Thursday, October 14, 2010
Branding is dangerous business in Pakistan when it involves humanitarian aid and the old red, white and blue.
A coalition of 160 charities, including Oxfam, Save the Children, World Vision and Care International, have warned leaders in Washington, DC, that prominently displaying the U.S. flag on food and other assistance intended for struggling Pakistanis puts relief workers at risk.
The letter came in response to Richard Holbrooke, U.S. special representative to Pakistan, who recently reminded humanitarian organizations of their obligations to reveal where assistance is coming from—essentially so the U.S. gets the credit for helping out.
Members of the coalition say they would rather forego the aid if it means promoting a political agenda and putting their workers in harm’s way. The letter stated that “there are strong indicators that branding will attract violent attacks for both economic and ideologically motivated reasons.”
Militants killed six Pakistani staff working for World Vision in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, near Afghanistan, earlier this year.
Critics of the American branding say the Obama administration is attempting to compensate for the bloodshed caused by CIA drone strikes in Pakistan.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Pakistan Aid Workers in Row with US Over Stars and Stripes 'Logo' (by Rob Crilly, Telegraph)
US 'Should Delete Its Logos' on Aid to Pakistan (by Alastair Lawson, BBC News)
Aid Groups Resist US Pressure to Brand Relief Goods (Daily Times, Lahore)
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