Title: Lebanon- ICRC steps in to provide assistance to displaced people in north Lebanon.
Date& location: Camp of Nahr el-Bared. 25 May 2007
Duration: 08' 20''
Source: International Committee of the Red Cross – Access all


For broadcast tapes and information on footage: Virginie Louis, International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva,

This report will be distributed free-to-air and rights free over the Eurovision News Exchange network on 25 May 2007 at 20h00 GMT

SHOTLIST

00:11
1) Distribution of 20 Tons of food assistance in Beddawi camp
Unloading of food boxes from trucks into smaller vans.
ICRC emblem on trucks.
Coordination discussions between ICRC and Lebanese Red Cross volunteers near trucks.
Police women discussing with ICRC volunteers.
Boxes of food assistance brought to displaced people's houses
Delivery of 17.000 litres of water for refugees still inside Nahr el-Bared camp .

INTERVIEW ICRC delegate Carolien Terink, Economic Security (Ecossec)
"There is a very big ICRC team on the spot. There is a protection team, there is a water and Habitat team, there is a medical team and I'm part of the Ecossec team.
The Ecossec team is trying to give some first food assistance to the displaced people who arrived here and we are just trying to help with some first items until we see a little bit how the situation develops".

ICRC delegates calling out names and handing out boxes of food with the help of Lebanese Red Cross volunteers.
Lebanese Red Cross registering a women refugee
Unloading of trucks continues.

04:34
2) arrival of first International Committee of the Red Cross relief convoy of 11 trucks carrying 200 tons of emergency food assistance crossed the border from Syria to Lebanon, carrying aid to the thousands of refugees.

07:46
3) INTERVIEW ICRC Head of Delegation Lebanon, Jordi Raich, comments on humanitarian situation.

"The situation remains pretty tense inside and around Nared –El-Bared camp and the ICRC remains pretty concerned about the situation of the refugees left inside the camps where the living conditions are deteriorating, there is shortage of food, shortage of water, there is no electricity, there is lacking of medicine, especially for people with chronic diseases. We are afraid and deeply concerned about the possible escalation of the level of violence and we would like to repeat our urgent message to all the different parties to the conflict to respect the lives of the civilians and to allow humanitarian organisations to carry out their humanitarian duties in safety as well as to respect the medical missions, the humanitarian personnel and medical facilities".

08:30 ENDS

STORY

After several days of heavy fighting between the Lebanese army and militants from Fatah al-Islam in the Palestinian Refugee Camp of Nahr el-Bared in north Lebanon, an estimated 15,000 civilians have fled the camp and took refuge in the nearby camp of Beddawi.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is deeply concerned about the recent escalation of violence at the Nahr el Bared camp in Lebanon. What is of particular concern is that the fighting took place in a densely populated area, leading to civilian casualties, damage or destruction of civilian infrastructure (including the water system) and massive displacement of the camp's population. This is why the ICRC has called on all parties involved in the fighting - both directly and publicly -to respect the rules of international humanitarian law, and to protect civilians not taking part in the hostilities.

During the fighting, since last Sunday, the first priority was to seek the best possible access and safety for medical services to rescue and evacuate the wounded and sick. Unfortunately, there were grave incidents during which ambulances were shot at, and as was widely reported, a UN convoy and water truck also came under fire. Our clear message to all parties is that Medical personnel and other humanitarian workers must be allowed to carry out their tasks and have unimpeded access to the wounded. Medical personnel, vehicles and facilities are to be spared from violence. I wish here to commend the outstanding work and commitment of our partners of the Lebanese Red Cross and Palestinian Red Crescent medical teams who operated under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions and have taken considerable risks to save lives.

The ICRC operates in an integrated way with the Lebanses Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Crescent who run Emergency Medical Services inside (PRCS) and outside (LRC) the camp. Since the outbreak of the violence, we have facilitated their work by contacting parties to the conflict to arrange for safe passage and by providing medical supplies to the ambulance services and hospitals.
Local sources tell us that up to half the camp's population has left to the neighbouring camp of Beddawi as well as to Tripoli, where they mainly stay in schools, public buildings or with families. ICRC teams carried out their first assement in Beddawi camp yesterday and are assisting the displaced with an initial consignment of 20 tons of food. Today an ICRC convoy of 11 truckloads with over 220 tons of food items is arriving from the ICRC logistics base in Amman.

As fighting can erupt again at any moment, we remain extremely concerned about the security of up to 20'000 civilians who are still inside the camp and who need protection and assistance. The ICRC is committed to continue its protection and assitance activities, together with the Lebanese Red Cross and Palestinian Red Crescent, as well as in close coordination with UNWRA and other UN agencies in charge of the camp's refugees.