Feedback (September 1995)

1995This section offers members the opportunity to comment on previous Network publications and Newsletters. Relevant comments will usually be communicated to the authors and will be taken into account by the editors in future mailings.

Comments received since the last mailing came from World Vision Canada, Frank Riely at Tulane University and from one of our ‘southern’ NGO members in Burkina Faso.

Linda Tripp, Vice President of International and Government Relations at World Vision Canada, wrote to let us know that she would be sending Network Paper 5, Advancing Preventive Diplomacy in a Post-Cold War Era: Suggested Roles for Government and NGOs, written by Kumar Rupesinghe and published in our September 1994 mailing, to members of the Canadian Parliament and Government to help inform their work: Jane Stewart, Member of the Canadian Parliament, was due to attend the World Parliamentarian’s Conference II, held in Japan, on Support of the UN, including discussions on disarmament and peace. Jon Legg of the Auditor General’s Office was to be involved in carrying out an audit of the Canadian Government’s participation in peacekeeping, in particular through the UN.

In this way, RRN members represent a valuable means of disseminating information on relief and rehabilitation interventions amongst decision-makers and policy formulators throughout the world.

Frank Riely of Tulane University, conducting research into development approaches to complex humanitarian emergencies, wrote in August with the following comments:

“I have to admit that, until recently on this activity, RRN materials have collected a bit of dust on my shelf. This has obviously been to my own detriment. Looking over your Newsletters, for example, I am amazed by the amount of very useful information they contain. I’m particularly anxious to get a look at a couple of your Network Papers, 8 and 9 [Targeting the Poor in Northern Iraq: the Role of Formal and Informal Research Methods in Relief Operations and Development in Conflict: the Experience of ACORD in Uganda, Sudan, Mali and Angola – Ed.] Congratulations to you and your colleagues for such high-quality outputs. I’m still waiting for an internet version on the WorldWide Web (for which you could provide passwords to paying subscribers) – [we’re working on it… see box in editorial! Ed.]

We hope other members will take a leaf out of Mr Riely’s book and not let RRN material gather dust. Shake up the shelf!

Our third communication came from Aristide Thiombiano, Administrative Director of the Association Tin-Tua, a relief and development organisation based in Burkina Faso. He proposes two new developments for the Network:

• the possible creation of a media group within Burkina Faso which would collect information to be published in the RRN Newsletter and help contribute to members’ awareness of developments within the country.
• the establishment of regional/country representatives to improve international promotion of the Network and perhaps lead to training courses on a local level. In the long term, he foresees the creation of an information system and data bases.

The RRN welcomes both these suggestions. We are actively pursuing the development of contact points in different countries/regions. We look forward to hearing from anyone involved in the provision of relief assistance and prepared to act as a country or regional focal point to encourage links with the RRN and to extend its membership.

Similarly, as we emphasize throughout the Newsletter, we strongly urge members to keep us updated on emergency situations and relief activities in their country or sector of expertise.