidents that
HUMANITARIAN WORK? affect humanitarian aid is challenging not only because of the lack of a
consensus definition of terrorism but because the term does not resonate
well with the humanitarian principle of neutrality in conflict contexts. In
reporting acts of violence, humanitarian agencies tend not refer to attacks
against them or their work as ‘terrorism’. Their reluctance to use such a
politicised term, for which some 100 definitions exist3, is understandable
since the use of the label ‘terrorist’ against certain groups may exacerbate
the risks for aid agencies. Agencies’ avoidance of the term ‘terrorist’ mirrors
the absence of the word in media reports about attacks on these agencies.
This does not mean, however, that groups labeled as ‘terrorist’ do not attack
humanitarian agencies. In fact, the SiND contains 132 violent events affecting
aid delivery perpetrated by designated terrorist organizations.4 Most events
took place in a few countries: Afghanistan (58), Somalia (36) and Pakistan
(12)5. The overall impact of ‘terrorism’ on the delivery of aid is much broader
than attacks by designated terrorist organisations on humanitarian agencies.
Humanitarian workers may be caught in the crossfire of military actions and
security operations against ‘terrorists’ and other armed opposition groups.
Law-enforcement and counter-terrorism measures can also affect the ability
of humanitarian agencies to provide aid to those most in need, such as
where access to volatile areas is restricted or where humanitarian agencies
are accused of assisting terrorists through the provision of medical care.
The understanding of terrorism used in this paper, therefore, covers:
any reported event in which humanitarian staff or the delivery of aid
was affected by acts committed by designated terrorist organisations
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 4
5. or by unspecified groups that target aid agencies;
Any reported event in which state authorities used violence in
counter-terrorism measures against designated terrorist
organisations or armed opposition groups and where aid agencies
were affected by the events; and
events in which state authorities or law enforcement agencies took
administrative or legal measures against aid agencies or staff
members in a broad framework of counter-terrorist or counter-
insurgency measures.
SIND DATABASE: SIX In practical terms the relevant events were selected from the dataset on the
‘WS’ AND THREE basis of the available information about the perpetrator and the recorded
CATEGORIES context in which the event occurred. This follows the general approach used
by Insecurity Insight where events are analysed on the basis of their
particular characteristics rather than any pre-determined label. The database
contains information on the so-called six ‘Ws’: who did what to whom,
where, when, and with what weapons as a means of describing the nature of
events.6 By looking at details and patterns in the variables of the six ‘Ws’, we
have defined three categories of events that present three different forms of
terrorist related events (‘terrorism’ or ‘counter-terrorism’) that affect aid
agencies. At the time of analysis the SiND database included 1,071 incidents
for the period 1 July 2008 to 31 March 2010.7 397 of these events are used in
this paper in one of three categories of terrorist related events:
Category 1 Category 1: Attacks against aid agencies by armed opposition groups
(AOGs), which includes attacks by a designated terrorist organisation.
This category covers 238 events. The term ‘armed opposition group’ (AOG) is
used throughout this paper to describe groups of people who carry out or
threaten violent acts that they justify with reference to political objectives of
some form, whether directed against their own governments, foreign
powers, or aid agencies, for example, in view of the value system(s) they
espouse. It also includes other armed groups that deliberately target
humanitarian agencies but whose identity may not be known or whose
motives are at times obscure.8
Category 2 Category 2: Incidents in which the delivery of humanitarian aid is affected
because staff members are caught in the cross-fire or vital infrastructure is
damaged during military action between government forces and armed
opposition groups
This category covers 88 events.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 5
6. Category 3 Category 3: Incidents in which governments take administrative decisions
that hinder the delivery of aid or events in which law-enforcement agencies
intervene in such a way that they obstruct the work of humanitarian
agencies
This category covers 71 events. It combines legitimate law enforcement
actions with administrative or other measures that could be or are politically
motivated. A large proportion of these events occur in the context of
counter-terrorism.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE TYPES OF EVENTS INCLUDED IN THE THREE
CATEGORIES:
Category 1:
On 10 March 2010, fifteen gunmen arrived in pickup trucks and stormed the
World Vision office near the town of Oghi in the Mansehra district of North
West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. An eyewitness reported how the
gunmen dragged the Pakistani employees one by one into a room where
three men and two women were shot and killed. Seven other people were
injured. Six days later a seventh person succumbed to his injuries. World
Vision worked in Pakistan since 2001. In 2005 the agency provided post
earthquake relief and most recently had focused on livelihood programmes
for the poorest families in the valley. Most of its staff were Pakistani
Muslims. World Vision suspended all operations in Pakistan, where the
agency employed approximately 300 people.
