Humanitarian aid workers belonging to UN organisations, PVOs / NGOs or the Red Cross / Red Crescent have traditionally enjoyed both international legal protection, and de facto immunity from attack by belligerent parties. However, attacks on humanitarian workers have occasionally occurred, and became more frequent in the 1990s and 2000s. This is attributed to a number of factors, including the increasing number of humanitarian workers deployed, the increasingly unstable environments in which they work, and the erosion of the perception of neutrality and independence.
Trends in risks faced by humanitarian workers
- Wars between states became much less common in the period following the end of the Cold War. Unfortunately, these wars have been largely replaced by an increased incidence of internal conflict and resulting anarchy, increasing the risk to civilians and humanitarian workers alike.
- Between 1985 and 1998 just under 50% of deaths were in workers from UN programmes. 25% were UN peacekeepers.
- Most deaths are due to deliberate violence.
- One third of deaths occur in the first three months of deployment, with 17% occurring within the first 30 days.
Source: Sheik, Gutierrez, et al, British Medical Journal 2000;321:166–8
List of recent attacks on humanitarian workers
1997
- Republic of Somaliland - November 23, 1997 - UN negotiates with clan elders for release of 5 kidnapped aid workers.
- Mogadishu, Somalia - November 26, 1997 - All foreign aid workers withdraw from the city following the abduction of 2 Italian aid workers.
1998
- Somalia - April 21, 1998 - 10 aid workers held hostage.
- Bujumbura, Burundi - June 10, 1998 - 1 Danish aid worker killed by car thieves in capital.
- Central Sudan - June 10, 1998 - 3 Sudanese UN staff killed and 3 wounded when gunmen fire on a UN vehicle.
- Arua, (North West) Rwanda - July 10, 1998 - Ugandan driver for UN World Food Program (WFP) killed by rebels.
- Bujumbura, Burundi - July 24, 1998 - 1 Italian World Food Program (WFP) staff member killed in the capital.
1999
- South Sudan - January 4, 1999 - 4 ICRC staff killed by SPLA (abducted in February, executed in April).
- Southern, Somalia - January 27, 1999 - 1 Kenyan aid worker killed by gunmen.
- Lesotho - February 4, 1999 - Irish aid worker (Ken Hickley) robbed and murdered.
- Bundibugyo, Uganda - April 23, 1999 - Many aid workers flee area to avoid attacks by Allied Democratic Forces.
- Belgrade, Serbia - May 26, 1999 - 3 aid workers put on trial for spying.
- Angola - June 15, 1999 - 2 aid workers killed when gunmen ambush and rob them.
- Tajikistan - October 2 - French aid worker killed.
- Northern Kosovo - November 15, 1999 - 24 people on board a WFP aid flight died when it crashed.
2000
- Balad, Somalia - January 3, 2000 - 1 local CARE staff shot dead in an ambush.
- North of Mogadishu, Somalia - January 4, 2000 - 1 CARE worker shot dead in an ambush.
- Sudan - January 9, 2000 - 2 CARE staff killed and 2 missing after an ambush.
- Somalia - January 31, 2000 - Attacks on a convoy of aid vehicles leave 20 people dead.
- Ethiopia - February 9, 2000 - A medical orgnisation suspends operations in part of Ethiopia after the killing of a staff member.
- Ambon, Indonesia - May 22, 2000 - Foreign aid workers pulled out of Ambon to escape growing inter-communal violence.
- Sierra Leone - June 19, 2000 - 1 British aid worker (Alan Smith) freed after being held for 1 month by rebels.
- Baghdad, Iraq - June 28, 2000 - 2 FAO workers shot and killed.
- South Sudan - August 6, 2000 - 8 aid workers killed in Sudan when vehicle was attacked near the border with Uganda.
- Atambua, Belu District, West Timor, Indonesia - September 6, 2000 - Five UNHCR staff members, Mr Samson Aregahegn (Supply Officer); Mr Carlos Caceres-Collazo (Protection Officer); and Mr Pero Simundza (Telecommunications Operator) and two Indonesians were killed when their office was attacked by militia.
- Macenta, Guinea - September 17, 2000 - The death of one UNHCR staff member and the abduction of another.
- Southern border Guinea - December 7, 2000 - Hundreds of people are left dead as rebels destroy the UNHCR centre.
- Afghanistan - December 9, 2000 - 7 people working for UN mine clearance programme killed in ambush.
- Ache, Indonesia - December 10, 2000 - 3 aid workers killed.
- Burundi - December 30, 2000 - A British voluntary worker is one of 20 people killed by gunmen.
2001
- Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo - February 27, 2001 - 6 Red Cross staff killed.
- Mogadishu, Somalia - March 27, 2001 - MSF compound attacked by gunmen.
- Tajikistan, - June 16, 2001 - Kidnappers ask for release of detained militants after taking a group of aid workers hostage.
- Banda Ache, Indonesia - October 4, 2001 - Three more people, including a Red Cross worker who had been tortured were killed.
- Afghanistan - November 15, 2001 - 8 western aid workers released after 3 months captivity by Taleban.
2002
- Mogadishu, Somalia - February 23, 2002 - A Swiss woman who ran a small aid agency was shot dead.
- Mogadishu, Somalia - February 28, 2002 - One Somali UN worker kidnapped hours after region declared too dangerous for permanent UN presence.
2003
- Baghdad, Iraq - August 19, 2003 - The bombing of the UN Headquarters at the Canal Hotel killed at least 24 people and wounded over 100.
- Baghdad, Iraq - October 27, 2003 - An attack on the ICRC building kills at least 12 people.
- Ghazni, eastern Afghanistan - November 16, 2003 - UNHCR staff person Bettina Goislard was shot dead by motorcycle bourne gunman while travelling by car.
2004
- Kabul, Afghanistan - February 26, 2004 - Five Afghans working for the Sanayee Development Foundation were killed when their vehicle was ambushed northeast of Kabul.
- Mosul, Iraq - March 15, 2004 - Larry Elliott, Jean Dover Elliott, Karen Denise Watson, and David McDonnall were killed in a drive-by shooting. They were US missionaries for Southern Baptist International Mission Board.