A special request to SooToday.com readers

The Sault Ste. Marie office of the Canadian Red Cross is asking Saultites to help it respond to the needs of thousands of people affected by the flooding in British Columbia.

They've sent us the following news release:

************************** Red Cross appealing for $1 million to respond to BC floods

The Red Cross is asking Canadians to once again help people in BC cope with disaster.

Following a summer of devastating forest fires, floods have now impacted thousands of people in many of the province’s communities.

"We're working closely with governments and other agencies to ensure that basic needs are met as people recover from flooding," says spokesperson Carmen MacKenzie.

"Red Cross assistance will cover gaps not addressed through government assistance and insurance."

The Red Cross has established a preliminary fundraising goal of $1 million to help residents with clean up, home repairs, tools for small businesses and household goods they may have lost in the flood.

In-depth assessments of individual needs will be carried out in the coming weeks, so that figure could increase as a more complete picture emerges.

Home Depot, a national disaster partner with Canadian Red Cross, has already supplied 200 home clean-up kits and more than 250 water pumps to the affected area.

These donated goods will help residents begin the big task of cleaning up water-soaked homes.

Red Cross is currently working to establish a recovery centre to serve the Pemberton and Squamish areas and expects that volunteers will begin meeting with residents as early as next Wednesday.

"We’re appealing for financial donations only, not personal items or household goods from individuals," MacKenzie explains. "Cash provides the most flexible and efficient way of helping those in need."

Canadians wishing to donate to the BC Flood Response Fund can do so by calling 1-800-418-1111, visiting www.redcross.ca or making a donation through their local Red Cross office at 105 Allard Street or calling 759-4547.

**************************************************************** The following are two other news releases we've received from the Red Cross over the past 24 hours

Iraq: Two ICRC employees killed in Baghdad bomb attack

Geneva (ICRC) – Two Iraqi employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were killed in a bomb explosion outside the organization's office in Baghdad this morning. Ten other people in the area were also reported killed.

The ICRC condemns this attack in the strongest terms and expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the victims and their families. All deliberate attacks causing death or injury among civilians are strictly prohibited by international humanitarian law and negate the most basic principles of humanity.

The ICRC is not in a position to give further details of the attack for the moment. The organization will be reassessing its working conditions in Baghdad over the next few days.

The ICRC has been working continuously in Iraq since 1980 to address the most urgent needs of the population.

For more information please contact: Florian Westphal, ICRC Geneva, ++41 22 730 29 30, ++41 79 217 32 26

Sudan ratifies anti-mine convention

On 13 October 2003, Sudan deposited its instrument for ratification of the Convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction (Ottawa Convention), thus becoming the 140th State to join the international effort to put an end to the widespread suffering caused by these weapons.

The ICRC congratulates the Sudanese government on this very important step towards a global ban on anti-personnel mines and thanks various governmental and non-governmental organizations, in particular the Sudan Campaign to Ban Landmines, for their active contribution to this achievement.

Under the terms of the Convention, which for Sudan enters into force on 1 April 2004, the Sudanese government is required to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines by 1 April 2008 and to clear all mined areas by 1 April 2014.

Furthermore, it must report to the UN Secretary-General on measures taken to implement the Convention by 26 October 2004.

As guardian and promoter of international humanitarian law, the ICRC played an important part in the adoption of the Ottawa Convention in 1997.

In 1995 it launched an international public campaign against landmines together with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and other humanitarian organizations. In 1996 it commissioned a study on the military value of anti-personnel mines, which showed that the appalling human cost of using these weapons far outweighed their limited military usefulness.

It also took part in the various international conferences and fora held within the "Ottawa process".

All these efforts were instrumental in mobilizing public opinion, stimulating military and political debate and ensuring that the plight of mine victims and communities living under the threat of landmines was not forgotten.

The ICRC welcomes any progress towards adherence to and implementation of international humanitarian law treaties. In this respect, it salutes two other important steps taken by Sudan this year, namely the creation of the National Commission on International Humanitarian Law and the ratification of the Convention on Biological Weapons.

At the same time, it strongly encourages Sudan to embrace other humanitarian law treaties to which it is not yet party, in particular the 1977 Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions.

The ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance.

It also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

For further information, please contact: Sadia Shafaqoj Kaenzig, ICRC Khartoum, tel. ++249 12 137764 or ++249 11 476 464/5/6.

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