ICRC calls for worker safety, unhindered access to victims

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 October 2006, 12:21 GMT]
The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), Sunday in a press release issued following a grenade explosion in front its office in Jaffna Saturday night, called on all parties to the conflict to respect humanitarian aid workers, and to provide "unhindered access to victims of conflict," to humanitarian agencies.

The full text of the press release follows:-

"On Saturday September 30 around 11p.m. a grenade exploded in front of the ICRC, Jaffna office. The explosion caused only material damage to the building. No body was injured as a result of the explosion.

"The ICRC is highly worried by this event and calls on all parties to the conflict to refrain from acts that jeopardize the safety of humanitarian workers. It also urges the relevant authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure that aid workers assisting the civilian population, and persons no longer taking part in the hostilities, are spared from attack and that humanitarian agencies are given unhindered access to victims of conflict.

"The ICRC is present in Jaffna since 1990, currently working with 5 expatriates and 44 national employees. Since renewed fighting broke out on the peninsula in August, the ICRC assisted several thousands of displaced persons."