Hamadoun
Daou
Hamadoun Daou profile's picture
Mali

We remember Hamadoun Daou

Hamadoun Amadou Daou was born on 1 January 1977 in the town of Niafunké, in the Timbuktu Region of Mali. He joined the ICRC in September 2013 as a truck driver, working out of the Mopti office, in the central part of the country. Hamadoun, who was married with four children, was calm, courteous and committed to his work and his colleagues, who held him in high esteem. He had a strong sense of team spirit and always made himself available whenever there was an operational emergency.

 

Hamadoun worked at the ICRC during what was a turbulent period in his country’s recent history. An experienced driver, he was constantly on the move, transporting items destined to meet the needs of countless numbers of people affected by the violent conflict. In February and March 2015, he made four back-to-back trips: first, to make a delivery from Sévaré (near Mopti) to Timbuktu, starting on 20 February; second, to move computer equipment from Timbuktu to Bamako, starting on 25 February; third, to transfer equipment from Sévaré to Gao and Kidal, starting on 10 March; and fourth, to transport medical products to Gao hospital, starting on 26 March.

 

It was on the fourth journey that disaster struck. On 30 March, around 45 kilometres from Gao, Hamadoun and his co-driver were forced off the road by around a dozen armed men on motorbikes. The attackers made the two drivers exit their vehicle, which was clearly marked with the red cross emblem, and then shot them on the spot. Hamadoun, who was 38, died immediately, while his colleague, a member of the Mali Red Cross, was left critically injured.

 

Reacting to news of Hamadoun’s killing, Yasmine Praz Dessimoz, the ICRC’s head of operations for North and West Africa, said: “His death is not only a tragedy for his family and for the ICRC, it will affect the life and well-being of tens of thousands of people.”

 

Hamadoun played a vital role in the ICRC’s work in Mali, ensuring much needed aid continued to reach communities affected by conflict. His shocking murder was a reminder of the brutality of the ongoing conflict – and yet another example of the senseless violence aimed at humanitarian workers, whose sole purpose is to alleviate suffering.

The ICRC in
Mali, 2015

The ICRC first started working in Mali in 1982. We opened a delegation there in 2013 in response to the intensifying conflict, and we were one of the main international organizations active in the northern part of the country. Widespread clashes that year uprooted thousands of people, who fled to other parts of Mali or to other countries. We were able to maintain access to conflict-affected communities thanks to our efforts to engage with the warring parties – including the armed groups. In 2015, we were involved in a wide range of activities. Our medical support included medical teams posted to Gao hospital and the Kidal referral centre, and we increased ad hoc assistance to other health facilities. We also supported a number of physical rehabilitation centres as well as counselling services for Malians suffering from conflict-related emotional trauma and for victims of sexual violence. Our delegates reminded all parties to the conflict of their responsibility to safeguard those who seek or provide medical care. In at least one case this effort paid off directly, as it helped convince weapon bearers to vacate a health centre they’d occupied.

 

The multifaceted conflict separated many families. Our tracing delegates sought to reconnect them and help minors who’d left armed groups return home. To get people back on their feet financially, we delivered much-needed livelihood support. This included donations of seed and equipment to farmers, a livestock vaccination campaign, cash grants and training to start small businesses, and cash-for-work opportunities for vulnerable households. Our detention delegates visited people held by the warring parties – government forces, armed groups and foreign militaries. Their aim was to help ensure detainees were treated in accordance with internationally recognized standards. We also engaged in joint projects to ensure regular meals in prisons, and we acted as a neutral intermediary in the release of people held by armed groups. Following Hamadoun’s murder in late March, we suspended staff visits outside towns in northern Mali for three months. This hampered various aspects of our work, but National Society volunteers and people working at the state, local and community level were able to step up their efforts.

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