Description
Object description
British civilian relief worker with Emergency Response Team, Department for International Development in Kosovo, East Timor; Turkey, and Sierra Leone, 1998-2000; relief worker and with International Medical Corps in Kenya, 2000
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as relief worker with Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin) in Kosovo, Republic of Serbia, 10/1998-11/1998: difficulties getting into Kosovo; situation in Kosovo; behaviour of Serbs towards ethnic Albanians; hospital system in Pristina; inadequacy of Mother Theresa Hospital in Tirana, Albania; Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin) proposal to set up mobile clinics; co-operation between various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Kosovo; attitude of Serbian officials towards her; attitude towards eventual western intervention in Kosovo, 1999. Recollections of period as relief worker with Emergency Response Team, Department for International Development in GB and Kosovo, 1999: role of Department for International Development; Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin)'s lack of funding compared to Médecins Sans Frontières; opinion of Médecins Sans Frontières.
REEL 2 Continues: contrast between working for Department for International Development and Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin); Department for International Development personnel; selection to go to Kosovo just as conflict was ending; journey into Kosovo; war devastation in area; atmosphere in Pristina; precautions against mines and booby-traps; accommodation; position as only woman in team; nature of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and organised crime organisations; situation in Pristina; beginning of Serb exodus; relations between Albanian and Serb staff in Pristina Hospital; conditions in hospital; dealing with problem of mortuary overflowing with dead bodies; relations with Albanian mortuary staff.
REEL 3 Continues: problems with inadequacy of training/knowledge of Albanian doctors; introducing teams of experts to help hospital staff; role of Professor Tony Redman; conditions in Pristina Hospital; relations between Serb and Albanian staff; mine casualties; protection of Serb casualties against Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA); increasing use of maternity facilities at hospital by Albanian women; danger of mines; aid efforts of other organisations and individuals; impact of opening of mass graves; demanding nature of her duties; problems of paying Kosovan staff in hospital; writing medical report for Department for International Development; increasing use of mobile phones; contacts with Kosovo Force (KFOR); opinion of General Mike Jackson; checkpoints in Pristina; difficulties crossing United States Army manned checkpoints at border between Kosovo and Republic of Macedonia.
REEL 4 Continues: recall to GB from Kosovo; attitude towards leaving Kosovo; contacts with Media whilst in Kosovo. Recollections of period as relief worker with Emergency Response Team, Department for International Development in East Timor, 9/1999: situation in East Timor; role of British and their Norwegian counterparts; journey from Australia to East Timor; destruction of United Nations' compound in Dili; situation in Dili; recruiting local labour to help prepare compound; restriction on number of United Nations' and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) personnel allowed into compound; burying charred body of baby; influx of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) personnel and lack of accommodation; opinion of Australian Army troops.
REEL 5 Continues: contrast between Australian Army troops and Gurkhas; rumours of atrocities committed by Indonesian militia; visiting clinics in hills; taking risk to visit mother and baby in jungle; leaving East Timor; impressions of East Timor; attitude towards Australian Army troops; pay situation. Recollections of period as relief worker with Emergency Response Team, Department for International Development in Republic of Turkey with DFID, 11/1999: response of Turkish authorities to second earthquake; providing support for United Nations' disaster assessment team; poor standard of buildings in Istanbul; impressions of Düzce forty eight hours after earthquake; work of search and rescue teams; mobile phones ringing in rubble; accommodation in tent; after shocks; impact of earthquake on hospitals in area.
REEL 6 Continues: question of risk of public health problems after earthquake; co-ordination of aid effort; distribution of information from United Nations disaster assessment team to aid agencies; aid sent by Greece; own role. Recollections of period with as relief worker with Emergency Response Team, Department for International Development in Sierra Leone, 1/2000-5/2000: role of Emergency Response Team, Department for International Development in demobilisation of warring parties; posting to Gondama Camp near Bo to disarm Civilian Defence Forces; description of disarmament system; collapse of disarmament programme due to violence with Revolutionary United Front at Makeni Camp, 5/2000; decision of United Nations' to withdraw it's personnel; attitude towards leaving Godama Camp; evacuation by helicopter; dangers for five Department for International Development colleagues held hostage in Makeni Camp; colleagues' escape from Makeni Camp.
REEL 7 Continues: attempts to comfort traumatised colleagues; reaction to hearing of advance of Revolutionary United Front rebels on Freetown; evacuation by helicopter; attempts to comfort traumatised colleagues; nature of Revolutionary United Front initiation rites and atrocities; belief that British Government was right to try and help in Sierra Leone; types of weapons given up rebels; destruction and disposal of weapons; desire to continue humanitarian work despite dangers; reasons for leaving Department for International Development before contract expired. Recollections of period as relief worker with International Medical Corps in Kenya, 2000: joining American Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), International Medical Corps as Regional Health Advisor for East Africa; role of International Medical Corps.
REEL 8 Continues: duties; attitude towards working for International Medical Corps; deciding to resign after six months; plans for the future; contrast between American and British humanitarian organisations. Reflections on contact with the Media, 1998-2000: contrast between humanitarian role and media role; change in attitude towards the media; memories of Martin Bell, Kurt Schork, Kate Adie and Christiane Amanpeur.
