WHEN NEUTRALITY LOOSES ITS VALUE: CARITAS AIRLIFT TO BIAFRA, 1968 – 1970

The core principles of humanitarianism — humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence—as developed by the International Red Cross Movement are, in recent times, increasingly subjected to severe attack. This attack is partly explained by the unwillingness of some humanitarian bodies to accept...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria 2013-01, Vol.22, p.63-81
Main Author: Nwaka, Jacinta C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aircraft
Civil wars
Genocide
Government
Humanitarianism
Morality
Neutrality
Nonprofit organizations
Starvation
War
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Summary:The core principles of humanitarianism — humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence—as developed by the International Red Cross Movement are, in recent times, increasingly subjected to severe attack. This attack is partly explained by the unwillingness of some humanitarian bodies to accept the full implications of some of these core principles. Using archival documents, oral interviews and secondary literature, this study examines the moral dilemma, which the principle of neutrality posed for Caritas in its airlift to Biafra from 1968 to 1970. It argues that the mass starvation policy adopted by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria during the Nigeria-Biafra War, the conduct of the federal troops and bombers in Biafra, the 'quick-kill' policy of Britain, and the silence of the world press, altogether worked to destroy the basis for humanitarian neutrality in Biafra. Finding that the principle of neutrality posed an obstacle to the very essence of its humanitarian operation, which is humanity, Caritas opted to overlook the principle in its massive airlift to Biafra. The decision of Caritas in its airlift to Biafra showed that humanitarian neutrality, itself a useful concept, is an instrument at the service of humanity, and thus should not be seen as a principle with absolute value.
ISSN:0018-2540