Kevin Toomer

Recent Activity

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  Kevin commented on the article | about 2 years ago

  Change.org Questions Jeremy Scahill on Blackwater Story

  I wonder if Jeremy would have been as eager to print these allegations if his sources had told him Blackwater employees 'may' be posing as western investigative journalists?

  
  

  It also strikes me that its a bit late for him to be worried about my safety and security. He needs to admit that it wasn't 'responsible or helpful' to print the allegation if it still 'needs to be investigated more deeply'. 

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  Kevin signed the petition | over 2 years ago

  Check the Label for Sri Lanka: Boycott Gap and Victoria's Secret
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  Kevin signed the petition | over 2 years ago

  Boycott Tourism to Sri Lanka Until the Situation in the Camps Improves
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  Kevin signed the petition | over 2 years ago

  Help Protect Humanitarian Aid Workers World Wide
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  Kevin commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Dangerous Times to Be an Aid Worker

  For more anti-NGO rhetoric read this distrurbing missive, The Great NGO Game by the Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process in Sri Lanka: http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items09/190309-4.html
  
  Maybe slandering NGOs is easier than actually trying to revive a defunct peace process?
  

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  Kevin commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Trying Not To Get Shot: Trends in Aid Worker Fatalities

  Agreed. Both brief, flexible guidelines, and crisis management is needed. Objectivity is difficult for people in general. Distance doesn't necessarily increase objectivity however. We are all plagued by cognitive biases that skew risk perception. Guidance and practice can help to reduce the effects.

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  Kevin commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Trying Not To Get Shot: Trends in Aid Worker Fatalities

  Possibly. I only suggested field and country office level training because from personal experience that is where the greatest training defecit is. Most organizations have some crisis management capability at regional and higher levels. Having sub-office personnel that understand and can support crisis management can be indespensible when circumstances prevent the HQ level team from accessing the area and when communications are cut off.

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  Kevin commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Trying Not To Get Shot: Trends in Aid Worker Fatalities

  Hmmm. I'm not usually one for verbose policy documents but in this case some sort of guidance might be useful for staff as a starting point. As you say 'in the midst of these kinds of crisis situations' it is difficult for NGOs to know when they passed the point of acceptable risk. Having said that I am sure you know from personal experience that it is extremely difficult to get NGOs to discuss potential events that might make them cease programming never mind the very contentious concept of 'acceptable' casualties.
  
  I also believe it is more important that NGOs at the country office and sub-office level have experience with the crisis management process than it is to have an 'if this happens you must do this' policy document. Regular, realistic, crisis management exercises are key. It is virtually inevitable that the real crisis will not be the same as the ones outlined in a policy document.
  
  Finally I think, perhaps hope would be a better word, that blogs like yours, mine and others will provide the scrutiny that traditional media often has not (for national staff anyway).
  

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  Kevin commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Trying Not To Get Shot: Trends in Aid Worker Fatalities

  So how do we fix it?

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  Kevin commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Provocation: The Secret Life of Country Offices

  I always thought that was fairly overt. I would worrymore if it wasn't evident.