Minister of State Kitt expresses shock at killing of humanitarian aid workers in Afghanistan
Mr. Tom Kitt T.D., Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, today expressed his shock and dismay at the killing yesterday of five humanitarian aid workers working with the aid agency Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in north western Afghanistan. MSF is an implementing partner of Ireland’s development cooperation programme in Afghanistan
Speaking from Geneva where the Minister is co-chairing the Donor Conference on the crisis in Darfur, Sudan, he extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to their colleagues at MSF. He further stated that:
“In recent conflicts we have witnessed an erosion of respect for humanitarian personnel, as evidenced by the deplorable atrocity which took place in Afghanistan yesterday. This is yet another episode in the disturbing pattern of attacks on UN, Red Cross/Red Crescent and NGO humanitarian workers in recent times. These deliberate attacks highlight the need for greater respect for international humanitarian law and the core principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence which are currently under significant threat.”
