Red Cross ready to assist injured in Libya
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is calling upon authorities, demonstrators and all others involved in the situation in Libya to respect human life and dignity at all times.
"The ICRC is in close contact with the Libyan Red Crescent Society, which has provided blood supplies for several hospitals in Benghazi," said Jean-Michel Monod, head of the ICRC regional delegation in Tunis which also covers Libya. "We have offered the society our direct support and want to assess the situation on the ground as soon as possible."
People who have been wounded in the clashes, and health-care personnel, vehicles and facilities, must be respected by all. Security forces must apply international standards governing the use of force in their efforts to restore law and order. Those arrested and detained must be treated in conformity with international law.
The ICRC is in contact with the Libyan authorities through that country's mission in Geneva. It is offering to provide support for national medical services in their efforts to care for people injured in the violence, and it stands ready to respond to any other urgent humanitarian needs.
The ICRC is a neutral and independent humanitarian organization operating throughout the world. It responds to the needs of people caught up in armed conflict and other situations of violence. Visit http://www.icrc.org/ to learn more.
Friends and relatives in Canada seeking information on Canadian citizens believed to be affected by the unrest in Libya should contact the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
