Video of an aid worker who survived a suicide bomber attack
On Oct. 5, 2009, a suicide bomber attacked the headquarters of the United Nations (UN) Food Program in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing five UN staffers and injuring five others. Watch a 4 minute video featuring one of the survivors, Adam Motiwala, an American Muslim, describe the attack.
Motiwala was an information officer for the World Food Program in Islamabad. Like other aid workers around the world, he risked his life to help more than three million displaced Pakistanis due to ongoing fighting. He suffered injuries to his head, legs and stomach and required surgery to remove shrapnel from his head behind his ear, as well as in his ankle.
Index of Aid Workers Killed or Abducted Around the World in 2010
Printer-friendly versionThe perception of being associated with a military force carries potentially deadly consequences for humanitarian aid workers operating in combat zones. To reverse this trend, it is imperative that aid workers are perceived to be independent of military or political influence, and deliver aid in an impartial and neutral manner.
Screening programs such as USAID's proposed Partner Vetting System (PVS) blurs this distinction. The PVS would require grant applicants to submit detailed personal information on "key individuals" to be shared with the intelligence agencies. See the Charity and Security Network’s Issue Brief to learn more about the problems with PVS.
The following is a list of aid workers killed or abducted from around the world in 2010. They are listed by the country where the incident occurred. Updated- Oct. 20, 2010.
Afghanistan
Two female aid workers, one the founder of the group Mahjoba Herawi, were found dead November 2.
An unidentified Dutch aid worker was abducted by armed gunmen on October 25.
British aid worker, Linda Norgrove, was kidnapped by Taliban on September 26 and killed on Oct. 9.
Two aid workers and a volunteer for Oxfam killed by roadside bomb in August.
Two Spanish aid workers freed in August, after nine month abduction.
10 aid workers for the International Assistance Mission killed in August
Five killed from DAI, development firm working with USAID in July.
UN worker shot and killed while driving in June.
Four UN workers abducted in April.
Three aid workers killed by roadside bomb in January.
Chad
Oxfam aid worker, Hubert Ballaman, was abducted in June and later released.
Darfur, Sudan
Two German aid workers were released June, after a five week abduction.
Three aid workers from Samaritan's Purse abducted, two later released while third is held for ransom.
Red Cross aid worker, Gauthier Lefevre, was released in March after his abduction in late 2009.
D.R. Congo
Seven aid workers released after abduction in April.
Haiti
Two aid workers kidnapped in Haiti were freed five days later in March.
Iraq
Five aid workers for Mawtini were killed in Taliban attack in January.
Niger
French aid worker, Michel Germaneau, was abducted in April and killed July by al-Qeada members.
Pakistan
Three flood-relief workers kidnapped and killed by Pakistani Taliban.
Three Mercy Corps employees released in July after five month abduction.
Five World Vision employees killed in March.
Three aid workers killed in February by roadside bomb.
Somalia
British member of Save the Children was abducted October 15 by gunmen.
Said Bashir, a UN worker for Mine Action, was abducted in July.
Save the Children aid worker Franz Barnard was freed after being abducted for five days in October.
Uganda
Nate Henn, aid worker for Invisible Children killed during World Cup bombings.
Zimbabwe
American aid worker killed by police.
