New Head of ICRC Mission: We will stay in Abkhazia

SUKHUM -- Vice-president Alexander Ankvab received a new head of ICRC Mission in Abkhazia Inske Vandormael. She took the place of Arian de Robien who had headed the Mission for a year and a half.  

Arian de Robien expressed her gratitude to the authorities of Abkhazia for support in her work. In spite of the fact that recently the ICRC Mission has wrapped up some humanitarian programs in Abkhazia, according to Arian de Robien, they have what to do, as conflict consequences still make themselves felt.

In turn the vice-president thanked ICRC representatives for the job done, and said: “the fact that the ICRC field of activity has narrowed, indicates positive changes in Abkhazia”.

Telling about today's work of the Mission, madam Robien said that one of the problems is the missing persons since the 1992-1993 events. “We work in close cooperation with local authorities, the Commission for missing persons, the Mothers Movement and the Sukhum House of youth. We try to react to the needs of the missing persons' families”,  Arian de Robien said.

The vice-president called the problem of the missing persons common for all the parties. “It is a humanitarian issue, and it must not be a matter of politics; mutual understanding of the parties is necessary here”, Ankvab said. “We have been searching materials about missing persons for a long time, do what we can to render psychological, material aid to their families”.

At the same time Mrs. Robien said that the Orthopedic Center, financed now by local authorities, is in good condition (this centre was created on the ICRC's initiative and support).

“Many sustained injuries during the hostilities. The prosthetics problem is extremely serious and urgent. We feel responsibile that we can not provide our veterans with artificial limbs of high quality for the time being”, Ankvab said regretfully. “But we have plans and we are implementing them little by little. We should make so that invalids have an chance to purchase and wear convenient artificial limbs of high quality”.

According to the new Mission's head Inske Vandormael, she is getting on the inside so far, studying what has been done and what she will have to do. “But I already see the authorities' desire to cooperate”, she emphasized. “We will stay in Abkhazia”.

The vice-president presented Arian de Robien with a book about the Abkhaz artist Alexander Chachba and a silver coin with his profile.