Central African Republic: Red Cross volunteer killed in Bangui
20-08-2014 News Release 14/146
Geneva/Bangui – The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is deeply shocked by the death in Bangui today of Bienvenu Bandios, a Central African Red Cross volunteer, who was hit by a bullet while evacuating casualties in the "km 5" zone of the capital.
Bienvenu, who had served as a Red Cross driver and first-aid worker for five years, was open-minded, cheerful, motivated and always ready to help others.
The Movement, represented in the Central African Republic by the country's Red Cross society, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), is deeply saddened by this death.
"We are greatly dismayed by this tragic loss of life," said Antoine Mbao Bogo, president of the Central African Red Cross. "It is shocking and unacceptable."
Once again, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is urgently appealing to all parties to the conflict and to all those taking part in the fighting to guarantee the security of humanitarian workers and to refrain from harming Central African Red Cross volunteers or other members of the Movement.
For further information, please contact:
Antoine Mbao Gobo,Central African Red Cross Society Bangui, tel: +236 70 02 09 09
Richard Hunlede, International Federation Bangui, tel: +236 72 71 74 06
Germain Mwehu, ICRC Bangui, tel: +236 75 64 30 07
Benoit Matsha-Carpentier, International Federation Geneva, tel: +41 79 213 24 13
Marie-Servane Desjonquères, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 79 574 06 36