ICRC News 37 / 20-Sep-01


** SHORT MENU....

Afghanistan: The work goes on
The ICRC in Afghanistan is currently focusing its efforts on assisting
hospitals, clinics and first-aid centres throughout the country. In
addition, its physical rehabilitation centres are treating the most urgent
cases.

Nigeria: Red Cross aids victims of fresh intercommunal fighting
Some 50,000 people fled their homes after fighting erupted between
Christians and Muslims in Jos, in central Nigeria, on 7 September. Most
sought refuge in military bases, police stations, churches, schools and
even the city's airport.

Cote d'Ivoire: Assistance for 1,400 displaced people
The ICRC has provided emergency assistance consisting of cleaning
materials, soap and blankets to 1,400 displaced people of Malian origin who
fled the area around Lake Kossou, in the centre of Côte d'Ivoire, as a
result of ethnic violence.

India: Yearbook on International Humanitarian Law and Refugee Law


** STORIES IN FULL...

Afghanistan
The work goes on

The ICRC in Afghanistan is currently focusing its efforts on assisting
hospitals, clinics and first-aid centres throughout the country. In
addition, its physical rehabilitation centres are treating the most urgent
cases. Such critical aid can be provided thanks to the ICRC's 1,000 Afghan
staff members still working in the country.

"We have enough medical supplies for another three to four weeks," said
Robert Monin, head of the ICRC delegation in Kabul, from Peshawar, in
neighbouring Pakistan, where he is currently based. "For the time being we
are confident that surgical and basic health care can be guaranteed in all
the main cities and in more isolated areas where smaller clinics are to be
found. First-aid posts are receiving a great deal of assistance from the
Afghan Red Crescent Society."

ICRC food stocks in Afghanistan are being put at the disposal of those in
need, especially in Kabul and Herat, where a very high percentage of the
population depends on such aid. "We are seeking to determine how this food
can be distributed and assessing what supplies are available in
neighbouring countries," said Monin.

Meanwhile, the organization's expatriate staff, who temporarily withdrew
to Pakistan last Sunday, are evaluating the possibilities of bringing
assistance into the country, in particular from Turkmenistan, where the
ICRC has an office, and Iran, where the infrastructure would facilitate
operations. "Working from these two countries would greatly speed up the
delivery of supplies."

ICRC delegates are in daily touch with their colleagues in Afghanistan,
who describe the population as being extremely frightened. "It's obvious
from what they say that fear is mounting," said Monin.

Increasing numbers of Afghans are heading towards the countryside or the
borders. An ICRC team is currently assessing the situation in Torkham, on
the Pakistani-Afghan border, so as to be able to provide assistance to
those who are trying to flee the country.

"We are also maintaining contact with the authorities and we hope that we
shall soon be back in Afghanistan with our colleagues, adapting our
programmes to current needs and responding to what could become a
humanitarian catastrophe," added Monin.

The ICRC has been working in Afghanistan since 1980, striving to protect
and assist those in need through a number of vital programmes in the areas
of health, agriculture, water and sanitation, and visits to places of
detention. Besides its delegation in Kabul, the ICRC has six
sub-delegations or offices in other parts of the country.

Last Sunday, on the basis of its assessment of the security situation and
after being informed by the Taliban authorities that they were currently
unable to guarantee the safety of its staff, the ICRC decided to withdraw
the last 16 expatriates ? from an initial total of 70 ? who were still in
the country.

Video material broadcast via the EBU on 21 September at 1200 hrs (GMT).

Please find attached a picture of an ICRC Afghan employee working for a
distribution of seed and food rations to the needy farmers in Lashkara,
Ghor Province.

For further information on ICRC activities in Afghanistan, please consult
our Web page (www.icrc.org)
For updates on the situation, contact Mario Musa, ICRC Peshawar, tel. ++
873 761 24 22 60
or Macarena Aguilar, ICRC Geneva, tel. ++41 79 217 32 64


Nigeria
Red Cross aids victims of fresh intercommunal fighting

Some 50,000 people fled their homes after fighting erupted between
Christians and Muslims in Jos, in central Nigeria, on 7 September. Most
sought refuge in military bases, police stations, churches, schools and
even the city's airport.

Clashes, which intensified following reports of the attacks carried out
last week in the United States, continued until 12 September despite
intervention by the armed forces and a strict curfew (4p.m. to 7 a.m.).
The fighting left many injured or dead, with some sources close to the
government reporting 500 dead. The Red Cross counted 928 people injured.
Hundreds of vehicles were set alight and some neighbourhoods were
completely destroyed.

Aided by a regional coordinator and volunteers from Benue, Kaduna and
Bauchi, the local branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society swung into
action when the fighting continued into a second day, taking the injured
to hospital and giving basic medical care to displaced people from both
communities. The city's authorities have supported the Red Cross in its
work by making a 20-fold increase in their annual contribution to the
branch and placing at its disposal a vehicle, fuel and food for
distribution to the neediest victims.

The ICRC initially responded by sending enough emergency medical supplies
to treat some 2,000 injured people. A delegate went to the scene to
provide logistical support for the work in progress, assess security
conditions and, above all, draw up a plan to meet any needs that had not
been covered by action already taken by the authorities or other
humanitarian organizations. By the end of last week, several thousand
people had returned to their homes while those whose homes had been
destroyed stayed wherever they could. Many others left for other parts of
the country.

On 18 September, the ICRC began distributing relief in conjunction with
the Nigerian Red Cross. Some 15,000 people who are now in safety but lost
everything in the fighting received blankets, sleeping mats, plastic
sheeting, buckets, soap and cooking utensils.

Further information: Jean-Jacques Gacond, ICRC Lagos,
tel. ++234 1 269 18 81


Cote d'Ivoire
Assistance for 1,400 displaced people

The ICRC has provided emergency assistance consisting of cleaning
materials, soap and blankets to 1,400 displaced people of Malian origin
who fled the area around Lake Kossou, in the centre of Côte d'Ivoire, as a
result of ethnic violence. The displaced people are now in five camps in
the city of Bouaké. The distribution of relief supplies followed an
evaluation of their needs carried out from 12 to 15 September by the ICRC
in cooperation with the Red Cross Society of Côte d'Ivoire.

The ethnic violence flared up in August between native inhabitants and
people of Malian origin. Thousands of the latter ? who have lived as
fishermen on the shores of Lake Kossou for over a generation ? were forced
to seek refuge in several nearby cities. Most of the displaced could be
accommodated by relatives or friends, but those living in the camps in
Bouaké "are particularly vulnerable and they are living in very bad
sanitary conditions", according to ICRC delegate Claude Champagne.

A certain number of displaced people have chosen to return to Mali, while
others are still hoping to be able to resume their activities in Côte
d'Ivoire.

Further information: Simon Pluess, ICRC Abidjan, tel. ++225 22 40 00 70


India
Yearbook on International Humanitarian Law and Refugee Law

On 14 September, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees and the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL), the ICRC
brought out the first volume of the Yearbook on International Humanitarian
Law and Refugee Law. At a ceremony attended by various dignitaries and
members of the ISIL, the head of the ICRC regional delegation in New Delhi
gave a talk on civil strife, internal violence and the mandate of the
ICRC. The Yearbook contains various articles on international humanitarian
law and refugee law with specific reference to South Asia.

Further information: Aseem Tiwari, ICRC New Delhi,
tel.: ++ 911 1 435 23 38

During the weekend of 22 - 23 September 2001, for all information please
call the press officer on duty Antonella Notari,
on (mobile) 41 79 217 32 80

(See attached file: Afghanistan.jpg)
(NB VITA: Image Not Attached)