UN Fails Miserably To Protect Innocent Citizens In Conflict Zones And Hold Offending Governments To Account

Main Category: Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 07 Jan 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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As the conflict in Gaza rages, an Editorial published Online first and in this week's edition of The Lancet criticises the United Nations (UN) for failing to protect innocent people in conflict zones, and for not holding accountable governments who break international law.

The Editorial refers to recent speech by UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, in which he admits the failure to protect innocent people from violence. It says: "Although such an admission is refreshingly honest, it does not make this deplorable fact any more acceptable. The UN Secretary General and political leaders have called repeatedly for ceasefires to such conflicts to no avail. The UN's credibility is seriously undermined by the complete lack of any mechanism to hold those who break international law to account. How can the UN system be fit for purpose when it does not even attempt to uphold agreed international codes such as protecting civilians, ensuring that those injured and sick during conflicts receive medical attention, and that medical personnel, establishments, transport, and equipment are spared? Governments involved in recent and current conflicts have repeatedly shown a flagrant disregard of such principles yet there have been no reprisals whatsoever. Additionally, the recent events in Gaza, and last year's uprising-and brutal quashing-in Burma, show that the organisation of the UN Security Council, where the powerful few are allowed to make unilateral decisions to suit their own political interests, is disgracefully inadequate." It adds that the UN has failed to uphold its founding principle - that every life has equal value.

The Editorial proposes that the current crisis in Gaza could act as a catalyst for international change in the humanitarian and medical response during conflicts. While NGOs could play a crucial part, the Editorial suggests that the medical profession could step in to be the guardians of, and advocates for, the humanitarian health needs of civilians caught up in conflict.

It concludes: "Just as the UN was founded in the spirit of shared humanity, so was medicine. The Hippocratic Oath, and its popular modern equivalents, puts caring for human beings and treating each life as equal at their very heart. Surely it is not just the brave few health professionals in the firing line who have the responsibility for meeting the health needs of civilians injured in conflict. Médecins Sans Frontières-doctors without borders-should not just be the name given to one medical humanitarian organisation. If the Hippocratic Oath means anything, all doctors whatever their situation, specialty, or seniority should live up to this name by calling on their national governments and the international community-perhaps through their national medical organisations-to ensure that civilians injured or affected by conflict receive the medical attention they need, wherever these people may be in the world. Such action is not being a so-called humanitarian-it is what being a member of the medical profession should be all about."

For full Editorial see: http://press.thelancet.com/gazaeditorial.pdf

Source
Tony Kirby
Press Officer
The Lancet
32 Jamestown Road
Camden
London
NW1 7BY
http://www.thelancet.com

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