Clarification of Relations Between Dr. Bernard Kouchner and Médecins Sans Frontières

Sydney/Paris - Following Dr Bernard Kouchner's appointment as France's minister of foreign affairs earlier this year, Médecins Sans Frontières noted a potential confusion between his new responsibilities and the role he has played in humanitarian organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières. Since Dr Kouchner’s appointment, Médecins Sans Frontières feels there has been a significant amount of reporting in the Australian media associating him with the organisation. This statement seeks to clarify Médecins Sans Frontières’s position.

The mixing of politics and humanitarian action is fundamentally prejudicial to our activities and to the deployment of impartial and independent assistance on the field. In such contexts as conflicts, it may be particularly dangerous.

This is why we consider it fundamental to clarify the relations between Dr. Kouchner and Médecins Sans Frontières, and to reassert our independence towards the French authorities and any other political power.

Here are some useful historical facts:

• Dr. Kouchner was one of twelve people - including doctors and journalists - who founded Médecins Sans Frontières on December 22, 1971.
• Several years later, Médecins Sans Frontières, which was still a small organisation, faced a choice: to grow, or to remain a small committee working to raise awareness of the problems in the Third World. Dr Kouchner did not support the organisation's professionalisation and growth, which placed him in the minority at Médecins Sans Frontières' 1979 General Assembly. He left the organisation soon after.
• Dr. Kouchner has not been involved in the organisation since then and has had no responsibilities related to Médecins Sans Frontières.
• For nearly 30 years, Médecins Sans Frontières and Dr. Kouchner have had public disagreements on such issues as the right to intervene and the use of armed force for humanitarian reasons. Indeed, Dr. Kouchner is in favour of the latter, whereas Médecins Sans Frontières stands up for an impartial humanitarian action, independent from all political, economic and religious powers.
• Médecins Sans Frontières is not a French organisation, but rather an international one, with 19 sections worldwide, including the French one. Nearly 99 percent of the French section's activities are financed by private resources. Médecins Sans Frontières France does not receive any public funds.

Improperly perceived as being involved in the foreign policy of the French government, Médecins Sans Frontières activities might be seriously endangered, namely in conflicts where the French Army is currently involved, for example in the Central African Republic and Chad. It is everyone's responsibility today–especially Dr. Kouchner's–not to liken Médecins Sans Frontières activities to those undertaken by any government or any government representatives. Médecins Sans Frontières' action has only one goal: to help people in danger, without discrimination.

 

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