This photo was taken inside the vehicle waiting for the convoy to leave Bredjing camp. The population of Bredjing camp is over 30,000. They have been displaced for upwards of five years now.

The issue of humanitarian organizations taking armed convoys is an especially hot topic these days. The government has told all NGOs that they require our vehicles to be escourted by the armed police, who are supported with funding through the UN. The premise for the requirement is security concerns. The NGO community has been largely passive about this demand, yet armed escorts are extremely problematic as they violate humanitarian principles.

The escorts have neither prevented attacks nor have they been capable of responding to attacks. In Bahai this summer, one of our vehicles was highjacked in the middle of the day traveling in an armed convoy. The police were powerless to respond, they literally sat and watched while the vehicle was taken. Yet we continue to use them...