04 April 2004	Sunday	13 Safar 1425

QUETTA, April 3: A two-day workshop for journalists organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross on Geneva Conventions concluded here on Thursday.

The workshop, designed to enhance journalists' knowledge about the Geneva conventions, was attended by a large number of journalists in Quetta.

Dilawar Khan, legal officer of the ICRC, explained his organization's working. He said ICRC was a neutral, impartial organization which acted in times of armed conflicts.

On the concluding day, he focused on the relevance of international humanitarian law and human rights, similarities between Islam and the international humanitarian laws and the four Geneva conventions.

Mr Paul Fruh, head of ICRC sub-delegation, Quetta, told journalists about his past experiences in Pakistan. He visited the country in 1968 and 1973, but was not working with ICRC at the time. In 1982, he served as an ICRC delegate in Peshawar and participated in a survey for setting up a hospital in Quetta.

Dilawar Khan explained why he thought it was necessary for journalists to know more about the Geneva conventions (also known as international humanitarian law or law of armed conflict).

Having the basic knowledge about these conventions was of utmost importance to become more credible and objective in writing, he said.

He suggested how journalists in Pakistan could play an effective role in highlighting the Geneva conventions' violations.

Answering a question, Mr Khan said the fundamental principles of the ICRC were humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

He also explained the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement, the use and misuse of their emblem.

Earlier, ICRC Media Officer Raza Hamdani explained to journalists the reason behind holding such workshops. He said the ICRC would be holding such workshops in other major cities as well.