These situations are often worsened by natural disasters. Polman (2010) argues that complex emergencies are those situations where actually no one is sure what is going on. .
Not focusing much on the semantics of the term complex emergency, the research aims at understanding the complex issues that are embedded in these situations. Complex emergencies, like in Afghanistan, Haiti (2010 Earthquake) always witness two dialectical components- military and humanitarian organisation, coming together at one platform. Military institutions have the mandate to forward the political-strategic aims of the state by coercive means. On the other hand, humanitarian organisations are expected to bring people out of their suffering without taking sides in the conflict. The problem in complex emergencies like that of Afghanistan is that the distinctions between these two components are blurred, sometimes to an extent that seems to be mirror image of each other. .
Complex Emergencies and Guidelines .
Recognising the changing scenario of humanitarianism around the world, ICRC in 1994 came up with the Code of conduct for the International Rd Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non Governmental Organisation in Disaster Relief. This code of conducts calls for various policy measures to be taken in case of natural disasters and complex emergencies, especially when dealing with military and civilian defence assets (MCDA) (ICRC, 1995). One of the first attempts to address the friction between humanitarian and friction between humanitarians and military actors at taking the wider humanitarian community into confidence produced The Mohonk Criteria for Humanitarian Assistance in Complex Emergencies in 1993 (Ebersole, 1995). This focused on the four basic aspects in detail (ibid); .
1. Right to humanitarian assistance .
2. Neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian aid .
3. Use of force for humanitarian assistance only as a means of last resort .