"The Trouble With Aid"

[aeolium]

This BBC4 programme last night was imo an interesting and thought-provoking review of humanitarian aid interventions over the last 50 years, looking at seven specific examples. The object of the programme seemed to be not to discount the value of humanitarian aid but to highlight some of the ethical dilemmas for aid providers particularly in interventions prompted by conflict (rather than solely natural disaster). It was shown how certain aid programmes affected the politics of the conflicts, e.g. in Goma where the belief that the aid programme was helping to strengthen the Hutu refugees in their war with neighbouring Rwanda (some of those refugees being in all probability involved in the 1994 genocide).

I do recommend the programme for anyone interested in this area. There was also a subsequent debate on the issues raised, which is also worth looking at.

[teamsaint]

You seem to have drawn a blank so far Aeolium ! I missed your thread, and its too late to see it for now.
I wonder why iplayer has a 7 day limit?

it would be interesting (to me ) if the question of aid, banking involvement(and debt levels), and the arms trade were looked at together.(Edit , though i guess that sort of question gets sidelined into PHD land.....)