THE DIRECTIVE

"The Prime Directive is not just a set of rules. It is a philosophy, and a very correct one. History has proven again and again that whenever mankind interferes with a less developed civilization, no matter how well intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disastrous." —Jean-Luc Picard, Symbiosis

This week, I am asking myself a lot of philosophical questions…I guess that had 

Village house in Nana-Bakasa

to happen at some point during my stay here. Isn’t our life a series of lifelong questions anyway?

I was thinking about the history of humankind and the fact that nowadays we want to help so much and change the world, give some of our time and share our money, offer education to the less fortunate and show them how life can be fulfilling. All these good gestures of course, go according to our own perception of the world. But who are we, in reality, to decide that our model is the one that must prevail? How can we answer such a timeless question…?

Since the « civilized » world started to travel and conquer, it has always wanted to impose its own lifestyle and norms to the populations under its control. Examples include Greeks, Romans, England, France, Portugal, Muslims, Catholics, Jews, and more, including the United-States and Canada.

Is it a fundamental human need to want to impose ourselves? A need so important that we have to see our way of life and thinking dominate? What kind of impact does such a decision have on a conquered community? I am not talking here of the immediate impact but of the long term effects of it…

Boguila hospital was founded in the 50s by American Christian missionaries. Initially, this « œuvre médicale » included a hospital, a nursing school, a dental office, a church and many well equipped health care posts. The missionaries left Boguila at the beginning of the 90s and left the management of the hospital to a group called « comité local », which consisted of senior employees as well as religious and community leaders. For a while, without any external support, the managers successfully administered the hospital without deficits and provided care to the neighbouring communities.

Unfortunately, during the civil war in 2002, the population left Boguila and the hospital was looted and vandalized. Many months later, the senior staff returned and attempted to reopen the hospital without any external help. This proved more difficult and thankfully, at that time, they received some donations from a few different NGOs. Then, in 2006, MSF arrived and took over the management of the hospital in order to continue to offer health care to the population.

Despite the fact that the hospital managed to operate for many years, the arrival of the civil war and the governmental uncertainty created a need high enough for MSF to get involved. With the events that have transpired since December 2012 and the successful coup of March 2013, the ministry of Health (ineffective since the coup) remains today almost non-existent, unable to provide for medications, medical supplies, and support for its health posts outside of the capital. In fact, we have already received numerous requests in the last few weeks for donations of vaccines and medications to treat illnesses such as malaria and malnutrition.

Child being transported back to his village

What will happen then, when MSF leaves the area to offer its help to other projects that are more urgent? Who will respond to the population’s needs? Will the ministry of Health be functioning at that time, ready to fulfill its role?

Our presence here, at this moment, brings many benefits and has an immediate impact. But let’s ask ourselves the following: even if we feel and think that we are doing the right thing, will the ramifications of our assistance have a negative long term effect…? Because we will leave one day, thinking that all is great and beautiful, without realizing the extent of our choices and impositions and their influence for the future. I suspect we will likely leave them with minimal resources and they will have to carry on without our help. Was it wise then to come here in the first place?

Star Trek fans might see here a quick allusion to the « Prime Directive » - decree that dictates the non-involvement with less advanced civilizations. The philosophy behind this order refers to the fact that invariably, in all of human history, when a civilization gets involved with a less developed population, results are more often than not tragic We just have to think of the arrival of the early settlers of North America and their impact on Native Americans and the Inuits, or even closer to me right now, the Africans. These cultures have been forever changed; some even lost their history and language in the process. Have we always really been constructive benefactors in these cases?

Now I hear someone say: « On the other hand, wasn’t it our duty to intervene in order to prevent human suffering and the death of a population? » I agree to a certain degree, but say: « At what price? »

Think about it…

But who am I to impose my point of view to the rest of the world…

Janique