@article{fdi:010047808,
  title = {{H}umanitarian aid and the {B}iafra war : lessons not learned},
  author = {{P}{\'e}rouse de {M}ontclos, {M}arc-{A}ntoine},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n {A}frican contemporary history, {B}iafra is not only remembered as one of the worst humanitarian crises on the continent, but also as a tragedy that gave rise to the concept of ing{\'e}rence or the international responsibility to protect. {U}nfortunately, the controversies about the impact of aid during the conflict have been forgotten. {T}oday, the humanitarian legend of {B}iafra celebrates the saving of starving children and the birth of the famous {NGO} {M}{\'e}decins sans {F}ronti{\`e}res, but it does not acknowledge the military impact of relief operations that helped the secessionists continue the war for over a year after it was lost militarily. {A}s it prolonged the suffering of local populations, relief was a matter of discussion during and just after the war. {S}ince then, this strategic debate has been 'lost in translation'. {T}his paper will argue that the contemporary idea of humanitarian aid that advocates a right of intervention in order to save innocents confuses the issue for at least two reasons. {F}irst, it leads us to think wrongly that {B}iafra gave birth to the concept of an international responsibility to protect, something that had existed previously. {S}econdly, it overshadows the dark side of humanitarian aid, where international intervention often assists belligerents rather than civilians,prolongs suffering, and poses new threats to national sovereignty},
  keywords = {{GUERRE} ; {INGERENCE} ; {FAMINE} ; {ONG} ; {SECOURS} {D}'{URGENCE} ; {FINANCEMENT} ; {MONNAIE} ; {ARMEMENT} ; {EVOLUTION} ; {EVALUATION} ; {AIDE} {HUMANITAIRE} ; {CRISE} {HUMANITAIRE} ; {ECONOMIE} {DE} {GUERRE} ; {NIGERIA} ; {AFRIQUE} {SUBSAHARIENNE} ; {BIAFRA}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}frica {D}evelopment},
  volume = {34},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {69--82},
  ISSN = {0850-3907},
  year = {2009},
  DOI = {10.4314/ad.v34i1.57357},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010047808},
}