CAPTION: RFMF Chief of Staff, Brigadier-General Mohammed Aziz at the training today. Photos: MINFO.
Seventeen senior staff from the disciplined forces were today briefed on the role and functions of the International Committee of the Red Cross in conflict and high risk situations.
Opening the week long training, Red Cross head of regional delegation, Judith Greenwood explained to the officers from the Fiji Military Forces, Fiji Police Force and Fiji Corrections Services one of ICRC’s mandates, which is to help prevent the suffering of those affected by conflict in promoting and developing the international humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.
Red Cross Head of Regional Delegation, Judith Greenwood.
“The course that you will attend this week feeds into this part of the work that the ICRC carries out in the Pacific,” Ms Greenwood said.
“Some of you will go on in the future to serve in peace keeping operations and there you will come into contact directly with the ICRC.”
Ms Greenwood also pointed out that the objectives of the ICRC included reducing the suffering of civilians in times of conflict.
“By the end of the week you will all know the work of the ICRC,” Ms Greenwood said.
RFMF Chief of Staff Brigadier-General, Mohammed Aziz said that one of the reasons for the course was the legislation of International Humanitarian Law into domestic law.
“Legislations are not to be kept on the shelves, the reason for bringing you (officers) here is to make you aware of what is there, how it affects your daily lives, whether it be administration or operational both locally and on foreign deployment,” Brigadier-General Aziz said.
“The law is unsparing, there have been recent cases where individuals have been taken to task for non compliance and non adherence to international instruments.”
The training will end on Friday with a certificate presentation to all the officers attending the course.
MINFO