ICRC ACTION
In Latin America & the Caribbean
by Angela Gussing ICRC Head of Operations for Latin America & the
Caribbean
ICRC IN LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN WHAT AND WHY?
Action in armed conflicts (present and past) Protection of civilian population and detainees Assistance to people affected by armed conflict Action in relation to the MISSING National Society as primary and strategic partner
Activities regarding internal violence Work with Police & Armed forces on use of force Support NSocieties action (specific events+situations) Work with youth in specific schools Work on places of detention
Reference institution for IHL and NIHA Promotion & integration of Int. Humanitarian Law Actor specifically neutral + independent (accepted by all)
THE ICRC IN THE REGIONGLOBAL PICTURE
Country delegations Colombia, Haiti
Regional delegationsMexico, BUE, Lima, Caracas
Country offices Guatemala, Brasilia
Resources for 2008Budget CHF 55 mio, 87 Expatriate staff407 Nacional staff
HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF ARMED CONFLICT - COLOMBIA
EXTENSIVE PROTECTION APPROACH
VITAL ASSISTANCE TO CONFLICT VICTIMS
INTEGRATED MINE ACTION APPROACH
EXTENSIVE PARTNERSHIP - COLOMBIAN RC
HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF PAST ARMED CONFLICTS
Haiti, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, Salvador, Nicaragua…
MISSING Support to families and re-establishing family links Support to forensic activities Verifying information and cross-checking Support to national mechanisms Support to NGO's and civil society involved
PRISONERS Regular visits to prisoners throughout region Support to and contact with families Support authorities to improve detention conditions
HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF OTHER SITUATIONS OF VIOLENCE
ICRC in Haiti, Mexico, Lima, Buenos Aires, Caracas
Work with police and army (dialogue, integration) Visiting security detainees Support to improve detention conditions Support to and contact with families
Support NS to work in urban environments First aid, emergency evacuations, burials Safer Access for volunteers carrying out activities
Schools – work with youth on violence issues Introduction in schools of Exploring Humanitarian
Law – work on curricula and training of teachers
REFERENCE IHL & NIHAAll delegations
PROMOTION OF IHL Armed forces, police, universities, national authorities, OAS
NATIONAL LEGISLATION Ratification of international treaties Law on RC/RC emblems War crimes Impunity Missing
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION – ALL ACTORS Promotion of RC/RC, Principles, modus operandi
GOOD OFFICES Returning hostages to families Restituting bodies to families
ICRC PRIORITIES In Latin America and the
Caribbean Internal armed conflict in Colombia
« Other situation of violence » in Haiti
"Missing", in Peru, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, Arg.
Engage more in "other situations of Violence" Violence in cities, indigenous, prisons,
demonstrations) Operational dialogue on "Use of force in situations
of Internal disturbance and other situations of internal violence"
QUESTIONS…? COMMENTS…?
THANK YOU !
EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PROTECTION ACTIVITIES Regular visits to all places of detention Dealing with summary executions+death threats Missing file (support to authorities, civil soc.) Supporting families (prisoners, missing) Tracing and re-unifying families
PROTECTION
ASSISTANCE
Emergency assistance to approx. 70’000 IDPs / year
Small agro projects for IDPs and residents
Rehabilitation small infrastructure–schools, waterwells
Health assistance to victims of mines and sexual violence
Enabling health structures to reach remote areas
Support to government structures of assistance to IDPs
COOPERATION (NS)
AN ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION Assistance to individual IDPs in 6 towns UXO and Mine action Promotion of IHL and HR Tracing Safer Access for CRC volunteers
ACTIVITIES Integration into military and Police training Sensitization of organised armed groups Integration of IHL into national legislation IHL integration into University programmes Sensitization of media and journalists
PROMOTION OF PROMOTION OF IHLIHL
OBJECTIVES
Respect and implement IHL
Enable ICRC action + access to victims
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