Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Placing Political Conditions on Humanitarian Aid to Foreign Countries. Just or unjust?

      Is making countries accept terms before receiving aid after a natural, or economic disaster just, or unjust?

      On the one hand, we have the position that it is unjust. The primary argument here would be Human Life, and Human Dignity.
      Humanitarian Aid as defined by the Global Humanitarian Assistance is: "Aid and action designed to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies." I would like to draw special attention to the terms: Designed to save lives, and also maintain and protect human dignity.
      While the people in power are stuck bickering over who gets what when it's all over, and how the money is supposedly used, millions are dying. Which is certainly not designed to save lives, but to benefit for their country and their benefit as much as possible rather than trying to save lives, alleviate suffering and protect human dignity.
      What if the country is not able to accept the terms? These people won't be able to get the aid that it needs. Thus, the affirmative is arguing that political conditions on humanitarian aid are unjust, and therefore should not be tolerated.

      Some argue that it is just. The points that they make are:
      Our primary responsibility is to our own people. Those in charge of the country, our main concern, is that of keeping their own people safe. They have the right to know where, and when that money, food, or clothing is going to. If no conditions are made, how can we be sure that our money is going to the right place? In North Korea we sent them aid, and they used it to build Nuclear weapons and have been threatening their trade partners, the US, South Korea, China, Russia, and the UN. Without political conditions, or strong ones at that, countries could deprive the aid to those that need it and use it against those countries that sent it. In order to protect their people, and maintain the dignity of the people being helped, and making sure the aid is given to those that need it, the Negative concludes that it is just.

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