Red Cross panel laments plight of migrants
Play
THE International Committee of the Red Cross has voiced concern over the migrant crisis in Thailand and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, saying the migrants are vulnerable and affected by armed conflicts and other violent situations.
Speaking at the 7th Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Lecture on International Humanitarian Law yesterday, Peter Maurer, president of the ICRC, said women and children were the most affected as they were exposed to multiple forms of violence and exploitation.
“We are trying to access people in need, despite challenges, to deliver essential aid and to create a humanitarian space amidst conflict and violence,” he said. The lecture was entitled “Contemporary Challenges to Humanitarian Action”.
The event, held every two years, was hosted by the Thai Red Cross Society in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Her Royal Highness, as executive vice-president of the Thai Red Cross Society, presided over the lecture.
The ICRC sought to remind the authorities of their obligations towards migrants in terms of protection and respecting fundamental rights, Maurer said.
It is necessary to ensure that the framework of protection for the migrant population established at the national level is applied and respected, as well as ensure that the required resources are available, he said.
Thailand and other countries faced a migrant crisis after thousands of Rohingya and Bangladeshis took dangerous journeys via the Bay of Bengal in search of better lives in the region.
The ICRC stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to irregular migrants in Thailand and other countries of the region, Maurer said.
International humanitarian law (IHL) is a tool to mitigate the problem, but its implementation is complicated due to the complex and multilayered reality on the ground.
Maurer, therefore, attaches great importance in parties complying with the Geneva Conventions, which forms the core of the IHL along with additional protocols and is designed to protect innocent people from the effects of war and regulate armed conflicts.