Category 2:
A year earlier, on 1 February 2009, two Médécins Sans Frontières (MSF)
ambulances carrying Pakistani medical staff left Mingora town in the Swat
valley to bring people injured in Charbagh in the fighting between the
Pakistani army and Taliban-led forces to the hospital for treatment. The
clearly marked ambulances were caught in an exchange of fire and two of
the medical staff were killed and one injured. MSF suspended its medical
activities in Swat, including all life-saving operations, for several months.9
Category 3:
In April 2010, nine staff members were arrested accused of planning to
assassinate the governor of Helmand province after explosive were found in
the hospital. The NGO Emergency believes that someone planted the
explosives on the premises of their hospital. Some observers speculate that
the organisation’s policy of treated any wounded, including Taliban, has been
interpreted as partisanship and cause for suspicion.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 6
7. II. QUESTIONS AND APPROACHES
Should agencies be concerned about terrorism? To answer this question we
ask whether there is a specific kind of ‘terrorism’ directed against aid
agencies that may be different from ‘general’ forms of terrorism, understood
to be use or threat of violence to inflict fear in support of a political goal. We
then examine how the nature of the three categories of violent events,
threats or interference may vary, how their frequency might differ between
the most affected countries, and how agencies responses to the three
different categories of terrorist related events might change.
Two problems make such quantitative work difficult: First, in most cases we
do not have explicit information on the intention of perpetrators. Event
accounts by affected agencies or observers (such as security coordination
bodies or the media) can usually only speculate about possible motives when
no group claimed responsibility . An assessment of intention in this work can
therefore only be based on reported characteristics of the event. Second, we
do not have a complete dataset with every single incident. We have even less
complete information on the effect of incidents on the delivery of aid.
Comparing the relative importance of different types of incidents based on
how frequently such types appear in the database is not reliable because
various forms of reporting bias may influence the likelihood that different
types of event are recorded in the database. Even though we lack reliable
information on the motive and the frequency of these events, it is possible to
use the data to gain insights into particular patterns of the three categories
of violence by highlighting observable differences in the use of weapons, the
lethality of events, the reported impact on aid delivery, the location, and the
type of attack.
LETHALITY, WEAPONS What does Lethality of an event and the weapons used tell us about the
USED AND INTENTION intention of the perpetrator?
OF THE PERPETRATOR.
When the war surgeon Robin Coupland worked in International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC) field hospitals assisting war victims he observed that
different forms of violence led to divergent consequences in terms of how
many people were killed and how many were injured. In considering the
lethality of events based on the ratio of killed to injured people
(killed/injured), he noticed that the ratio could vary enormously. Observing
the nature of events with particular high or low lethality in more detail he
noticed that the choice of weapon and the intention of the perpetrator were
two important factors that determined how many people suffered and in
what form. The intention to kill combined with the use of a firearm usually
results in greater numbers of killed than injured. Other types of gun attacks
with a lower killed to injured ratio indicate different types of intention.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 7
8. Perpetrators who used explosives tended to cause large-scale damage, often
injuring many people, but killing proportionally fewer.10 Based on these
observations we use the lethality measure (killed/injured ratio) and the type
of weapons used as being indicators of the perpetrator’s likely intention to
harm. A lethality ratio above 1.0 is indicative of an intention to kill.
COMPARING ATTACKS BY Events in which armed opposition groups attacked humanitarian agencies
ARMED OPPOSITION have occurred relatively frequently over the past 21 months and have often
GROUPS (AOGS) ON involved the use of small arms in targeted operations rather than bombings,
HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES the second being a tactic widely associated with ‘terrorist’ style events. The
(CATEGORY 1) 238 attacks recorded in the SiND in which AOGs harmed humanitarian
TO GENERAL ‘TERRORIST agencies represent an attack on average, every 2.7 days, with varying effects
11
EVENTS’ for the organisation.12 Approximately two-thirds (at least 68 percent, see
Graph 1) of attacks by armed opposition groups against humanitarian
agencies or their staff members appear deliberate and targeted for unknown
motives, for the theft of resources, or as a result of conflicts in which
employees may have been involved.13
Graph 1 shows attacks and threats by armed opposition groups on
humanitarian agencies (category 1), measured in total number of recorded
attacks and threats as pre SiND database.
