Revolutionizing Relief

Episode #270: Adelina Kamal, who makes her second appearance on the podcast, guides listeners through an enlightening journey into the complex and often fraught world of humanitarian aid and crisis management. With nearly three decades of experience within the ASEAN system, Adelina brings to the table a wealth of knowledge about the political and operational nuances of delivering humanitarian aid in regions like Myanmar, where the crisis is as political as it is humanitarian.

Her conversation delves into the ethical and operational challenges of working with or around military juntas and the implications for neutrality and independence in humanitarian work. Adelina introduces the concept of ‘humanitarian resistance,’ where local actors, often labeled as non-neutral by international standards, provide critical aid and support within their communities despite the political risks. She argues passionately for a more localized approach to humanitarian aid, emphasizing the importance of supporting these ground-level efforts over top-down international interventions. And she critiques the traditional, West-centric humanitarian system, calling for a more equitable and effective ‘horizontal ecosystem’ that respects and empowers local communities.

“To me, the Western governments’ support to the Myanmar people is more of a token, because after all, aid is a political tool,” she says. “At the end of the day, it's about political will."