Red Cross courage in Lebanon
| 7 August 2006
Removing the dead and giving medical aid to the living is the harrowing double task of Red Cross volunteers who are daily running the gauntlet of danger in Lebanon. | |
 | | | Speaking from the conflict-torn country Red Cross spokesperson Roland Huguenin-Benjamin, described how “incredibly brave” Red Cross volunteers have been working around the clock for almost a month, helping civilians caught up in the conflict. | |
| Roland is an information officer for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who normally works at the British Red Cross in London. He described how the volunteers, both men and women aged up to their mid-40s, have put their own lives at risk.
“The Red Cross volunteers are incredibly brave and dedicated,” he said. “The ICRC has been giving the volunteers more modern equipment as many were wearing poor quality flak jackets and helmets.
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| “We work closely with the volunteers as they do a lot of medical evacuations and the ICRC negotiates a safe passage for them. We have also had to transport some of the dead bodies which is a very unpleasant task, especially seeing the bodies of couples with their children,” he said.
Roland is based in the city of Tyre on the coast where ICRC ships have been delivering aid to southern Lebanon. Two ships delivered relief to the port last week whereas previously aid had to be transported in convoys to the south from Beirut. However, a ship due in today (7 August) had to be diverted further north as it was refused entry.
Isolated villagers
An estimated 100,000 civilians are still living in southern Lebanon – approximately 35,000 of the population are in isolated villages.
“Our major concern is that we unloaded 100 tonnes of food relief from the last ship but can’t distribute to the villages because we can’t organise a safe passage for convoys,” he said.
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| “We are very concerned about the civilian population, who are now totally isolated. Many have been living in villages with no access to food for more than three weeks. Some people wanted to leave but it is now virtually impossible because of the continuous bombing. They are entirely dependent on Red Cross aid.” | | |  | |
He described how people trying to leave had been shot by missiles and how a private truck trying to deliver bread to Tyre yesterday was destroyed, killing the driver.
“Last night, the main road from Tyre to the north was completely destroyed which leaves the city entirely isolated from the outside world. The ships were the last life-line but a ship that was due in today was given a red light,” he said.
Water shortage
Roland described how water is also a major concern.
“Villagers have no access to water. The large pumping station in the mountains has been destroyed beyond repair. People are having to rely on wells, but to pump the water from the wells they need electricity and the electricity stations have been destroyed. The luckier ones have generators but they need fuel for them to work.
“The ICRC delivered fuel to the hospital in Tibnin last week just to keep the hospital going,” he said.
The ICRC has also delivered vital medical supplies to hospitals in Marjayoun and Jezzine, as well as thousands of ready-made meals and blankets to many villages in southern Lebanon. | |
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