THE lives of Irish aid workers could be at risk because of the violation of the Red Cross emblem in the continuing struggle for power in Zaire, Dr Mary Henry (Ind) warned. In a special debate on the human tragedy in the Great Lakes area of Central Africa, she said 10 Zairean Red Cross workers had been killed near Kenge, 200km east of Kinshasa, last Wednesday.
"There is no possibility these would be isolated cases, I am afraid," said Dr Henry. "There may be many other ones. We have aid workers from Ireland out there and I think it is very important that a really firm statement is made about the violation of the Red Cross emblem in this case, because it's the only thing really aid workers have to rely on.
"There were grave dangers not just for those living in an area where the most appalling violation of human rights was taking place, but also for aid workers."
Mr Michael Lanigan (FF) said rebel leader Laurent Kabila could not exonerate himself from blame by suggesting those carrying out the present wave of killings were not under his control. Irish aid workers should be used to train a special African humanitarian corps to tackle problems which arose in that part of the world.
Mr Tom Enright (FG) said Mr Kabila was aware of the excesses of his army. The horrifying crimes being committed in Rwanda and Zaire flew in the face of God. It must be brought home to the perpetrators of these atrocities that they would face justice.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Joan Burton, said no Irish aid money had ever been used to fund the purchase of arms or for military purposes in Rwanda or anywhere else, suggestions to the contrary were without foundation.
Rwanda was a traumatised society where the scale of suffering was on a par with that experienced here during the Great Famine. To suggest that Irish Aid should abruptly withdraw its support for the rebuilding of Rwandan society was irresponsible.