|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APRIL 5
, 1999 5:18 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Doctors Without
Borders
Barbara Kancelbaum in New York at 212-655-3763
|
|
| Doctors
Without Borders Calls for Immediate and Unconditional Access to Kosovar Refugees
in No Man's Land on Macedonian Border |
|
|
NEW
YORK - April 5 - The international medical relief agency Doctors Without Borders/Médecins
Sans Frontières (MSF) appealed to the Macedonian authorities today to grant aid
agencies unhindered access to the refugees stranded on the border with Kosovo.
The sanitary and medical conditions on the ground have deteriorated considerably
over the last few days.
"The fact that aid agencies have been prevented from providing the necessary assistance
is totally unacceptable," said Dr. Lex Winkler a director of Doctors Without Borders,
in Blace. "We have the capacity to intervene but the authorities continue to deny
us the authorization to deploy our teams and equipment."
Aid agencies have been facing serious administrative delays in Macedonia and Albania
since the beginning of the emergency. Doctors Without Borders has appealed to
the authorities in both countries to speed up customs procedures, cut administrative
delays, and grant free access to the population in need for humanitarian agencies,
as required by international law.
The organization is also concerned about the effectiveness of the humanitarian
coordination mechanism in Macedonia. "It is essential that this operation be coordinated
by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; only UNHCR has the legitimacy
to lead this major humanitarian emergency," said Dr. Winkler.
More than 40 Doctors Without Borders are at work in Albania, Montenegro, and Macedonia.
Doctors Without Borders is the world's largest independent international medical
relief agency aiding victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural and man-made
disasters, and others who lack health care due to geographic remoteness or ethnic
marginalization. Each year the organization sends more than 2,000 doctors, nurses,
other medical professionals, and logisticians to provide medical aid in more than
83 countries.
###
|
|
|
Common Dreams NewsCenter is a non-profit news service
providing breaking news and views for the Progressive Community.
The
press release posted here has been provided to Common Dreams NewsWire by
one of the many progressive organizations who make up America's Progressive Community.
If
you wish to comment on this press release or would like more information,
please contact the organization directly.
*all times Eastern US (GMT-5:00)
Making News?
E-mail us your news release! news@newscenter.org
© Copyrighted 1997-2000
All Rights Reserved. Common Dreams. www.commondreams.org
|
|
Share This Article With A Friend