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

THE ICRC IN THE REGION GLOBAL PICTURE Country delegations Colombia, Haiti Regional delegations Mexico, BUE, Lima, Caracas Country offices Guatemala, Brasilia Resources for 2008 Budget CHF 55 mio, 87 Expatriate staff 407 Nacional staff

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

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

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

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

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

THANK YOU ! QUESTIONS…? COMMENTS…?

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

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

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

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