Graph 1:
Attacks and threats by
armed opposition
groups on
humanitarian
agencies
Source: SiND
General terrorist attacks carried out on hotels, markets or police stations
have only occasionally directly affected humanitarian agencies because staff
members happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time or because
the office was in the vicinity of the attacked building. This suggests that
‘terrorism’ in general has less of a direct physical impact on humanitarian
staff than targeted attacks on aid agencies.
Graph 2 illustrates that the tactics used in general terrorist attacks and
events that target humanitarian agencies are different. According to the US
National Counterterrorism Center, the perpetrators of general ‘terrorist
attacks’ frequently use explosives.14 In contrast, armed opposition groups
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 8
9. frequently use firearms in attacking humanitarian organizations. The use of
firearms suggests a greater intention to hit a specific human target, as
firearms enable targeting of individuals, as opposed to explosives, which are
considerably more indiscriminate in their effects. The targeted nature of
attacks on humanitarian agencies suggests that certain armed opposition
groups either do not agree with their presence, objectives or programmes,
identity, values or modus operandi or perceive a specific strategic or media
advantage in attacking them. While these represent possible motives for
attacks, without better evidence from the perpetrators themselves it is
impossible to definitively determine the reason(s) for an attack.
Graph 2 illustrates the use of different weapons in deaths and injuries during
all ‘terrorist events’ and attacks by AOGs which affected humanitarian aid in
2009, measured in percentage of the total number of reported deaths and
injuries.
Graph 2:
Use of different
weapons in
deaths and injuries.
Source: US Center for Counterterrorism and SiND
DIFFERENCES IN PATTERNS Many governments have taken action against armed opposition groups that
BETWEEN HUMANITARIAN they regard as terrorists, often leaving humanitarian agencies caught in the
AGENCIES CAUGHT IN THE fighting. Such events appear less frequent and less lethal for personnel of
CROSSFIRE (CATEGORY 2) humanitarian agencies compared to the attacks by AOGs. The SiND recorded
AND ATTACKS BY AOGS 88 such events, in which 23 aid workers were killed and 30 injured in cross-
ON HUMANITARIAN WORK fire events over the 21-month period. This figure is three times less than for
(CATEGORY 1) category 1, indicating that it is rarer for humanitarian agencies to be caught
in the cross-fire than to be the victim of a targeted attack. The difference in
numbers of recorded events, however, could also be the result of a greater
media emphasis on targeted attacks (category 1).15 This is one of the key
reasons why the SiND examines the nature of events by looking at the six
‘Ws’ rather than basing a judgement solely on a limited count of fatalities.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 9
10. Graph 3 shows that cross-fire events in which humanitarian workers are
affected (category 2) are less lethal than targeted attacks by armed
opposition groups (category 1). In other words, a greater proportion of aid
workers tend to be wounded rather than killed when caught in a conflict
event compared to events involving targeted attacks on aid workers.
Over half of the category 2 events involved projected or aerially dropped
explosives (61.3%), weapon types that tend to wound more people than they
kill. For category 1 events, where AOGs attacked humanitarian workers
directly, the perpetrators used explosives in only 37.6% of cases (Graph 4).
Graph 3:
Aid worker lethality,
comparing the ratio of
killed to wounded
(killed/injured) for
direct attacks and
cross-fire events
Source: SiND
Graph 4:
Weapons Use:
comparing the use of
weapons in attacks on
humanitarian
agencies and
cross-fire events.
Source: SiND
THE MOST AFFECTED Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan are the countries most affected by AOG
COUNTRIES attacks on humanitarian agencies (Graph 4). Over the last two years, cross-
fire events have most frequently hindered the work of aid agencies in Sri
Lanka and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, specifically Gaza.
Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan take up places three, four and five
respectively in the ranking of countries with the most cross-fire events
affecting the work of aid agencies, highlighting the difficulties and
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 10
11. complexities of such environments. In most countries where governments
take actions under the label of ‘counter-terrorism,’ armed opposition groups
also launch attacks against humanitarian agencies.16
Graphs 5 and 6 show the top five most affected countries, measured in total
number of recorded events for category 1 and 2.
