Red Cross plans expansion in Chechnya
By Timur Aliyev
GROZNY, Chechnya - The International Committee of the Red Cross will embark on projects next year that will protect the civilian population, stated Michael Kramer, head of the Committee in Chechnya at the November 8 meeting with local journalists.
He said the Red Cross intends to increase its efforts in finding the Chechen civilians who disappeared without a trace or were kidnapped, and they'll also organize reunions of families who’ve been separated by war. He added that a similar project had been achieved in Africa.
In addition, the Red Cross will continue to carry out micro-economic projects to support small business in the republic; they intend increasing the present number of 100 to 500 next year. According to Kramer, these projects will allow the population to manage without humanitarian aid and to independently handle its finances.
However, the Red Cross is not going to suspend humanitarian aid as they understand that even 500 micro-economic projects are not enough to solve this problem.
The meeting with journalists took place in the Committee’s Grozny office, primarily to announce that after being with the Red Cross for 18 months, Michael Kramer had decided to leave. He will be replaced by Marcel Arnold, who worked on ICRC projects in Africa. (MG/E,T) RELATED ARTICLES:
· A first success for microeconomic projects in Grozny (ICRC, 18.8. 2005)
· Red Cross to continue land mine education in Chechnya (PW, 20.04.2004)
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