icrc-annual-report-2013

CONTEXTIn Peru, armed clashes between government troops and themilitarized Communist Party of Peru (PCP-M) continued in theApurímac-Ene y Mantaro Valley (VRAEM) and in some areas ofCuzco and Huancavelica.Communities in northern Ecuador, particularly along thePutumayo and San Miguel rivers, continued to feel the spillovereffects of the non-international armed conflict in Colombia.In the Plurinational State of Bolivia (hereafter Bolivia) and Peru,protests rooted in socio-economic or political issues, includinggrievances of indigenous communities, disputes over territorialdelimitations and environmental concerns, often turned violent.The Peruvian government’s efforts to initiate dialogue with protestersled to a decrease in violent incidents.Besides injuries and arrests, difficulties faced by violence-affectedpeople in the three countries included limited access to basic services,damage to civilian property and public infrastructure, anddangers posed by weapon contamination.The three countries maintained multilateral relations withother Latin American States through regional bodies such asthe Organization of American States (OAS), the Union of SouthAmerican Nations (UNASUR) and, for Bolivia and Ecuador, theBolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America.ICRC ACTION AND RESULTSAlleviating the consequences of the fighting in Peru’s VRAEMregion and of the spillover effects of the Colombian conflict inEcuador’s northern border areas remained the Lima regional delegation’spriority.In Peru, during field visits, the ICRC learnt of the concerns of theresident population in the VRAEM. It raised them during dialoguewith the military’s top command, made recommendations in thisregard and encouraged the military to take concrete measures toaddress these people’s needs. Meanwhile, the ICRC provided adhoc assistance for violence-affected people, including those whohad recently left PCP-M camps, enabling them to return to theirhomes and/or to cope until they received government assistance.It helped affected communities cope with the long-term effects ofviolence by improving their access to water and through hygienepromotion activities.In Ecuador, the ICRC’s strengthened presence along the northernborder with Colombia helped bolster dialogue with communities,local authorities, weapon bearers and humanitarian organizationsthere. Discussions with the authorities and weapon bearers centredon the humanitarian situation in Ecuador’s border communities.Ad hoc assistance was provided to vulnerable individuals in theseareas. The ICRC also contributed to improved learning conditionsfor schools in Eloy Alfaro and San Lorenzo, benefiting studentsaffected by juvenile violence.Cooperation continued with Bolivia’s health authorities. TheICRC supported the ongoing incorporation in the national healthsystem of trained community-based health promoters from thePando department, enabling the health services to benefit from thesharing of best practices in addressing violence-related mentalhealth issues.In response to humanitarian concerns arising from violent protests,the ICRC made timely representations to the authorities,including the police, and supported training in internationally recognizedstandards on the use of force for the region’s law enforcementofficers, particularly crowd-control units of the Peruviannational police. Together with the Peruvian Red Cross, the ICRCprovided ad hoc assistance for persons injured during protests inPeru. First-aid training planned for indigenous groups in Boliviawere cancelled.The ICRC maintained coordination with the authorities and civilsociety actors to boost efforts to clarify the fate of missing persons,address their families’ needs and enhance State forensic capacities.In Peru, the ICRC provided technical support for the authorities indrafting a law on missing persons and helped relatives of missingpersons travel to exhumation sites and recover their family members’remains. In Bolivia, planned training in the use of the ICRC’sante/post-mortem database did not take place.During visits to detainees in the countries covered, conducted inaccordance with standard ICRC procedures, delegates monitoreddetainees’ treatment and living conditions, facilitated contact withtheir families and provided material assistance as needed, includingafter a riot and ensuing fire at a Bolivian prison. The ICRCprovided confidential recommendations to the authorities forimproving conditions in places of detention. It added to Peruvianprison staff ’s knowledge of human rights norms related to theirduties and continued providing structural/technical support forinitiatives to reform national penitentiary systems.Through training sessions, presentations and dialogue with keymilitary commands and educational institutions, the ICRC contributedto furthering understanding of IHL in the region’s armedforces and academia. The renewal of an agreement with Ecuador’sDefence Ministry strengthened the incorporation of IHL in themilitary’s doctrine, training and operations and laid the groundworkfor the same regarding international human rights norms.Coordination with the region’s national IHL committees encouragedthe ratification of IHL-related treaties and promoted humanitarianissues such as the protection of cultural property.Cooperation with the region’s National Societies focused onstrengthening their emergency-response capacities. Coordinationwith Movement partners, along with increased public awareness ofhumanitarian issues and of Movement activities, helped facilitateeffective responses to humanitarian needs.CIVILIANSViolence-affected people in Ecuador and Peru cope withtheir situationDuring ICRC field visits, delegates learnt about the concerns ofviolence-affected people in the region; they raised these andrelated matters with the authorities and weapon bearers concernedand made recommendations, which they followed up.Dialogue with the Peruvian authorities focused on encouragingthem to adopt an integrated response to the needs of people whohad left PCP-M camps and of others living in or close to areasaffected by fighting. To help meet their immediate needs, over70 people, 9 of whom had left PCP-M camps and were awaitingState assistance, received food and/or essential household itemsand access to health care, or returned to their homes or moved elsewhere,with ICRC help. They included two children recovered by440 | ICRC ANNUAL REPORT 2013