Graph 5:
Security events
perpetrated by AOGs
(category 1)
Source: SiND
Graph 6:
Crossfire events
(category 2)
Source: SiND
THE USE OF LAW Between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2010, several governments used law
ENFORCEMENT AND enforcement and other administrative measures in ways that have affected
ADMINISTRATIVE aid agencies’ ability to carry out their work. The SiND contains 71 such
MEASURES AGAINST events, the majority of which were directly reported by affected agencies. 17
HUMANITARIAN Governments have arrested local employees on terrorist charges, denied
AGENCIES (CATEGORY 3) visas to international staff or revoked their work permits. In some instances,
law enforcement agencies carry out important and legitimate work in
combating terrorism. In other cases it would appear that law enforcement
and administrative measures are used as a deliberate tactic against aid
agencies, possibly with the intention to intimidate agencies or curtail their
activities. Some of these measures are undertaken in the name of ‘counter-
terrorism,’ where agency staff are accused of aiding opposition groups either
through provision of services (including medical care) or by informing media
or humanitarian agencies of the acute suffering of populations linked to
opposition movements. The use of such measures underlines the complex
political contexts in which aid agencies operate, and the challenges of being
perceived as neutral actors. In this sense, some governments may share the
sentiment of designated terrorist organisations with respect to suspicion or
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 11
12. direct hostility to the identity or values of some aid agencies, but use
different tactics. As with other events of deliberate obstruction, the true
extent of such events is likely underreported and cannot be fully judged until
more agencies are prepared to share accounts of such events.
Graph 7 shows numbers of recorded events where law enforcement and
other administrative measures have been used against humanitarian
agencies, shown as the four countries with the highest number of recorded
events.18
Graph 7:
Events of law
enforcement
& administrative
measures used
against humanitarian
agencies.
Source: SiND
III. THE IMPACT OF TERRORIST RELATED EVENTS UPON AID OPERATIONS19
As the security environment deteriorates, agencies often decide to evacuate
staff and temporarily close programmes, sometimes shutting down
operations across a wide area. Information on the extent of such effects on
aid delivery remains incomplete. The SiND records relocations, disruptions of
programmes and suspensions whenever this information is available. Based
on the recorded information, it would appear that the most frequent
disruptions to operations are caused by AOG attacks against aid operations
(74 such events measures were recorded). The available information also
suggests that agencies more often take the decision to scale down the
operation following cross-fire events than following threats from or violent
acts by an AOG. Graph 6 shows how many events in this particular category
are recorded in the database per reported disruption to operations as a
result of this type of category of event. On average, one in 2.1 cross-fire
events led to a disruption in aid delivery, compared to the average of one per
3.2 reported AOG events for disruption to operations being reported and one
per 7.1 reported events by law enforcement or administrative bodies for
each reported impact.
Graphs 8 and 9 compare reported impact of AOG attacks, crossfire events
and law enforcement and administrative measures on aid delivery.
Graph 8 staff relocations, disruptions and suspensions of programmes,
measured by the number of reported events per category.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 12
13. Graph 8:
Reported events of
staff relocations,
disruptions and
suspensions of
programmes, per
category
Source: SiND
Graph 9 shows staff relocations, disruptions and suspensions of programmes,
measured by the ratio of reported staff relocations, disruptions and
suspensions to the number of reported events per category.
Graph 9:
Ratio staff relocations,
disruptions and
suspensions of
programmes per
category.
Source: SiND
IV. CONCLUSION
Is terrorism an issue for aid agencies? The data show that humanitarian
agencies are rarely affected by ‘general terrorist events’. In this sense,
agencies do not need to be overly concerned about global terrorist events.
The practice not to use the term ‘terrorist’ to label armed opposition
movements within the aid community is a prudent one and agencies will do
well not to change their attitude in this respect.
The risk of targeted attacks against humanitarian staff and operations in
certain countries, however, is real. Attacks by designated terrorist cells and
other armed opposition groups have killed, injured and resulted in the
kidnapping of at least 662 individuals over the last 21 months. Targeted
attacks are also the triggering factor behind the biggest proportion of
reported effects on the delivery of aid (58.7 percent). Agencies need to be
aware that targeted attacks against humanitarian aid take specific forms,
such as the frequent use of firearms and attacks on offices and vehicles. This
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 13
14. can assist agencies in their analysis and implementation of their risk
mitigation measures.
Furthermore, the data suggest that aid agencies take security measures that
lead to disruption of operations (staff relocation or programme suspensions)
most frequently in response to cross-fire events and show the most
resilience in responding to legal or administrative actions by governments.
