American Red Cross

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seven fundamental principles

 

Humanity

The International Red Cross emerged from the desire to provide assistance to the wounded on the battlefield without any exclusion or preference. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for a human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among all the nations.

Impartiality

It works without any discrimination on basis of nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It merely seeks to alleviate suffering and eliminate grievances.

Neutrality

The Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

Independence

The Movement is independent. National Societies assist the governments in their humanitarian activities and obey the laws of their country, but they must always maintain their autonomy to be able to act in accordance with the principles of the Red Cross.

Voluntariness

It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for material gain.

Unity

There can be only one national Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies. It should be open to all and carry on its humanitarian work throughout the country.

Versatility

Red Cross is a worldwide movement. All societies have equal rights and an obligation to help each other.

 

The ICRC in the Americas

 

ICRC priorities in the Americas are fourfold: to protect people deprived of their freedom, to clarify the fate of people missing in connection with past and current conflicts, to protect and assist people caught up in armed conflict and other forms of violence and to promote international humanitarian law and the role of the ICRC.

 

Criticism

 

Despite the good intentions of the organization serious shortcomings of the Red Cross during the Second World War are remembered. History tells us that:ICRC was the first one to learn out about the Nazi plan to exterminate the Jews, but the organization was concealing these facts for a long time. ICRC President Max Huber personally led two companies which actively collaborated with Nazi Germany . In 1942, the ICRC received the information guide that the last Jews from Berlin were taken to Auschwitz, but did nothing. This list is endless, but these events have seriously undermined the prestige of the organization.

ICRC has been accused of having unrestricted access for different information, but it didn’t try to prevent problems because the organization chose to take the neutral stance . Also, this position is quite controversial, even in case of war, the ICRC also adheres to neutrality. However, if their primary aim is humanity, the policy of neutrality in this case is the violation of human rights. For example, the limited comments by the ICRC on the revelations of torture by United States soldiers in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq sparked disapproval for failing to use all possible means to protect victims of war (Sadi 2004). In this case, the ICRC knew of the torture claims at least two months earlier than the international media. On the other hand, this policy allows the ICRC to have free access to governments and lobby them gradually, so criticism is valid on the one hand, on the other not.

 

Conclusion.

 

To sum up, we can say that the ICRC is quite transparent system,for example,on their website everybody has an access to the archive data. The ICRC observes  its basic principles. However the organization is playing a double game and because of that it is criticized. Since World War ICC has been accused of hiding a lot of information. Despite this, the ICRC has access to many governmental systems that allows it to take the vital decisions.