ICRC ACTION In Latin America the Caribbean by

ICRC ACTION In Latin America & the Caribbean by Angela Gussing ICRC Head of Operations for Latin America & the Caribbean

ICRC IN LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN WHAT AND WHY? Action in armed conflicts (present and past) 8 Protection of civilian population and detainees 8 Assistance to people affected by armed conflict 8 Action in relation to the MISSING 8 National Society as primary and strategic partner Activities regarding internal violence 8 Work with Police & Armed forces on use of force 8 Support NSocieties action (specific events+situations) 8 Work with youth in specific schools 8 Work on places of detention Reference institution for IHL and NIHA 8 Promotion & integration of Int. Humanitarian Law 8 Actor specifically neutral + independent (accepted by all)

THE ICRC IN THE REGION GLOBAL PICTURE 4 Country delegations 8 Colombia, Haiti 4 Regional delegations 8 Mexico, BUE, Lima, Caracas 4 Country offices 8 Guatemala, Brasilia 4 Resources for 2008 8 Budget CHF 55 mio, 887 Expatriate staff 8407 Nacional staff

HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF ARMED CONFLICT - COLOMBIA 4 EXTENSIVE PROTECTION APPROACH 4 VITAL ASSISTANCE TO CONFLICT VICTIMS 4 INTEGRATED MINE ACTION APPROACH 4 EXTENSIVE PARTNERSHIP - COLOMBIAN RC

HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF PAST ARMED CONFLICTS Haiti, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, Salvador, Nicaragua… 4 MISSING 8 Support to families and re-establishing family links 8 Support to forensic activities 8 Verifying information and cross-checking 8 Support to national mechanisms 8 Support to NGO's and civil society involved 4 PRISONERS 8 Regular visits to prisoners throughout region 8 Support to and contact with families 8 Support authorities to improve detention conditions

HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF OTHER SITUATIONS OF VIOLENCE ICRC in Haiti, Mexico, Lima, Buenos Aires, Caracas 4 Work with police and army (dialogue, integration) 4 Visiting security detainees 4 Support to improve detention conditions 4 Support to and contact with families 4 Support NS to work in urban environments 8 First aid, emergency evacuations, burials 8 Safer Access for volunteers carrying out activities 4 Schools – work with youth on violence issues 8 Introduction in schools of Exploring Humanitarian Law – work on curricula and training of teachers

REFERENCE IHL & NIHA All delegations 4 PROMOTION OF IHL 8 Armed forces, police, universities, national authorities, OAS 4 NATIONAL LEGISLATION 8 8 8 Ratification of international treaties Law on RC/RC emblems War crimes Impunity Missing 4 OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION – ALL ACTORS 8 Promotion of RC/RC, Principles, modus operandi 4 GOOD OFFICES Returning hostages to families 8 Restituting bodies to families 8

ICRC PRIORITIES In Latin America and the Caribbean 4 Internal armed conflict in Colombia 4 « Other situation of violence » in Haiti 4 "Missing", in Peru, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, Arg. 4 Engage more in "other situations of Violence" Violence in cities, indigenous, prisons, demonstrations) 8 Operational dialogue on "Use of force in situations of Internal disturbance and other situations of internal violence" 8

THANK YOU ! QUESTIONS…? COMMENTS…?

PROTECTION 4 EXTENSIVE RANGE OF PROTECTION ACTIVITIES 8 Regular visits to all places of detention 8 Dealing with summary executions+death threats 8 Missing file (support to authorities, civil soc. ) 8 Supporting families (prisoners, missing) 8 Tracing and re-unifying families

ASSISTANCE 4 Emergency assistance to approx. 70’ 000 IDPs / year 4 Small agro projects for IDPs and residents 4 Rehabilitation small infrastructure–schools, waterwells 4 Health assistance to victims of mines and sexual violence 4 Enabling health structures to reach remote areas 4 Support to government structures of assistance to IDPs

COOPERATION (NS) AN ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION 8 Assistance to individual IDPs in 6 towns 8 UXO and Mine action 8 Promotion of IHL and HR 8 Tracing 8 Safer Access for CRC volunteers

PROMOTION OF IHL OBJECTIVES 4 Respect and implement IHL 4 Enable ICRC action + access to victims ACTIVITIES 4 Integration into military and Police training 4 Sensitization of organised armed groups 4 Integration of IHL into national legislation 4 IHL integration into University programmes 4 Sensitization of media and journalists