Red Cross collects messages from people who have not been able to contact their relatives

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has set up a service in Brazzaville to collect Red Cross messages from people who have not been able to contact their relatives abroad since the beginning of the conflict last June. Every day, four Congolese Red Cross volunteers receive about 50 messages at the collection centre. So far, almost 400 messages have been sent around the world - not only to other countries in Africa, but as far away as Cuba, Russia and China. Additional collection points are scheduled to open soon in other parts of Brazzaville so that even more people can use the service. The programme will continue until regular communication is restored.