How the UMCOR-Muslim Aid Partnership Began

Guy Hovey and Michelle Scott

Earlier this year top ranking members of Muslim Aid and UMCOR, two faith-based humanitarian aid agencies joined in an official partnership June 26, 2007. On the surface, this seemed like a mismatched marriage. One organization is British, the other American—one Muslim and the other Christian. In fact this partnership was considered so profound that the signing took place in the House of Commons of the British Parliament with the enthusiastic support of several prominent members of Parliament. Through this agreement, Christians and Muslims are at the same table for the purpose of peace.

Yet, a question lingers: How did we get here?

This relationship began well before anyone in the home offices had ever considered it. Muslim Aid and UMCOR began working together in an environment in which there was no time to think of partnership agreements or memorandums of understanding. It happened in the crucible of war. It was in the midst of immense human suffering in Sri Lanka that Muslim Aid and UMCOR workers looked up to see who else was there to help innocent people under attack and saw that they were virtually alone—save for the other.

The Mutur Crisis

In late July 2006, gunfire and mortars rained down on the people of Mutur, Northeastern Sri Lanka. UMCOR and Muslim Aid had been working in the town independently—helping the people in this costal area recover from the devastating 2004 tsunami when the old civil war sprung back to life.

Some 57,000 people fled Mutur when the conflict broke out. They traveled in columns: children, women, and men, wounded and traumatized. They left behind their homes and all they owned. In some cases they left behind wounded or sick loved ones—unable to carry them to safety. The people traveled to the town of Kanthale. UMCOR and Muslim Aid workers did all they could to help.

They set up a first aid station, provided clean drinking water, transported the wounded and sick to a hospital, they found places for the people to stay. Along with Muslim Aid and UMCOR workers a German doctor and nuns from the local Catholic seminary provided assistance. The group of them combined their efforts to alleviate the suffering of these people displaced by violence.

Addressing Community Needs

Weeks later and after the arrival of other NGOs and the UN, the people returned to their homes. UMCOR and Muslim Aid were there to help them rebuild their war-damaged homes. Still many organizations were unable to assist because of political and security concerns.

In addition to the problems caused by the renewed violence, interethnic conflicts between communities made it extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to provide assistance. Ethnic and religious rivalries meant that the movement of people and NGOs was difficult at best. The area was a confusing mix of communities in historical conflict that made delivering aid and medical assistance impossible.

UMCOR and Muslim Aid, by virtue of being faith-based agencies, were able to meet with the communities’ religious leaders to secure an agreement with them to ask their communities to stop attacking those of a different ethnicity or faith. With this new peace, Muslim Aid and UMCOR could bring aid and assess what problems these communities had in common and address them.

Problems with the local irrigation system rose to the surface as a major issue that these communities faced. UMCOR and Muslim Aid used this information to overhaul the irrigation system. Today local farmers can now harvest three crops a year instead of one. Now, the plentiful supply of food and sufficient income has brought peace between formerly warring communities.

Through the successes of these local initiatives UMCOR and Muslim Aid realized that they may be able to duplicate this kind of synergy in other areas of the world. They identified four areas that were critical to their unique success in Sri Lanka and what could be used in other areas of the world:

1. Both organizations have a clear duty to assist those in need in a way that is unencumbered by political or other considerations.
2. Both organizations have ties with faith leaders where they work allowing them to enter a community with an already-established level of trust.
3. Both organizations are able to tap into their faith networks to mobilize community resources including personnel and aid items.
4. By working together publicly, Muslim Aid and UMCOR can set an example of two perceived opposing organizations working together for the common good.

Fortified by the success of their partnership in Sri Lanka, UMCOR and Muslim Aid are seeking to replicate this in other places. Both organizations seek to be testaments of peace to the localities they serve. These are early days, but there is great hope for what this partnership can do for the sake of peace.