NGOs react to MSF pullout

NGOs working in Afghanistan have expressed concern over the pullout of the international NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), describing it as a worrying message to the international aid community. “It sends a very strong message to the humanitarian and international community,” Michael Bowers, country director for the US-based NGO Mercy Corps, told IRIN on Thursday from the Afghan capital Kabul. “All of us understand MSF’s decision to leave but we are continuing with our programmes for the Afghan people.” Ramesh Puri, a programme director with Save the Children-Sweden, told IRIN from Kabul that several NGOs had met on Thursday in the Afghan capital and collectively agreed that they had no plans to pull out of the country, noting, however: “we should be more cautious in reviewing and analysing the growing level of insecurity.” Their comments came one day after MSF, with over 24 years of independent aid work in the country, announced it was pulling out after the Afghan government’s failure to adequately investigate the recent murder of five MSF staff members in Badghis province in June, reportedly claimed by the Taliban. “Aid workers can’t be targeted,” MSF secretary-general, Marine Buissonnière, told IRIN from the Afghan capital Kabul, explaining that the health NGO was no longer seen as impartial and independent, a fact seriously compromising its security and contributing to its decision to leave. Paul O’Brien, a veteran aid worker in Kabul, agreed with MSF and called upon the Afghan government to undertake a serious investigation to detain those responsible. “Nobody has been arrested in connection with the MSF murders,” he told IRIN, noting that until the rule of law takes hold, it would be increasingly difficult for NGOs to serve the Afghan people. Since the beginning of 2003, more than 30 aid workers have been killed in Afghanistan, a fact seriously impeding reconstruction efforts throughout the country. “When an organisation like MSF leaves, all NGOs will ask themselves whether they can continue to operate safely and effectively in Afghanistan,” O’Brien maintained. Sarah Ireland, programme representative with the UK-based NGO Oxfam, told IRIN from Kabul that they were very concerned about the deterioration of the security which was affecting their ability to do their work. “We are concerned, like MSF was, about the inability of the government to protect us.” Despite that, she confirmed that they were still able to work in some parts of Afghanistan providing their staff with safety and security. “We are obviously taking different security measures to make sure they are safe,” Ireland said, adding that the international community had to take seriously the concerns of the aid workers operating on the ground. Echoing the Oxfam official, Bowers added that MSF’s pullout underscored the opportunity that the Afghan government and international community had to take to enact real change, by improving security for the Afghan people and the aid workers. “We obviously are very concerned about the welfare of our staff working in some difficult areas,” Bowers acknowledged, adding that they were continuing to closely monitor the security situation. The Save the Children’s official noted that security had been worsening over the past three months, despite the presence of international troops and a recent decision by NATO to deploy 3,500 new peacekeepers before the upcoming election. "The attacks to NGOs and electoral offices have increased," he asserted.