Humanitarian action in war: Aid protection and impartiality in a policy vacuum

Humanitarian action formed a major part of the international community's response to the wars of the 1990s, especially civil wars. It has become more prominent, partly because of the reluctance of states to accept refugees; the media have also heightened demands for action; and the UN Security Council has found agreement on humanitarian measures easier than on more substantive issues. The experiences of governments, NGOs, and international bodies involved in humanitarian action have raised controversial questions: Does humanitarian action save lives or prolong wars? Is it compatible with economic sanctions? Does it permit forcible population movements? How should safety zones be protected? Is military assistance for humanitarian action useful? Do NGOs lose their impartiality when they participate in a large, co-ordinated international response? Humanitarian action, the author concludes, is a legitimate response to real needs in the post-Cold War world, but is not a substitute for hard strategic decisions.