News: Ethiopian Red Cross Society requests respect for its logo during the ongoing conflict in border areas between Tigray, Amhara regions

Addis Abeba, November 12/2020 – In a statement it issued yesterday, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) requested its logo to be respected during the ongoing military operations in areas bordering the Amhara and Tigray regional states. ERCS issued the statement after three of its ambulances with a distinct display of its logo have come under fire from what it said as “armed groups” in the border area of the two regional states.

“This act contravenes international principles and the use of Red Cross logo; it intervenes in the ERCS’s free humanitarian works, and prevents the implementations of the Geneva Convention signed by Ethiopia,”

ERCS

The ERCS said its north Gonder branch has, at the moment, dispatched more than ten ambulances and volunteers based on its charter No. 1067/2010 and following its rules of impartiality. Its ambulances and volunteers are currently helping civilians in need as of October 24 in Ethiopian Calendar.

However, the ERCS said, armed groups have opened fire damaging three of its ambulances which were on duty in Dansha area on October 30 Ethiopian calendar (November 09/2020 EC). “This act contravenes international principles and the use of Red Cross logo; it intervenes in the ERCS’s free humanitarian works, and prevents the implementations of the Geneva Convention signed by Ethiopia,” the statement said. It also “puts volunteers in harm’s way,” it added.  

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society has therefore requested all parties involved in the conflict to respect the Geneva Convention providing protection to its volunteers and its staffs and medical team who are providing help to civilians who are not a part of the conflict. It also called on parties involved in the conflict to stop armed attacks on ambulances with the Red Cross logo from using its logo. AS