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The latest hostage to be executed by jihadists from the Islamic state, David Haines, 44, was kidnapped in March 2013 in Syria where he was working for our colleagues ACTED, in Atmeh refugee camp, near the border with Turkey. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family, to members of ACTED, and to our teams in the field.
Dear friends,
The unspeakable has happened, and the murder of David Haines, a colleague from the NGO ACTED, will no doubt mark a significant change for the humanitarian sector.
For the moment, we can only honour the memory of David, a fellow humanitarian whose “big heart” was admired by all those who knew him. We share in ACTED’s grief, and stand as one with the humanitarian community to condemn this despicable murder and to reaffirm our commitment to the humanitarian principles.
It is also important to remind every member of Solidarités International, whether here in France or in the field, that we give our full support to those who spend their days carrying out the humanitarian work that is so vital to victims. We will never put anyone in unreasonable danger and we will never leave any of our personnel behind. Every life is valuable, as we know better than most.
For the benefit of the victims of conflict and natural disaster we seek to help, our values are humanist, apolitical and not linked to any religion. They are expressed in concrete action when we show our solidarity with those who have nothing. We act to meet the basic needs of vulnerable populations; this is our guiding principle.
We do not condone that humanitarian action be equated with political or military action. We reaffirm our commitment to our humanitarian values, because they alone give us hope in the face of death and disaster.
We are very moved by what has happened, and offer our sincere condolences to the family of David Haines. Our thoughts are with the humanitarian community, whose members are suffering, and with the populations who are also faced with this violence.
Yours in solidarity,
Edouard Lagourgue
President of Solidarités International