Yeah this isn’t one of those grey areas. A few gunmen drag in freshly raped, crying women who are begging for help and you assist the gunmen, you become complicit.
Here’s the relevant section of the MSF Code of Conduct that the doctors in question flouted if morality is a tricky one for you:
MSF staff members and operational partners shall not accept, under any circumstances,
behaviour that exploits the vulnerability of others, in the broadest possible sense (sexual,
economic, social, etc.).
In no world is providing medical assistance to a victim accepting the exploiting behavior of the perpetrator.
Framing providing medical aid to a victim as “assisting the gunmen” to make a point is sick.
If you were a doctor in a warzone, and someone with a gun brought you their victim they just raped/abused, would you turn that patient away? What specific actions would you take in that moment?
Yeah this isn’t one of those grey areas. A few gunmen drag in freshly raped, crying women who are begging for help and you assist the gunmen, you become complicit.
Here’s the relevant section of the MSF Code of Conduct that the doctors in question flouted if morality is a tricky one for you:
MSF staff members and operational partners shall not accept, under any circumstances, behaviour that exploits the vulnerability of others, in the broadest possible sense (sexual, economic, social, etc.).
In no world is providing medical assistance to a victim accepting the exploiting behavior of the perpetrator.
Framing providing medical aid to a victim as “assisting the gunmen” to make a point is sick.
If you were a doctor in a warzone, and someone with a gun brought you their victim they just raped/abused, would you turn that patient away? What specific actions would you take in that moment?
What would I do? Treat the patients, then contact my boss telling them I’d spotted some of the hostages, in bad condition and post torture.
Given MSF seems to be working hard to sweep this under the rug I’d probably forward the exchange to several newspapers next.
Morals people. Call out the MSF and demand they apologise for violating their principles if nothing else.