Alarming Attacks on the Red Cross and on Humanitarian International Law

The Reality of War, Methodical or Villanous?

by Urs Knoblauch, Culture Publicist, Switzerland

The provision of humanitarian aid, such as food, medicine, clothes, etc. must be made possible in times of war, and must be protected by occupying forces. In the same way, hospitals, women, children, schools, and items of cultural significance must also be protected. This is set down in International Law and in the Geneva Red Cross Accord. The ‘Geneva Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, and Additional Protocol’ states that ‘Protected persons (i.e. civilians) shall have every facility for making application to the Protecting Powers, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the National Red Cross (Red Crescent, Red Lion and Sun) Society of the country where they may be.’ ‘They must be allowed visits, uninhibited by representatives of the Protective Power and the ICRC’ (IV, 30, 143).

New dimensions of horror

NATO’s underhand change in doctrine from that of being a defence force to one of military offence began with bombings in Kosovo on 24th March, 1999. It brought an increase in the overall violation of International Law and in the number of Red Cross workers being shot while carrying out their mission of saving lives, protecting and aiding civilians. Along with increased firing on Red Cross workers themselves, critical infrastructure such as hospitals, buildings and shelters were also attacked and bombed, even though they were clearly marked with the red cross symbol.

The symbol of the red cross (and red crescent is ) is a mark of protection symbolizing the last hope of rescue for civilians trapped by the ravages of war, and is clearly marked on all of their buildings, vehicles and people. It is known throughout the whole world. Every child learns this symbol from their parents, from their teachers. And in every army, the significance of the Red Cross symbol is addressed in training of soldiers. Every soldier knows that this symbol of humanity is also his protection, and to attack it is a war crime, a crime against Humanitarian Law and against humanity itself.

In the following passages a chronlological account of attacks on the Red Cross has been set down in order to call to mind when and where these attacks have been observed. In hindsight is often very difficult to reconstruct what really occurred, to differentiate between intentional and unintentional attacks, and cases which are the tragic spin-offs of the insanity of war itself. In this article we concern ourselves with what is fundamental: the violations of humanitarian International Law is central here. This is, after all, the duty of the media.

Humanitarian aid – humanity for all

Current Concerns has taken upon itself, as far as possible, to point out the meaning of this unique humanitarian institution, which was founded in Geneva in 1863, by Henri Dunant. In an article dated 22.10.2001 Zeit-Fragen highlighted ‘The Constitutional Duty to Respect the Red Cross’ and the ‘Condemnation of the Bombing of Red Cross buildings’. On 4th February 2002 in an article titled ‘U.S. Media and US Government Agencies Attack on the Red Cross and the Geneva Convention’ the protecting function and significance of the historically evolved Geneva Conventions and the Red Cross Conventions were described. Annmarie Buchholz, in her noteworthy piece ‘Red Cross or Cubist Abstractions?’ addressed the present attack on the Red Cross in the context of ‘the superfluous debate on a new Red Cross symbol and on Neutrality as a precondition of humanitarian assistance in war’ (conditio sine qua non). See www.zeit-fragen.ch

For many of us, the historical background of the Red Cross is unknown. It is all the more necessary today to increase people’s awareness of this in order to ensure that humanitarian International Law becomes firmly anchored in society. Professor Dr. Hans Haug in his book ‘Humanity for all – the Red Cross and Red Crescent world movement’ addresses the tradition and the concerns of the Red Cross: Selfless, and free of party bias 12,000 workers in 60 countries (and with delegations in a total of over 80 countries) carry out their vital work under the most difficult of conditions. The author offers the reader highly interesting and deeply human accounts of the setting up of the Red Cross Organisation in all these countries.

In the following, clear violations of humanitarian International Law and attacks on the Red Cross are listed with a view to promoting peace, and highlighting the significance of the Red Cross.

Chronology of Brutality

The Chechnyan War began in 1994. Six Red Cross workers were murdered in an act of brutal genocide. It was one of the hardest blows to the International Red Cross. These were highly competent workers, acting in the selfless humanitarian spirit of Henri Dunant, who were killed in their attempt to bring some light to the very darkness of war.

The Kosovo war began on 24th March 1999 with bombing by European war allies. Along with a large number of human victims, Red Cross facilities came under attack and their efforts were obstructed. In Sarajevo, several years earlier, the once prized library, together with all the major churches, mosques and the Jewish synapgue were bombed and completely destroyed by Serb forces, despite the huge and unmistakable UNESCO emblems on their roofs. This was a blatant attempt to destroy the historical tradition and identity of an entire people and to wipe out the memory of them.

It is known that in East Timor in 1999 the buildings of the Catholic Church and the Red Cross were attacked by the Indonesian army (together with the Peoples Army and the police). The premises had been a refuge for thousands of East Timoreans who had had sought protection there. It was targeted for having been a place of refuge of those supporting the independence movement. The attackers shot through the windows. Fifty to sixty thousand civilians were forced into police buildings. The UN had called on the authorities to protect these refugees. The Indonesian military clearly violated the UN agreement and International Law.

