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International
Federation Secretary General in Jakarta outlines Red Cross Red Crescent
role 5 January 2005 As the emergency relief operation coordinated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies develops for victims of the devastating tidal waves in Asia that have left some 150,000 people dead, Secretary General Markku Niskala, in the Indonesian capital Jakarta for the meeting of ASEAN and other government leaders on 6 January, explains the International Federation’s future plans for medium and longer term assistance. The Federation plans to support longer term relief for the hardest hit tsunami victims in all the affected countries. “We hope to bring some stability to the affected areas and target communities through the relief and recovery phase within three to six months, then moving to the longer term rehabilitation and reconstruction components through 2010 and beyond,” underlines Niskala. “These activities will consume the bulk of the more than 500 million Swiss francs already raised by Red Cross Red Crescent Societies around the world – and we expect this figure to rise still further.” Longer term recovery initiatives will include helping to give people who have lost everything the means to start making a living again, such as fishing nets or boats. Some 250 million Swiss francs are expected to fund rehabilitation projects, strengthen disaster preparedness measures, such as upgrading warehousing, transportation means and telecommunications systems, as well as increasing stocks, and help rebuild destroyed Red Cross or Red Crescent infrastructure, such as branch buildings or basic health care centres. The Red Cross Red Crescent intervention is part of a much wider global response, and the Federation Secretary General stressed the importance of effective coordination with United Nations agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other humanitarian partners. He also reiterated the Federation’s commitment, as an active member of the UN Inter Agency Standing Committee, to contribute to this coordination. “We also look forward to the UN lead in the proper use of civil defence and military assets in relief operations in view of protecting, where necessary, the independent, neutral and impartial nature of humanitarian work,” Niskala says. In the meantime, more than 30 flights loaded with Red Cross Red Crescent relief goods have arrived in the affected countries. Some 14 emergency response units specialized in water purification, health care, logistics and telecommunications have been deployed, and thousands of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are providing survivors with food, clothes and other emergency articles. The full text of Markku Niskala’s statement can be found from 8am GMT at: http://www.ifrc.org/what/disasters/response/tsunamis/index.asp All operations updates, press releases and photos can also be found at this link. For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact: Marie-Françoise Borel, Press Officer Tel: + 41 22 730 43 46 Roy Probert, Press Officer Tel: + 41 22 730 42 96 Eva Calvo, Press Officer Tel: + 41 22 730 43 57 Sian Bowen, Head of Media Tel: + 41 79 217 33 88 Duty phone Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81 The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. © International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |
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