Military‐civilian humanitarianism: The ‘age of innocence’ is over

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Abstract
In the 1990s the UN has been unable to ignore emergencies within war‐torn societies. It has been overstretched by new and complex ‘peacekeeping’ commitments, and has tended to subcontract to major states, regional organizations and NGOs to provide services. Difficulties frequently arise between humanitarians and military forces because of their different and sometimes conflicting objectives and modes of operation in complex emergencies. Seven categories of operation are identified where civilian humanitarians and military forces interact and co‐operate. They demonstrate that humanitarianism has been politicized and suggest that, under certain circumstances, civilian humanitarians will be obliged to temper traditional principles of neutrality and impartiality. A new reality has emerged which recognizes that humanitarian action does not occur in a political vacuum. In effect there has been a ‘loss of innocence’ on the part of agencies and humanitarians engaged in providing assistance to afflicted peoples.

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