East Africa

Press, 1 May 1981, Page 9

East Africa

More than 100 delegates from 15 national Red Cross societies are currently working on relief operations for refugees and drought victims in East Africa.

The cost of the emergency phase of this operation, started in October last year when the League of Red Cross Societies formed an East Africa Task Force, and expected to continue until at least the next harvest, coupled with the cost of development programmes for 20 Africa Red Cross and red Crescent societies, has lead the League to launch an appeal' for (N.Z.)S24M.

The Task Force was formed to deal with the increasing numbers of drought stricken people, following years of sparse rainfall in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya and Uganda. Problems faced by the Task Force are compounded in many instances by logistical and security problems. In several of the affected countries the roads into droughtafflicted areas are rough and sometimes impassable. Many regions have an acute shortage of fuel, vehicles, trained personnel and money. In the longer term the League will concentrate on specific technical assistance projects such as staff train-

ing, primary healthcare, blood transfusion - programmes, disaster preparedness, fund raising and ambulance services. In Southern, Central and West Africa the League will, continue to support development programmes initiated ' during the last few years and aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of some 14 national Red Cross Societies. :/ At the same time the International. Committee of the Red Cross has appealed for 52 million .Swiss frauds (approximately SNZ3O.§M) to’ continue its .work of providing medical, care relief arid? protection ‘-for the victims of conflict in - Some' 13 African? countries. .

As a neutral intermediary the ta.sks of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Africa, as elsewhere in the world, include visiting prisoners of war and political detainees, transmitting family messages and providing material assistance in conflict regions where civilian victims such as displaced people are practically cut off from all other help.