Critically analyse the extent to which the militarisation of Essay

Critically analyse the extent to which the militarisation of humanitarian assistance has affected the way in which humanitarian agencies carry out their role in conflict affected countries - Essay Example crisis with humanitarian action in most parts increasingly being used as a selective tool for the powerful hence failing to live up to its principles as well as â€Å"protection and restoration of the dignity of human life† (pp. 1). This, he attributes to the militarisation and politicisation of humanitarian assistance which has grossly impacted the effectiveness of such humanitarian efforts and increasingly put the life of the aid workers at risk. A recent example of military involvement in humanitarian efforts is the Haiti experience where in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the first humanitarian response was the deployment of the United States and Canadian military troops in the region to distribute foreign aid and help in disaster relief efforts. Mennonite Central Committee (2011) in Haiti were particularly concerned as to the mission of foreign troops in the land taking account that the military may not be as effective as professional relief agencies in delivering aid to areas most needed (pp. 1). Other areas where militarisation of humanitarian assistance has been noted in the recent past include Kosovo, Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan. With such trends rising, this paper investigates the impact that militarisation of Humanitarian Assistance has on the way in which humanitarian agencies carry out their role in conflict affected countries. The paper first defines what militarisation of humanitarian assistance is all about, clearly evaluating how humanitarian space is being invaded by the military force. It will then engage the key debates and concepts concerning militarisation of humanitarian assistance both from those who support it and those who do not. These debates are mainly from an ethical and moral view point as humanitarian assistance is inherently guided by moral values. Finally, the paper analyses the role of humanitarian agencies in conflict affected countries linking theory and practice, taking into account militarisation of