Newsletter - Australian Red Cross

PAGE 10SA NEWSPhoto: Australian Red CrossSouth Australiacelebrates NAIDOC WeekNAIDOC Week is a time for allAustralians to celebrate the cultureand achievements of Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander peoples. Thisyear, throughout South Australia, RedCross people showed true communityspirit at various activities and events.Events included community marches,movie nights and the creation of anAboriginal painting and other artworkin Adelaide. Other NAIDOC eventswere held in Port Augusta, PortLincoln, Port Pirie, Ceduna, CooberPedy, APY Lands and Mount Gambier.Raising awareness in SouthAustralia about IHL issuesThere are an estimated 300,000children engaged in combat aroundthe world, typically in Sudan, Libyaand Afghanistan. Imagine someone’schild or grandchild being forced tohold a weapon, to take part inatrocities that no child should have towitness, much less participate in.Children are recruited as they may bemore obedient and easier tomanipulate than adults, and lessaware of the danger they are in. Theimmediate effects of armed conflicton children can be devastating andthe long-term psychological damagethat can be done is severe. RedCross aims to raise awareness aboutinternational humanitarian law (IHL)issues, including the exploitation ofchildren in times of war.South Australian IHL committeemember David Lascelles arranged forparticipants of Red Cross 2010 EvenWars Have Laws course, includingschool students, teachers, IHLvolunteers, staff and IHL committeemembers to attend a function atParliament House on Friday 2 June2011. The Hon Stephen Wade MLC(Shadow Attorney General) hostedthis event. He presented on his ownexperiences visiting the InternationalCommittee of the Red Cross museumin Geneva last year. Representativesof the South Australian IHL YouthIn South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo at the centre for demobilised former child soldiers. Thischild is holding up a photograph of his father. Photo: ICRC/Wotjek Lembryk.Collective talked about theinvolvement of young people in IHLand the October 2010 Flash Mob inRundle Mall.Mr Wade used his time in Parliamentto talk about IHL, and the state’sobligations. He also praised RedCross and our young people for theirwork in promoting IHL awareness toSouth Australians.To find out more about the workRed Cross does in the area of IHLvisit www.redcross.org.au or call1800 811 700.