Although the number of recorded staff relocations and programme
suspensions following an AOG event is almost double those in response to
cross-fire events, aid agencies report staff relocations or programme
suspensions less often following an AOG event than a cross-fire incident.
Several factors could explain these findings. Cross-fire events may be seen as
particularly uncontrollable and therefore highly dangerous and potentially
costly for the agency. As a result agencies withdraw or suspend programmes
because they recognise their inability to diminish the ‘effect’ on, or ‘cost’ for,
the agency. In contrast, legal and administrative actions tend to be the least
‘costly’ for an agency in that they rarely result in staff deaths or large-scale
damage for the agency. The characteristics of AOGs events suggest that they
are most often targeted at a particular actor, leading perhaps to a false sense
that ‘this won’t happen to us’. An acceptance strategy that involves
negotiated access and AOG consent for presence provides a mechanism by
which to protect against being targeted and could explain why agencies
withdraw or suspend programmes less often as a result of AOG threats and
attacks. What is less clear from this analysis is how agencies weigh their own
risk tolerance in relation to the level of need and their ability to reach and
assist beneficiaries.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 14
15. ENDNOTES
1
Report of the 5th SMI Senior Security Management Seminar ‘Terrorist Threats and Operational
Space’, http://www.securitymanagementinitiative.org/
2
The Security in Numbers Database (SiND) started as a pilot project in July 2008. Insecurity Insight
signed the first MoU for data sharing in March 2009, and since then six others have been concluded as
of October 2010. Information on the evolving database can be found at
http://www.insecurityinsight.org under project ‘Aid Work in Danger’
http://www.insecurityinsight.org/projectshumanitarian.html. The SiND, in contrast with the Aid
Worker Security Database (AWSD, http://www.aidworkersecurity.org), includes all reported security
events and not only fatalities, severe injuries, and kidnappings.
3
Jeffrey Record (December 2003). "Bounding the Global War on Terrorism". Strategic Studies Institute
(SSI). http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/pub207.pdf, p.6.
4
An armed group was considered a ‘designated terrorist group’ when it appeared on a government list
as a designated terrorist organization. No comprehensive list of organizations exists and different
sources were consulted for different organizations. These include: US State Department
(http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/other/des/123085.htm), the Australian Government
(http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/agd/www/nationalsecurity.nsf/AllDocs/95FB057CA3DECF30CA2
56FAB001F7FBD?OpenDocument), the European Union (http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2005/l_314/l_31420051130en00410045.pdf), the Indian
Government (http://www.mha.gov.in/uniquepage.asp?Id_Pk=292).
5
Other events perpetrated by members of designated terrorist groups were recorded in the
Philippines (7), Darfur (3), Nepal (3), Sri Lanka (3), Central African Republic (2), Chad (2), Bangladesh
(1), Bolivia (1), Colombia (1), Kenya (1), Mauritania (1), and Yemen (1).
6
The SiND follows the practice of developing data sets using event data. See, for example, Charles Tilly
2002. Event catalogs as theories. Sociological Theory 20(2):248-254. For a more detailed discussion of
the approach see Christina Wille. 2010. ‘The six ‘Ws’ of security policy-making’ in Humanitarian
Exchange, 47(June), p.6.
7
The SiND database is built from information submitted by partner agencies and from open source
media reports. The database includes all security events that affected the delivery of aid as a result of
harm to staff members, damage to infrastructure or equipment, or delay or suspension of core
activities. The database does not include safety (i.e., accidents or illness) events. We recognize the
data on all events are incomplete. As a result, we examine trends within the data as opposed to
providing total counts of events to describe trends.
8
It excludes attacks by unspecified armed individuals that appear to have been carried out solely for
criminal purposes, based on a report indicating items stolen and no known link to political motivation.
Theft by named armed opposition groups and specified militia groups, by contrast, is included based
on the assumption that the theft is perpetrated for material gain that ultimately serves the political
objectives of the armed groups.
9
At the time of writing, MSF had restarted some of its medical work in the Swat valley.
10
Robin M. Coupland and David R. Meddings. 1999. “Mortality associated with use of weapons in
armed conflicts, wartime atrocities, and civilian mass shootings,” BMJ, 319(7202): 407-410.
http://www.bmj.com/content/319/7207/407.full (Published 14 August 1999).
