Foreign aid, War, NGOs and Somalia

I have just finished reading "The Somalia Doctrine" by James Grenton.

This thriller is based in Somalia, the lawless part of the horn of Africa ruled by warlords, most recently in the news for the pirates based there. The hero is an undercover Interpol agent investigating shady goings on by a huge global NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) ostensibly distributing aid to displaced persons but with several hidden sinister agendas. The plot is fast moving and full of action but there are a large number of co-incidences and conspiracies allow the villain to have tame henchmen all over the world. But even with a plot that sometimes stretches credulity, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

It gives bloody descriptions of the massacres in refugee camps and portrays the chaos in a failed state where brute force is the only rule of law. It is a situation where only the fittest and most cunning survive and where no value is given to human life.

The author has worked for a NGO and his first hand experience shows in the narrative. Through the plot several worrying issues are brought to light about the way the aid machine works across the globe. NGOs are not accountable to anyone outside of themselves and their budgets can be greater than those of many small third world countries. NGOs often use questionable tactics to raise funds from their donors, using spin freely to give the side of the story that they want portrayed.

Earlier this year I had read “Too Much Aid: Not Enough Help” by Ken Gibson which made the case that aid is a geopolitical tool and a form of neo-colonialism. This novel takes the argument further and shows an NGO in league with a private security company wanting to take over running Somalia. Though fiction, it shows what could happen if recent trends continue unchecked.

The book shows how the media are culpable for only looking at the most dramatic stories of suffering when covering development issues. It also highlights how prolonged war destroys every part of society and the ones who suffer most are the weakest and poorest.

The thriller is a very thought provoking read and is well written.