Phnom Penh, Cambodia (29 October 2010)
Under the supporting of ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and suggestion of other countries’ Red Cross, Cambodian Red Cross took a role as host country to launch Regional Family Links (RFL) meeting in Cambodia, Phnom Penh on October, 26th -28th to discuss and check implementation of restoring family link in action and make decision to fellow up strategies.
The meeting is persist over by Lct. Men Neary Sopheak, Deputy Secretary General of the Cambodian Red Cross; Mr. Nicolas Olivier, Head of ICRC office in Cambodia; Mr. Stefan Kuhne-Henllmessen, Program Coordinator of IFRC Bangkok; Mr. Yves-Jean Dumeril, ICRC Geneva; Ms. Andreane Stuhud Riama, representative of the Indonesian Res Cross; and participated with ICRC colleagues and representatives of National Societies.
The first meeting of RFL meeting was held in Sri Lanka (2007) and then in India (2008), in Qater (2008) and the annual meeting for RFL Inter-Regional Meeting 2009 in Jakarta.
This meeting is fully in line with the actions recommended by the RFL Strategy 2008-2018, aiming at strengthening cooperation and coordination between the members of the Family Links Network in the regions. It also aims at tightening the links between the Tracing Services of the region and facilitation the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Restoring Family Link is the generic term given to a range of activities that aim to prevent separation and disappearance, restore and maintain contact between family members and clarify the fate of persons reported missing. This term used in the context of counties those have wars and arm conflicts, but now it use for all countries especially countries faced violence situation, natural or man-made disasters, international migration and other hardships leave countless people, Lct. Men Neary Sopheak said in the opening ceremony.
Respect for family unity goes hand in hand with respect for human dignity. A person’s well-being depends greatly on his/her ability to stay in touch with loved ones or at least receive information about what has happen to them, she continued.
“Today meeting will update on RFL activities and development since Jakarta meeting, the implementation of the RFL strategy, RFL in disaster and emergency preparedness and etc,” she remarked the agenda in the meeting.
In order to address those challenges successfully, the ICRC, the National Societies and the International Federation all have to come together to build, strengthen and maintain Family Links Network. The effective of this unique international network depend on the components’ ability to strengthen capacity, intensify cooperation and prioritize action, she emphasized.
It is really necessary when we look back to the disasters and emergencies occurred in 2010, requiring the intervention of the movement, including in the field of RFL, like in Haiti, Chile, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan. In view of the increasing number of disasters hitting every year the planet, and heavily affecting this part of the world, we have to pursue our efforts to improve our capacity and performance in the field of RFL, Mr. Nicolas Olivier noted.
“We trust all people attending this meeting will comply with their duty to promote, explain, and support the development of RFL programmes, both inside the movement and outsides, such as authorities and other organizations. It is indeed nice to be able to exchange good practices and experiences in this forum,” he added.
By S.L
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