Russian Federation: The ICRC will focus its action on Chechnya in 2006
25-01-2006 News Release
The following was issued as a press release by the ICRC delegation in Moscow
Today the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is launching publicly its Plan of Action in the Russian Federation for 2006. The ICRC carries out a broad range of humanitarian activities in Chechnya and other parts of the northern Caucasus and supports the Russian Red Cross. The ICRC also maintains long-term programmes aiming at promoting international humanitarian law (IHL) among the authorities, the armed and security forces and civil society.
Presenting the 2006 Plan of Action, the Head of the ICRC delegation in the Russian Federation Marco Altherr notes, " the development of neutral and impartial humanitarian action remains a challenge in a context where the need for humanitarian assistance is still great. As a matter of priority in 2006, the ICRC will pursue discussions with the Russian authorities aimed at the resumption of visits – suspended since September 2004 – to people detained in connection with the conflict in Chechnya, in accordance with its standard procedures worldwide " .
While the visits to detainees are suspended, the ICRC continues to establish and maintain links between detainees and their families and seeks to engage the authorities in a dialogue on missing persons and to promote respect for the civilian population in the northern Caucasus.
The ICRC's assistance operation in the northern Caucasus remains, in budgetary terms, one of its biggest worldwide and as in the last years will focus on Chechnya. In 2006, the ICRC will carry on providing some 80,000 members of internally displaced (Ingushetia and Daghestan) and resident communities (Chechnya) with essential household items. Through the microeconomic projects, in 2005 the I CRC supported over 80 households in starting small family business allowing them to generate stable income and decrease dependence on humanitarian assistance. As of 2006, microeconomic projects will be expanded to Ingushetia and Daghestan.
Mine risk education in Chechnya helps people and particularly children to avoid the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance. The ICRC will continue to build safe play areas for children.
Reinforcing health services in the region is another priority, with the ICRC assisting in 2006 up to 13 hospitals in Chechnya, one in Daghestan and one in Ingushetia, as well as the Grozny central blood bank. The ICRC will also support the repair of public infrastructure such as the water supply and sewerage systems in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Daghestan.
The ICRC will continue to work in support of better understanding and broader respect for international humanitarian law, promoting the ratification and national implementation of IHL treaties, co-operating with Russian armed and security forces to further integrate IHL and/or human rights law into training and operations at all levels.
The ICRC's Russian-language website www.icrc.org/rus allows all Russian-speaking Internet users to have access to IHL treaties, information on humanitarian issues and ICRC activities worldwide.In order to implement its programmes in the Russian Federation the ICRC needs over USD 25 million.
See also: ICRC plan of action 2006