Posted on 07/16/2008 11:42:05 AM PDT by Abathar
BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- Colombian President Alvaro Uribe says one Red Cross symbol was used in a daring and successful hostage rescue mission that took place two weeks ago.
What seems to be part of a red cross is seen on a bib worn by a man involved in the rescue in this official image.
One of the rescuers was wearing the symbol on a bib, Uribe said Wednesday in a nationally televised announcement that was also carried on radio. He described the wearing of the symbol as a slip-up.
Such a use of the Red Cross emblem could constitute a "war crime" under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law and could endanger humanitarian workers in the future, according to international legal expert Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association.
Uribe said he was sorry for the mistake and had talked to Red Cross officials about it.
The ICRC mission in Bogota said in a written statement: "As guardian of international humanitarian law, the ICRC reminds that the use of the Red Cross emblem is specifically regulated by the Geneva Conventions and its additional protocols.
"The Red Cross emblem has to be respected in all circumstances and cannot be used in an abusive manner.
"The ICRC as neutral and impartial must have the confidence of all the sides in the conflict in order to carry out its humanitarian work."
Colombian military intelligence used the Red Cross emblem in a rescue operation in which leftist guerrillas were duped into handing over 15 hostages, including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.
Photographs of the Colombian military intelligence-led team that spearheaded the rescue, shown to CNN by a confidential military source, show one man wearing a bib with the Red Cross symbol. The military
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
A more important question: why did Colombia allow images of the rescuers to be released at all? (at least their faces should have been obscured)
Now the Military Intel and rescue dudes are all on FARC death lists (assuming that FARC has not yet collapsed - it’s in decline but I don’t think they are without capabilities)!!!!!!!
Why would the FARC trust the Red Cross to ferry their hostages from one camp to another and why would the Red Cross agree to do so in the first place?
The inescapable answer is that they have done it before and are actively helping the FARC.
"The ICRC as neutral and impartial must have the confidence of all the sides in the conflict in order to carry out its humanitarian work."
I understand the confidence part of this. But how this could be construed as an "abusive manner" escapes me. A Columbian acknowledgment that this was done without IRC approval should be the end of the matter. With my understanding of the IRC, however, I have my doubts.
Sorry FARC...we had to use the Red Cross! It was an emergency you see!
Gee what a surprise as the MSM describes an operation AGAINST the terrorists as a “war crime’. While Hezbollah uses Red Cross vehicles in suicide missions and they are ignored ( considered by the press as innovative i guess)
Colombian military used Red Cross emblem in rescue (Load of CNN crapola)
CNN 7/15/2008 CNN
Posted on Tuesday July 15, 18:40:11 GMT-0700 2008 by tobyhill
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2046099/posts
I'm afraid I will not live long enough to see the end of the MSM.
Ha! I searched Uribe and Betancourt, typical.
That's not fair!!! Only Hamas and Hesbollah are allowed to use Red Cross symbols on their vehicles to transport weapons and bombs!
-PJ
Oh, bite me!
I hereby offer "legal expert" Mark Ellis to FARC as a hostage to atone for this grave error. And I further propose a special policy for his case; No negotiation, no rescue.
Let the International Bar Association litigate that!
Does this mean the hostages have to go back ?
I am not going to lose too much sleep over this one.
Yup, nary a word when hezbollah uses Red Crescent marked ambulances to shuttle their murderers around.
Oh, not THAT Betancourt? Carry on, then...
aaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Brilliant.
Let’s see, Bush announces lifting of ban on offshore drilling, oli price drops, other news needed. This is just an attempt to give the talking heads on CNN and MSNBC something to scream at each other about, so they do not have to talk about energy policy.
What, the Red Cro$$ is mad because the rescuers used their symbol and didn’t pay for the use???!
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