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Humanitarian, Noncombat Role for the Military

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

S. William A. Gunn
S. William A. Gunn*
Affiliation:
President, World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine. Vice President, International Federation ofSurgical Colleges.
*
European Centre for Disaster Medicine, La Panetiere, 1261 Bogis-Bossey, Switzerland
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Extract

This paper is being composed on Olympic Day 1994, exactly 10 years after its historic flame illuminated the skies of Sarajevo for a festival of peace and friendship. Today, the flames sadly come from incendiary bombs, shell streaks, and fratricide hatred. Against this tragic degradation, the role of the military and the international community has been changing from that of aggressive interference to one of humanitarian assistance and negotiated settlement. In this new setting, disaster and emergency medicine have a special opportunity to prove a noble calling and obligation.

Conflict, unfortunately, and help, fortunately, are as old as humanity. The thoughts expressed herein concern the latter aspect with special reference to the military. As long as man has had a heart, some adrenaline, and the physiological reflex for protection, he has had compassion and an urge to bring succor to those who suffer. The sufferer may be a friend or he may be an enemy, but in humanitarian medical actions, there is no foe.

Keywords

Bosniadisaster medicinedisastersHerzegovinahumanitarianinternational communitymilitarynon-governmental organizationpeacetimeRed CrescentRed CrossUnited NationswarWorld Health Organization
Type
Special Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 9 , supplement S1: Invited Papers from Sarajevo , June 1994 , pp. S46 - S48
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1994

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