11
This is a reference to the US database on all terrorist events (See footnote 14). This is a comparison
between the info we have in the SiND database and what is in the US database on all terrorist events.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 15
16. The purpose of the SiND is not to provide complete coverage of all events, and the quoted figures are
without doubt an undercount. These 238 events amount to one event every 2.69 days, on average.
13
We classified all 238 events perpetrated by AOGs according to the following principles: If the target
was clearly not a humanitarian agency (such as a hotel bombing, a bombing on a market etc.) but
employee(s) of a humanitarian agency were killed or injured this would be classified as ‘wrong place at
wrong time’. An attack was assumed to have been targeted: a) if it was carried out in the building in
which the humanitarian agency operated, or b) if it involved the kidnapping of staff on the road. The
coding was based on the assumption that attacks in marked offices and kidnappings were not
accidental events, and were most likely planned and targeted. All other events have been coded as
‘unclear’ with respect to intention.
14
The US National Counterterrorism Center counted around 11,000 terrorist attacks in 2009. National
Counterterrorism Center. 2009 Report on Terrorism, 30 April 2009.
(http://www.nctc.gov/witsbanner/docs/2008_report_on_terrorism.pdf). The National
Counterterrorism Center defines a terrorist act as a ‘premeditated, politically motivated violence
perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents’. The graph is
based on the data shown in two graphs in the published report: a) on death by weapon (graph 3 p,15)
and b) injuries by weapon (graph 11 (p.23). The Counterterrorism data includes some double
counting, resulting in a cumulative category of ‘explosives’ that accounts for 126 % of all injuries. To
reduce the impact of this double counting, the two categories of ‘explosives’ and ‘vehicle bombs’ are
excluded in this calculation because they seem to be covered under the category ‘IED’ The data
presented here is thus based on the total number of reported deaths by grenade (2,587),
mortar/artillery (2,533), missile/rocket (1,018), and IED (22,976) and deaths from bombings (7’056):
Total 36,172 deaths and injuries from explosives / 47,635 total deaths (14,971) and injuries (32,6664)
= 75.9 %. The firearm data is based on the information of 6’415 deaths from armed attacked (p. 15)
and 6’609 injuries from firearms (p. 23). A total of 13,024 firearm deaths and injuries / 47, 635 total
deaths = 27.3%. The data on humanitarian actors has been taken from the SiND for the year 2009 for
which there are 196 recorded events perpetrated by a designated terrorist group or unspecified
armed opposition group which resulted in 109 deaths in 67 reported injuries.
15
In this analysis, 56.3% of category 1 events came from media reports, compared to 42.0% for
category 2 events. Category 2 events were 36.4% of events reported by affected agencies compared
to a share of 29.0% of agency submitted information on category 1 events.
16
For the period under discussion here, the Occupied Palestinian Territories is the only exception
where attacks by AOGs on aid agencies are not frequently reported. Pakistan is the sixth most affected
country for cross-fire events and Sri Lanka is number ten on the list of attacks by AOGs on
humanitarian agencies.
17
In the SiND, 54% of category 3 events were directly submitted by participating agencies and only
32.4 % of events were reported in the media.
18
For Ethiopia, Haiti and Kenya two events were recorded. This table is largely a reflection of the
countries where participating agencies work and events that occurred since signing of the MoUs.
19
The SiND distinguishes ‘impact’ from ‘effect’, where impact refers to ‘cost’ of violence for
beneficiaries who are deprived of aid as a result of threats, violence or other actions. ‘Effect’, in
contrast, refers to the cost in personnel, resources and infrastructure for aid agencies.
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 16
17. ABOUT THE SECURITY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE
The Security Management Initiative (SMI) was created to address the challenges in security and risk
management faced by non-profit and international organizations in hazardous environments by
providing authoritative research, policy development, training and advisory services. Through these
products and services, SMI aims to enhance the capacity of non-profit and international agencies to
improve risk and security management in hostile environments, reduce the human and program costs
for agencies and their staff operating under extreme workplace hazards, and promote a robust
security management culture among mid- to senior level professionals of aid agencies.
7bis Avenue de la Paix
P.O. Box 1295
CH-1211 Geneva 1
Switzerland
Phone: + 41 (0)22 906 1600
Fax: + 41 (0)22 906 1649
E-mail: info.smi@gcsp.ch
Website: www.security-management-initiative.org
SMI is part of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)
Website: www.gcsp.ch
Is terrorism an issue for humanitarian agencies? Christina Wille & Larissa Fast November 2010 17