icrc-annual-report-2013

CONTEXTOn 21 January, Barack Obama was inaugurated for his secondterm as president of the United States of America (hereafter US).Over 100 internees at the US internment facility at GuantanamoBay Naval Station in Cuba staged a hunger strike to protest the lackof clarity about the status of their cases and their fate. In response,President Obama called on Congress to ease restrictions on transfersof internees from Guantanamo Bay and lifted a moratorium ontransfers to Yemen that had been in effect since 2010. Two specialenvoys were appointed to speed up the facility’s closure and, afterinitial delays, the periodic review board created in 2011 startedholding hearings to review the internees’ cases.The use of remotely piloted aircraft, particularly in Afghanistan,Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, remained a significant feature of thecontinuing shift in the US’s global defence posture. As part of theongoing transformation of its armed forces’ role in Afghanistan,the US further reduced its military presence in the country toapproximately 34,000 troops by the end of 2013. The handover ofthe detention facility in Parwan to the Afghan Ministry of Defencewas finalized in March.Canada’s contribution to the international military operations inAfghanistan entered its last full year in 2013. The Canadian governmentreaffirmed its interest in contributing to efforts to addressthe humanitarian consequences of crises in key contexts, such asSouth Sudan.ICRC ACTION AND RESULTSConsidering the country’s prominent role in international affairs,the ICRC maintained its dialogue with the US authorities, whichincluded meetings with President Barack Obama and other highlevelofficials. The protection of civilians during military operationsand the humanitarian response in key contexts worldwideremained the main topics of discussion; policy-makers wereencouraged to take into account humanitarian issues and to supportICRC activities. Similar contacts were developed with representativesof the Canadian government.Discussions with senior military commanders underscoredhumanitarian concerns in their respective areas of responsibility,including issues related to the ongoing transformation of the USarmed forces’ role in Afghanistan (see Context). Through briefingsconducted for Canadian and US troops, including militarypolice units deploying to the Guantanamo Bay internment facilityas guards, and IHL input provided for training exercises, theICRC helped raise their awareness of IHL norms, humanitarianissues and the ICRC’s role and mandate. Such efforts helped promoteIHL compliance and contributed to acceptance of the ICRC’sneutral, impartial and independent humanitarian action.In discussions with key decision-makers, the ICRC reiterated specificconcerns related to the current situation of people held at theGuantanamo Bay facility. It emphasized the following: its recommendationto improve family contact for the internees; the need torespect the principle of non-refoulement when transferring interneesfrom the facility; issues related to the legal framework applicableto the internees’ cases and to the implementation of the processfor reviewing cases; and the need to observe internationally recognizedstandards of medical ethics in the provision of health care,including to those on hunger strike. Delegates continued to visitinternees to monitor their treatment and living conditions eventhough some refused to interact with the ICRC as part of their protest(see Context). Most of the internees were monitored individuallyand private interviews were conducted with many of them,including those about to be transferred.The ICRC also continued to engage a broad range of civil societystakeholders in substantive dialogue on a wide range of IHLrelated/humanitarianissues, reinforcing its position as a referenceorganization on IHL and raising public awareness of such issues. Itorganized an international seminar with the Canadian Red CrossSociety on safeguarding health facilities in armed conflict and otheremergencies, in line with the aims of the Health Care in Dangerproject. The Organization of American States (OAS), with ICRCinput, adopted several resolutions to strengthen IHL integration inits member States and, for the first time, its Committee on Juridicaland Political Affairs engaged in dialogue on various humanitarianissues with national IHL committees in the Americas.The American Red Cross, in tandem with the ICRC’s regionaldelegations in Mexico City and Washington, conducted fieldassessments along the US border with Mexico to better documenthumanitarian needs, thereby strengthening the Movement’sresponse to the plight of vulnerable migrants in the region. Itstepped up its response to such migrants’ family-links needs bysetting up phone stations at key points along the border.The ICRC sustained its cooperation with the American RedCross and the Canadian Red Cross, with a view to mutuallyboosting capacities and developing a consistent approach tocommon concerns.CIVILIANSRespect for IHL with regard to the conduct of hostilities remainedthe major theme of the dialogue between US civilian and militaryauthorities and the ICRC: for example, the U.S. Army Peacekeepingand Stability Operations Institute developed its tactical procedureswith ICRC input. Decision-makers considered implementingmeasures to minimize harm to civilians in contexts where USarmed forces were deployed. Greater familiarity with humanitarianissues among both senior officers and combat troops helpedensure that protection for civilians and respect for IHL wereincorporated in the planning and execution of military operations(see Authorities, armed forces and other bearers of weapons, andcivil society).Migrants restore contact with their families and reporttheir concerns to the ICRCVulnerable migrants in the US, including unaccompanied minors,re-established/maintained contact with their families worldwidewith assistance from the American Red Cross, which set up phonestations at key transit points along the US border with Mexico.The American Red Cross and the ICRC jointly carried out fieldassessments in border areas, complementing efforts by the MexicoCity regional delegation and the National Societies in Mexicoand Central America to develop a more coherent and effectiveresponse to migrants’ humanitarian needs (see Mexico City). Theassessments allowed them to document the concerns of vulnerablemigrants, particularly in relation to re-establishing familylinks, come to a better understanding of the existing needs, andICRC WASHINGTON ANNUAL REPORT (REGIONAL) 2013 | 453