Sir, – Alex de Waal's piece was a compelling and urgent reminder that hunger, conflict and human tragedy are very much with us in 2021 ("Ireland must speak up for the starving in Tigray", Opinion & Analysis, February 15th).
While the world has made great strides in technology, business and global connectivity, we have made little progress in preventing conflict and intervening before millions are displaced, hungry and have endured horrendous loss.
Alex de Waal also articulated the dilemma of humanitarian agencies in these situations.
For operational organisations, such as Concern, our overriding obligation is to stay and deliver support to disaster and conflict affected populations. Sustaining humanitarian access to reach those in need often means that we cannot speak out about what we are witnessing on the ground. To do so may jeopardise both our ability to respond and the safety of the brave women and men who work with us.
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We are in an era of protracted conflicts, a daunting situation in which wars last years, and the mistreatment of civilians goes without action, and often without comment, from the international community. Impunity for violations of international humanitarian law reigns.
The Syrian conflict is now a decade old. Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, the list goes on of crises that are complicated and dangerous, and in which millions of civilians are dependent on outside attention and on humanitarian assistance.
Wars happen. People should not starve or be starved as a result of them.
Civilians must be protected and should have access to assistance. Aid workers must also be protected and allowed to reach those in need of assistance without fear or impediment.
Attacks on aid workers in 2019 surpassed all previous recorded years. A total of 483 aid workers were killed, kidnapped, or wounded in 277 separate incidents of violence. Research shows that far fewer aid agencies work in dangerous countries than in safe ones. Only a small group of humanitarian organisations operate in the highest-risk places, and surveys of people living in high-risk areas say that aid is declining even as their needs are rising.
Ireland is an important voice on the UN Security Council and can do a great deal on behalf of civilian populations, but it cannot do it alone. The need for multilateral action to address the causes and consequences of conflict is greater now than ever.
The UN Security Council must do more not just to prevent conflicts or ensure the early resolution of conflicts, but also to hold to account those who target civilian populations.– Yours, etc,
DOMINIC MacSORLEY,
Chief Executive,
Concern Worldwide,
Dublin 2.