ICRC “deplores” improper use of emblem

A month after the dramatic rescue of Colombian hostages, the International Committee of the Red Cross has expressed serious concern over the misuse of its emblem.

In a statement, the Geneva-based ICRC referred to “what appears to have been a deliberate misuse of the Red Cross emblem during the operation to free 15 hostages [being held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc)] that was carried out on July 2”.

Video footage aired this week on Colombian television revealed that a member of the army team involved was wearing a tabard marked with the Red Cross emblem before the operation had even begun. This suggested intentional misuse, the ICRC said.

“If authenticated, these images would clearly establish an improper use of the Red Cross emblem, which we deplore,” ICRC deputy director of operations Dominik Stillhart said.

Use of the symbol in such a military operation violates the Geneva Conventions that protect the ICRC’s reputation for neutrality in conflicts.

“We are in contact with the Colombian authorities to ask for further clarifications as to exactly what happened,” Stillhart added.

Last month the Colombian government apologised to the ICRC for the episode, blaming it on an individual officer who used the cloth “mistakenly and contrary to orders”.

Colombian military intelligence agents managed to rescue the hostages, including French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and three American military contractors, by posing as members of a fake international humanitarian group.