Violence Against Ebola Responders Mounts In DRC As Red Cross Condemns Attacks

Twelve Red Cross volunteers have been injured and an ambulance set on fire in 11 violent incidents during the 100 days since the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared its Ebola outbreak, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement said Monday.

Three volunteers taking part in response activities were attacked and injured by a group of individuals in Beni, North Kivu province, on 19 August, according to the statement , issued jointly by the Red Cross societies of the DRC and Uganda, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“Attacks against volunteers and humanitarian personnel are unacceptable,” the Movement said, warning that every injured responder and damaged ambulance “reduces the capacity to provide emergency health and humanitarian services, putting more lives at risk and making the epidemic harder to contain.”