The
Ukrainian Red Cross is hard at work in the tent city that has
sprung up on Kiev's main street. Blankets, boots, socks, scarves
and jumpers - to keep out the biting cold - have been distributed
to hundreds of demonstrators, along with thousands of sandwiches,
cups of tea and soup.
"When it got really cold, on Tuesday night, we started
our work," says Red Cross President, Dr Ivan Usichenko.
"We were in constant touch with representatives of the
Yanukovich and Yushchenko campaigns, asking if they needed help."
With the strongest possible emphasis on neutrality in a tense
time, nurses from Kiev City branch, organised by Vera Milenko,
made a delivery of medicines to Yanukovich followers, as requested.
Over a hundred "alternative service personnel" - those
who volunteer for the Red Cross rather than military service
- have been going from tent to tent checking that the thousands
who are braving temperatures of minus 10 are healthy and warm.
They are also helping to refer those with colds and flu to special
hospitals set up by demonstrators. "A lot of people protesting
for Yushcheno have colds, flu and sore throats. We are providing
them with medicines as well," says Milenko.
The Red Cross work has not been as extensive as it could have
been, because of the extraordinary solidarity of citizens. In
a sense, millions of Ukrainians are doing Red Cross work, donating
food, clothes, time, and even a space in their homes to ensure
the welfare of those on the street.
"I walked down Kreshchatik street at eight o'clock each
morning," says Dr Usichenko, "and I've been asking
what people need. Mostly they say they need a hot drink to start
the day, but there's not much available till nine." From
today, Red Cross volunteers filled that gap.
No one knows how long the stand-off will continue, and for how
many more days demonstrators from either side will remain. But
Ukrainian Red Cross is ready to respond, whatever the needs.
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Ukrainian
opposition supporters receive food and tea in central
Kiev (REUTERS/Kostyantin Chernichkin/ courtesy www.Alertnet.org)
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