ICRC News 19 / 17-May-01


If you would like to receive the German, French or Spanish versions of
ICRC press releases and weekly ICRC News by e-mail, please send your
e-mail address to: pmaire@icrc.org

** SHORT MENU....

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Civilians aided amid fighting
Delegates have evacuated a further 37 persons - mainly elderly, women and
children - from Lipkovo, where many residents of other villages affected
by armed clashes have sought safety.

Pacific: Conflict preparedness
Two workshops on conflict preparedness attended by representatives of the
ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
and the National Societies of Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New
Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu were recently held in Fiji
and the Solomon Islands.

Papua New Guinea: Emblem-awareness campaign
To mark World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, the Papua New Guinea Defence
Minister Kilroy Genia officially launched a campaign to raise awareness of
the red cross and red crescent emblems.

Central America: Legal experts awarded Jean Pictet Prize
Three legal experts have received the Jean Pictet Prize, a distinction that
is awarded each year by the ICRC regional delegation in Guatemala to
persons who have carried out outstanding research in the field of
international humanitarian law.



** STORIES IN FULL...


The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Civilians aided amid fighting

Delegates have evacuated a further 37 persons - mainly elderly, women and
children - from Lipkovo, where many residents of other villages affected
by armed clashes have sought safety. Though itself so far spared by the
violence, Lipkovo is in an area recently rocked by fighting between
Macedonian forces and ethnic Albanian armed groups. This operation, on 15
May, brought to over 200 the number of people evacuated by the ICRC since
hostilities resumed nearly two weeks ago.

This was the sixth such operation carried out by the ICRC, currently the
only international humanitarian organization working in the area. Staff
also evacuated eight civilians handed over by members of the ethnic
Albanian armed groups who had been holding them.

At the beginning of the week, the ICRC succeeded in making a second visit
to a soldier from the Macedonian forces who is being held by the armed
groups. It facilitated the exchange of Red Cross messages (i.e. containing
personal news) between him and his family and forwarded a parcel from his
relatives. The organization also received for forwarding Red Cross
messages from the two other people being held by the groups, and hopes
that its request for access to them will soon be granted.

The ICRC remains extremely concerned about the plight of possibly
thousands of people who remain trapped in their houses in the
worst-affected villages of Slupcane and Vaksince.  Those residents visited
by ICRC staff say that their situation is growing steadily more difficult:
health problems due to overcrowded conditions and poor hygiene are
beginning to emerge, and many report a water shortage. Food is also
running out. The ICRC will continue offering civilians the opportunity to
leave, and meet the most pressing needs by distributing medicines and
other relief supplies.

Further information: Amanda Williamson, ICRC Skopje, tel. ++389 2 371 951
or ++41 79 217 3216
Annick Bouvier, ICRC Skopje, tel. ++389 2 371 951 or ++389 70 589


Pacific
Conflict preparedness

Two workshops on conflict preparedness attended by representatives of the
ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
and the National Societies of Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New
Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu were recently held in Fiji
and the Solomon Islands.

"The purpose of the workshops was to discuss working conditions in
situations of conflict or internal disturbances, review National Society
responsibilities and discuss ways and means of building up response
capacity," said Dr Thomas Gurtner, head of the regional delegation for the
Pacific. "It was also to assist National Societies in drawing up
conflict-preparedness plans."

The workshops covered such topics as the difference between international
humanitarian law and human rights law, action to be taken in conflict
situations, the protection of the Red Cross emblem, the fundamental
principles, various constitutional issues and the importance of
dissemination and communication.

Several case studies were presented in these workshops and the
representatives of the Fiji Red Cross and the Solomon Islands Red Cross
shared their personal experiences of the recent conflicts in their
countries and discussed the impact of these conflicts on their Societies.

Ms Tautala Mauala, National Secretary of the Board of the Samoa Red Cross
Society, attended both workshops. She said that the experiences of the
Fiji and Solomon Islands Societies showed that you could never know what
the future held and that you always needed to be prepared.

"The Pacific is prone to natural disasters," Ms Mauala pointed out. "In
Samoa we only drew up a disaster plan after we were hit by two big
hurricanes. We shouldn't wait until things happen - and that applies to
conflicts as well."

Further information: Thomas Gurtner, ICRC Suva, tel. ++ 679 302 156
Macarena Aguilar, ICRC Geneva, tel. ++ 41 22 730 2101


Papua New Guinea
Emblem-awareness campaign

To mark World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, the Papua New Guinea Defence
Minister Kilroy Genia officially launched a campaign to raise awareness of
the red cross and red crescent emblems. The campaign, which aims to create
wider public recognition of and respect for the emblems as protected signs
both in international and domestic law, is an initiative of the Papua New
Guinea Red Cross Society supported by the ICRC.

To help get the message across, the National Society has produced a new
pamphlet on the emblems. An information package for instructors will also
be distributed to members of the defence and security forces, and to the
health services, provincial authorities and Red Cross members. "This
pamphlet has a very important message for the people of Papua New Guinea -
a message that can make the difference between life and death for the
soldier on the battlefield, Red Cross workers giving first aid on the
street, and families trying to flee battle zones," Mr Genia said.

Further information: Macarena Aguilar, ICRC Geneva, tel. ++41 22 730 2101


Central America
Legal experts awarded Jean Pictet Prize

Three legal experts have received the Jean Pictet Prize, a distinction
that is awarded each year by the ICRC regional delegation in Guatemala to
persons who have carried out outstanding research in the field of
international humanitarian law.

At a ceremony held on 8 May, World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, the
ICRC presented the laureates with special plaques honouring their work and
their dedication to the study of humanitarian law.

The first prize went to Ana Virginia López, a Guatemalan, whose research
focused on the protection of children under humanitarian law and included
a comparative study of Latin American constitutions and other relevant
legal texts. In particular Ms López examined the situation in Guatemala,
drawing attention to the fact that the rules of humanitarian law were
flouted during the country's recent armed conflict.

Further information: Jaime Arroyo, ICRC Guatemala, tel. ++502 362 5237
Macarena Aguilar, ICRC Geneva, tel. ++4122 730 2101


During the weekend of 19 - 20 May 2001, for all information please call the
press officer on duty Macarena Aguilar, on (mobile) 41 79 217 32 64