Day: November 14, 2010

Theme: Health and Development in Post-Conflict Countries

Case Study Country: Cambodia

Readings:

1. Lanjouw et al.

This reading gives an on-the-ground description of the obstacles and challenges of addressing health and development while simultaneously attempting to legitimize a transitional government system. Please read for the theories and assertions made about coordination and where the health sector in a post-conflict society fits into overall approaches to reconstruction and rehabilitaiton.

2. Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Aside from having quite the interesting name, the former Secretary-General of the UN’s term was plagued with international crises, from the Bosnian wars, to Somalia and then to Rwanda. This article reveals that at the time of post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Cambodia such as UNTAC etc, the intl campaign to ban landmines was only in its infancy. It is interesting to see the how his backing of the need to address the landmines was one of the first steps in the path towards the Mine Ban Treaty. This article is dated but gives an important initial overview and reasons for attempts to ban them for those who may not be too familiar with the landmines issue.

3. Update: Please watch this video and read this news article before class. It is an individual’s account of the  landmines situation in Cambodia and gives you a glimpse of the legacy these weapons had on the country and its psyche.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/07/29/cnnheroes.cambodia.demining/index.html

If you want up to date information about them and the  Mine Ban Treay, please visit the International Campaign to Ban Landmines at www.icbl.org and see Amber’s links on the post below.

Discussion Questions to follow

A & J

Boutros Boutros-Ghali – The Landmine Crisis: A Humanitarian Disaster

How has the landmine crisis had an impact on the case study countries we have studied? How does this hinder the country’s rehabilitation process? What can be done to help solve this crisis? How should/can the landmine situation be prioritized?

Steven Lanjouw et al. – Rehabilitating Health Services in Cambodia

In what ways was UNTAC successful and/or unsuccessful in Cambodia?  How can this type of transitional government be applied to other post-conflict societies?

How did the IOs, NGOs, and other key players in post-conflict Cambodia coordinate or fail to coordinate in addressing the nation’s health concerns? Are issues of health generally underfunded in post-conflict regions while most of the aid is distributed towards other areas such as infrastructure rehabilitation?

Here’s a link to the Canadian Landmine Foundation.  They have general information about the issue of landmines.

http://www.canadianlandmine.org/landmineProb.cfm

Here’s a UNICEF link as well:

http://www.unicef.org/emerg/index_32029.html

I have been trying to find some updated news that is happening in Uganda. This article is dated November 11, 2010. Apparently things remain the same out there.

In another article……..I did read that the LRA appear to be re-grouping in Darfur and may possibly stir up some trouble for the independence referendum for south Sudan in Ferbruary. It appears al-Bashir is supporting them for this cause.

http://www.economist.com/node/17472814?story_id=17472814&fsrc=rss