At a time when Algeria has achieved independence and although the activity of the ICRC is continuing in that country, we consider it to be useful to give a brief account of the International Committee's humanitarian activities carried out in that country from January 1955 to July 1, 1962.

In its last issue, the International Review paid tribute to Georges Olivet as well as to Mrs. Vroonen and Mr. Smeding, of the Katanga Red Cross, all three of whom died in the service of the Red Cross on December 13, 1961. The news of their brutal end was received with dismay in Geneva and messages of sympathy are still pouring in to the headquarters of the ICRC, some of which we have already published. Still more messages have been sent to the International Committee from countries all over the world. The Chairman of the Board of Governors of the League, Mr. MacAulay, sent Mr. Boissier, the President of the ICRC, a message expressing his deep sorrow and emphasizing the necessity of establishing the circumstances of this disaster, which represents a threat to the authority and effectiveness of the international actions of the Red Cross.

Mr. Léopold Boissier, President of the ICRC, spent several days in Rome from February 15 to 21, 1962.

On the 16th he was received in private audience by His Holiness Pope John XXIII with whom he spoke of various questions likely to interest the Vatican. The Holy Father listened with the utmost benevolence to all that the International Committee's representative had to say and assured him of his very keen interest in the humanitarian action of the Red Cross.

During the past year, the Central Tracing Agency dealt with 66,348 cases and opened 20,525 enquiries with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Government ministries, Registrar and Municipal offices, etc. The volume of work thus continues to be considerable.

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition, on November 1, 1962, of the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

This Society applied for recognition in a letter dated September 21, 1962. The application was accompanied by the Sierra Leone Government's Decree of July 1, 1962, recognizing the Society, together with the text of the Society's Statutes, and reports of its activities.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has appointed a new member, Miss Marjorie Duvillard, who assumed her duties on November 23, 1961.

Georges Olivet died in the service of the Red Cross in December 1961 near Elisabethville, Katanga. The last message from him was received on December 13, in which he reported that he had several times tried to reach United Nations headquarters, but without success since the troops on guard had refused to allow him to pass. He had wanted to negociate a truce for the evacuation of civilians in the battle areas.

Throughout 1961 the actions of the International Committee of the Red Cross continued to be numerous, important and diverse. These are described in its Annual Report for 1961, recently published, recalling the various international currents which agitated the world during the past year, since, whenever men face each other with weapons in their hands, it is the duty of the Red Cross, and especially of the International Committee, to intervene in order to mitigate the distress caused by the conflict, and, in spite of the violence which is unleashed, to remind people of having the needs of humanity and fellowship respected.

The Central Tracing Agency preserves, in Geneva its archives and card-indexes of the First World War with the greatest care. It is not a question of their being museum pieces which are kept for their historic interest, but on the contrary are documentary material of great practical usefulness, consulted almost daily.

531. — Publication in Arabic of the pamphlet mentioned under No. 527, Fr. 0.50.

532. — Henri COURSIER, Adviser—Legal Department, International Committee of the Red Cross. Translated by M.C.S. PHIPPS. (This volume was originally published in French in the « Que sais-je?» series under the title “La Croix-Rouge internationale” by the Presses Universitaires de France, Paris).—1961. In-8, 131 p., Fr. 3.50.

As it made it known in a press release published on January 4, the International Committee of the Red Cross attempted, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, to go to the aid of the victims of the conflict which had just broken out between India and Portugal.

As former French African States began to achieve independence, so the International Committee gave its attention to interesting them in its humanitarian work. It was for this reason that Dr. Gloor, Vice-President, went to Yaoundé during the celebrations organized on the occasion of the proclamation of the independence of the Cameroon Republic, in 1960.

The International Review has already had occasion to mention the successive stages of the mission which left Geneva at the beginning of February 1962 to visit several countries and territories in Equatorial and Central Africa. This was entrusted by the International Committee to Mr. Samuel Gonard, Vice-President, who was accompanied by Mr. Georges Hoffmann, delegate, for a long time in the service of the ICRC.

On the basis of the different communications during the last month to the National Societies and to the general public, we are in a position to publish a chronological summary of events which will enable an understanding of the role which it was being considered to entrust to the International Committee with regard to the Cuban crisis.