In Africa, heavy attacks on, and fatalities among Red Cross workers and civilians are numerous.

In the attack on Afghanistan by the USA in 2001 there were especially serious violations and war crimes.

In Kabul on 16th October 2001, despite having borne the Red Cross emblem which was more than three metres in size, Red Cross warehouses and buildings were targeted, bombed and destroyed by the USA. Red Cross workers were killed. An Afghan worker was severely wounded. The buildings had been used to store food and shelter supplies for more than 55,000 people. All of this occurred, although the American government had signed the important first Geneva Convention guaranteeing absolute protection of humanitarian aid. (cf. report in Zeit-Fragen of 22.10, 29.10 & 5.11.2001).

In the lengthy and extremely brutal Middle East war waged by the Israelis against the Palestinian people and their settlements, grevious violations of International Law have occurred to date in addition to the heavy attacks and acts of revenge by violent Palestinian groups. Red Cross vehicles were held up for hours by Israeli soldiers in their attempt to reach wounded civilians. The president of the DKR Professor Knut Ipsen has demanded the protection of humanitarian rights by saying that, ‘the safety of humanitarian rescue workers must be guarranteed and attacks on rescue vehicles, ambulance men and women, and medical personnel immediately cease.’ Furthermore, he added that, ‘in the past 48 hours, six rescue vehicles of the Palestinian Red Crescent PRH and an International Red Cross vehicle have been destroyed by Israeli tanks.’

The horrific report came that, on the morning of the 12th March at 10.15, the Red Crescent Maternity Hospital in Al-Bireh came under fire by Israeli soldiers for over fifteen minutes, damaging all five floors of the building. The fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 regulates the protection of civilians. In addition, ‘the holiness of all places of religious worship must be respected by all troops’ is emphasised. Thanks to the call by the ICRC and to general worldwide protest, the attacks were stopped. (Compare reports and artices in Zeit-Fragen 12.03., 18.03, & 8.04.2002)

In the American-waged war on Iraq, a new level of war crimes have been reached. Clearly marked Red Cross warehouses storing vital aid supplies were bombed. The supply of water and electricity was made impossible. Hospitals sheltering thousands of wounded were attacked by the ‘coalition forces’. The unthinkable looting of hospitals and museums, and the attack on Red Cross and Red Crescent faclilities and civilians brought about a new level of horror. Reports tell of Red Cross workers ‘horrified at the number of dead civilians’. ‘Red Cross doctors present in southern Iraq between 31st March and 4th April 2003 witnessed unbelievable numbers of civilian victims, among them was a lorry full of women and children without limbs.’ Further reports state that conditions there were even worse than in Basra or Baghdad. ‘We had young children, two years old at the most, who had lost both arms and legs. We said: This is horrific!’ The ICRC was unable to help in other towns and cities which were unreachable since the roads which led to them lay in the battle zones. The death of an ICRC delegate in Baghdad was a heavy blow for the five others who had volunteered to stay on in Baghdad in order to be of assistance there. The ICRC reported with great dismay on 9th April, ‘The Red Cross vehicle was caught in crossfire and Vatche Arslanian died instantly.’ Other vehicles were hit, and 13 people lost their lives. Florian Westphal, press spokesman for the ICRC in Geneva, described the situation in an interview on 11th April: ‘Looting is an everyday occurrence. Even hospitals aren’t spared. Red Cross workers, when they can work, and risk their own lives doing so.’ To the question of whether the Red Cross was being protected by the dominant American forces, Florian Westphal answered ‘We aren’t protected directly by American soldiers. It is true that American soldiers are in the same part of the city as our office. Of course we call on them to do all they can to protect important facilities, especially hospitals, for the sake of the civilians. At the moment, at least yesterday, civilians were still even too afraid to go to the hospitals.’ In addition, ‘US Aid’ (in the service of America) is co-ordinating all aid efforts, and wants to supervise all aid organisations. The aid organisations are justifiably, protesting against this. They don’t want to work with ‘US Aid’ any longer, where the ground rules and principles of humanitarian aid (aid for all people) are no longer guaranteed. Is a new world order being established, where humanitarian aid will only be given to those chosen by the grace of George Bush?

This shocking chronology is incomplete. However, it makes clear how vital it is to strengthen and support the humanitarian achievements of the International Committees of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and of the peace movement in general. The civilian community, together with politicians and the media, have a duty to make clear what is just and unjust. At the memoriam service of the tragic death of the ICRC worker Vatsche Arslanian, two of his friends recalled an interview which he had given after his first ICRC mission in the former Soviet republic of Georgia: ‘Helping to bring a smile and dignity to a fellow human being is deeply fulfilling. It is the best reward that one can have. And its worth is incomparable to all one can possibly gain through wealth, power and prestige.’