fight or negotiation

[Steve]

This is a really difficult thread. Imagine that your neighbour is near death from thirst and you give him some of your precious water to keep him alive, two days later he will be back for more, possibly with some other thirsty people he talked to. They all want some water now, and given the chance will leave you with none, negotiation will not help.

On the other hand, you can teach your neighbour to make a solar still to collect his own water. But, because he survives he might be competing with you for other resources, like the greenery to put into the solar still or the polythene to make a bigger still.

It's possible that you will still have conflict with him in future.

The hard hearted but safest solution is to repel him whilst he is weak and let him perish.