Somalia: ICRC calls for respect for international humanitarian law
Geneva (ICRC) – With the number of victims of the fighting in Somalia growing, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is deeply concerned about the plight of the civilian population, people wounded in the hostilities, and detainees. The military operations still taking place, including the recent airstrikes, have resulted in further casualties in the southern part of the country. Essential health services are virtually non-existent in the south and the nearest functioning hospital is in Kismayo, one or two days' journey north of the affected area.
The ICRC once again calls on all parties to the hostilities to ensure that captured and wounded fighters are treated humanely and receive adequate medical attention, and that medical staff, hospitals and clinics are respected and protected. The ICRC further urges all parties involved in the military operations to take every precaution to spare and protect civilians.
Since the outbreak of the hostilities two weeks ago, the ICRC has stepped up its support for various medical facilities in central and southern Somalia, 23 clinics run by the Somali Red Crescent Society and three hospitals in Mogadishu. It has supplied these facilities with a total of 16.5 tonnes of first-aid kits, surgical supplies and medicines. An ICRC team consisting of a surgeon, an anaesthetist and a nurse – all expatriates – is currently working in Somalia alongside Somali medical staff. So far, over 850 wounded people – both civilians and fighters – have been admitted to these facilities.
"One big problem is lack of trust and fear of possible harm", explained Oscar Avogadri, an ICRC doctor. Many of the injured had left hospitals before their treatment was complete, he said. Others were unable to reach a medical facility owing to the ongoing fighting and generally poor security conditions. Fewer people would die if they had timely access to medical care.
Following a series of natural disasters and the heaviest fighting in a decade, the situation of the civilian population in Somalia has sharply deteriorated over the past few weeks. Most people are dependent on humanitarian aid and civilians have also fled their homes, some of them towards border areas.
There were already widespread shortages of essential items before the outbreak of the recent fighting. "Every possible precaution must be taken to spare the civilian population", said Pascal Hundt, head of the ICRC's Somalia delegation. "And farmers must have access to their fields so they can plant the seed recently distributed as the flood waters receded. Otherwise we are likely to see disastrous food shortages in the near future."
The ICRC has been carrying out humanitarian activities in Somalia since 1977 and is one of the few humanitarian organizations still working there. Each year it distributes relief to more than 500,000 people displaced by the protracted conflict and implements over 300 water-supply, health, agricultural and livelihood projects.
For further information, please contact:
Pédram Yazdi, ICRC Somalia (in Nairobi), tel. +254 20 2723 963 or +254 722 51 81 42
Nicole Engelbrecht, ICRC Nairobi, tel. +254 20 2723 963 or +254 722 51 27 28
Vincent Lusser, ICRC Geneva, tel. + 41 22 730 2426 or + 41 79 217 32 64
or visit ICRC website: www.icrc.org
