The Red Cross medical teams in the Congo, which now include more than 35 doctors, are continuing their work courageously in conditions which are sometimes difficult. Several of the teams are working in remote areas and are almost cut off from the outside world. Nevertheless, in most cases, the ICRC Delegation is able to send them the equipment and medicaments they need, should other means of transport be lacking, by chartering private aircraft. A donation of the British Red Cross made it possible to purchase and dispatch a quantity of medicaments of which the teams were in need

With the death scarcely six months ago of William Michel, the International Committee has suffered another loss when Maurice Thudichum died on June 5, 1961.

This is an important activity of the Central Tracing Agency. The ICRC has in fact continued without a break the action which it has undertaken for several years, whose purpose it is to reunite or to contribute towards reuniting members of families dispersed by the second world conflict or as a result of the events which subsequently followed in Europe.

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition, on September 7, 1961, of the Togolese Red Cross Society by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The work of the Red Cross in the Congo. — Mr. P. Delarue and Dr. P. Kiefer, delegates of the ICRC returned on April 15, 1961 from their mission to Katanga. They were able to obtain the necessary authorization and were granted every facility to visit places of detention: the central prison of Kasapa near Elisabethville and the penitentiary of Buluo near JadotviUe, where there were respectively 1095 and 547 persons under detention. The delegates also visited two camps under construction especially reserved for political detainees.

The following statement was communicated to the press by the ICRC with regard to its recent mission to Bizerta.

August 29, 1961.—In connection with an enquiry which the Tunisian Government proposes to undertake concerning violations of the law of nations of which Tunisian nationals are alleged to have been victims during the recent events in Bizerta, a certain number of newspapers inaccurately quoted the statement made by a spokesman of the ICRC by saying that: “it did not propose to take part in such an enquiry which would obviously be used for political ends.”

Since the beginning of the events which took place in Cuba in April 1961, the International Committee of the Red Cross, in accordance with its traditions and with the spirit of the Geneva Conventions, has offered its humanitarian assistance in favour of all the victims of these events.

The accounts appended concern the Foundation for the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Augusta Fund and the Florence Nightingale Medal. Details concerning the Empress Shôken Fund (as on December 31, 1960) were given in the previous issue of the Revue Internationale in connection with the fortieth distribution of allocations from the income of this Fund. It will be recalled that the Augusta Fund was established to commemorate the eminent services rendered to the Red Cross by the Empress of Germany, Queen of Prussia, and was intended to be employed in the general interests of the Red Cross. The Fund for the Florence Nightingale Medal was established in memory of the services of Florence Nightingale. The income is used for the distribution of a medal by the ICRC, every two years, awarded to Red Cross nurses and voluntary aids who have distinguished themselves exceptionally by their devotion to sick or wounded in time of peace or of war.

A solemn appeal to President Kasavubu. — The International Committee of the Red Cross was all the more dismayed on hearing of the acts of cruelty committed in the Congo, since it had, from the beginning of the events in that country in the summer of 1960, attempted unceasingly to spread the knowledge of the Geneva Conventions and to impose a spirit of humanity.

August 24, 1961.—A delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Algeria in June and July in order to examine, with the French Red Cross in particular, how the aid to the resettled population could be continued and intensified. This relief action applies especially to women and children in the resettlement centres. New plans for distribution provide for the co-operation of mobile teams of nurses and of local committees of the French Red Cross.

The activity of the ICRC in Laos. — Since the last weeks of 1960, the International Committee of the Red Cross has, in various ways, come to the aid of victims of the conflict which broke out in Laos, in particular by distributing relief and visiting detained persons.

At its plenary session on June 1, 1961, the International Committee of the Red Cross elected two members : Mr. Samuel Gonard and Mr. Hans Meuli.

As soon as the ICRC had set up a delegation in Leopoldville (July 1960), it was seen that a Tracing Service similar to the Central Agency in Geneva was urgently required. The disturbances had led to an abrupt exodus, and it was impossible to keep check of whole families leaving to seek asylum in the former French Congo, Angola, Northern Rhodesia, Tanganyika or the newly formed Central African Republic. These unexpected events, for which the host countries were not prepared (especially as far as a systematic registration of the refugees was concerned), and the disruption or complete break-down of means of communication, transport and postal services, had resulted in great and in many cases justifiable anxiety on the part of those obliged to leave, and their relatives.

In order to give its support in the carrying out, within the framework of the Geneva Conventions, of all the humanitarian tasks which the circumstances demanded, the ICRC sent a delegate without delay to Tunis.

The annual report of the International Committee of the Red Cross has appeared recently and contains a considerable amount of information on the Institution's activities during 1960.

Miss Lucie Odier has asked to be relieved of her duties and the International Committee has taken note of her resignation with the greatest regret.

By the terms of a letter which was received by the Federal Political Department in Berne on June 20, 1961, the Government of the Federation of Nigeria has confirmed the participation of that State in the Geneva Conventions of 1949, participation which took effect on the date of the independence of that country, namely on October 1, 1960.