Depoliticizing Natural Disasters to Enhance Human Security in a Sovereignty-Based Context: Lessons from Aceh (2004) to Yangon (2008)

Allès, Delphine

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-1799-2_8

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In Myanmar, the 'decade-long conflict over the legitimacy of competing socio-political and armed actors' intermingles with 'the evolving agendas and priorities of international players' through 'politics, money, and power' (Décobert 2016, p. 6). These factors play out, for instance, when authoritarian states refuse international assistance, as initially occurred when Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar in 2008 (Alles 2012;Selth 2008). Paik (2011) details how authoritarian regimes balance political need and risk regarding accepting foreign aid and, if accepted, the degree of government control exerted over the movement of foreign aid workers and resources.…”

Section: International Humanitarian Actorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Getting relief to marginalised minorities: the response to cyclone Komen in 2015 in Myanmar

Desportes

2019

Int J Humanitarian Action

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Little academic research has examined the challenges humanitarian actors face or the strategies they develop in the increasingly numerous authoritarian and low-intensity conflict settings. Based on 4 months of qualitative fieldwork in Myanmar in 2017-2018, this article explores how civil society organisations, international nongovernmental organisations, international organisations, and donor agencies tried to provide relief to marginalised minorities in the ethnic States of Chin and Rakhine following Cyclone Komen in 2015. The study findings detail how civil society actors mobilised parallel minority and Christian networks and lobbied international actors to support disaster victims of Chin ethnicity. In Rakhine State, it was overwhelmingly international humanitarians who were able and willing to support Muslims, including the Rohingya. This increased tensions among community groups and between Myanmar and the international community. Particularly in the context of rising identity politics, humanitarian governance encompasses the governance of perceptions. Trade-offs between long-term acceptance and following humanitarian principles in aid allocation are largely unavoidable and must be carefully considered.

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Section: International Humanitarian Actorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Getting relief to marginalised minorities: the response to cyclone Komen in 2015 in Myanmar

Desportes

2019

Int J Humanitarian Action

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“…Given the highly politicised nature of places affected by disasters and conflicts, it becomes essential for humanitarian and disaster-related actors to find ways to navigate these complex political scenarios. One of the main approaches that humanitarian actors employ is depoliticising their actions, as an effort to remove or minimise political influences and considerations from the delivery of humanitarian assistance (Alles, 2012; Desportes, 2019; Desportes and Moyo-Nyoni, 2022). The humanitarian principles (see OCHA, 2012), particularly neutrality and impartiality, serve as an umbrella framework for mitigating the influence of politics in humanitarian operations (Slim, 1997; Slim and Bradley, 2013).…”

Section: The Collision Of Political Systems and The Risk Of Politicis...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Advancing “no natural disasters” with care: risks and strategies to address disasters as political phenomena in conflict zones

Mena

2023

DPM

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PurposeThe notion that disasters are not natural is longstanding, leading to a growing number of campaigns aimed at countering the use of the term “natural disaster.” Whilst these efforts are crucial, critical perspectives regarding the potential risks associated with this process are lacking, particularly in places affected by violent conflict. This paper aims to present a critical analysis of these efforts, highlighting the need to approach them with care.Design/methodology/approachThe author draws upon insights and discussions accumulated over a decade of research into the relationship between disasters and conflict. The article includes a critical literature review on the disaster–conflict relationship and literature specifically addressing the idea that disasters are not natural. The analysis of field notes led to a second literature review covering topics such as (de) politicisation, instrumentalisation, disaster diplomacy, ethics, humanitarian principles, disaster risk reduction, peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity.FindingsThis analysis underscores the importance of advocating that disasters are not natural, especially in conflict-affected areas. However, an uncritical approach could lead to unintended consequences, such as exacerbating social conflicts or obstructing disaster-related actions. The article also presents alternatives to advance the understanding that disasters are not natural whilst mitigating risks, such as embracing a “do-no-harm” approach or conflict-sensitive analyses.Originality/valueThe author offers an innovative critical approach to advancing the understanding that disasters are not natural but socio-political. This perspective is advocated, especially in conflict-affected contexts, to address the root causes of both disasters and conflicts. The author also invites their peers and practitioners to prioritise reflective scholarship and practices, aiming to prevent the unintentional exacerbation of suffering whilst working towards its reduction.

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Practices of Containment

Loevy¹

2016

Emergencies in Public Law

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Depoliticizing Natural Disasters to Enhance Human Security in a Sovereignty-Based Context: Lessons from Aceh (2004) to Yangon (2008)

Cited by 6 publications

References 8 publications

Getting relief to marginalised minorities: the response to cyclone Komen in 2015 in Myanmar

Getting relief to marginalised minorities: the response to cyclone Komen in 2015 in Myanmar

Advancing “no natural disasters” with care: risks and strategies to address disasters as political phenomena in conflict zones

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