22 August 2008After gaining access to the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali on 20 August, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is distributing food
and providing medical support.Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the conflict. The ICRC is expanding its operation in South Ossetia, while
continuing to assist people in Tbilisi and other parts of Georgia, as well as North Ossetia in the Russian Federation.South OssetiaOn the road from North Ossetia to South
Ossetia, the ICRC team reported burnt-out cars and a feeling of desolation. In Tskhinvali itself, store shelves are said to be empty but the Russian government is providing assistance to people.When the ICRC team arrived in South Ossetia it was greeted by the newly-appointed Prime Minister, Boris Chochiev. The ICRC has had an office in Tskhinvali for several years but when the fighting
broke out two weeks ago, most of the staff were forced to flee. Local staff are now returning and the office is expected to be back up and running soon.GeorgiaRelief goods are
being distributed and food, blankets, medicine and jerry cans have been provided to at least 7,000 people in Georgia. The ICRC has also restored access to clean water and improved sanitation
conditions for an additional 3,700 people.Isolated villages near Gori, where some people have been cut off from assistance, are now being reached. More and more people are being seen on the
streets – mainly the elderly – asking for food and medicine. The ICRC is also negotiating access to detainees and identifying human remains. Russian FederationThe
ICRC and the Russian Red Cross have assisted over 1,000 people in North Ossetia with hygiene kits and emergency assistance.Restoring family linksPeople who are worried about
relatives they left behind, especially in South Ossetia, have been contacting the ICRC. Many elderly people were unable to flee when the fighting began. Now that the ICRC has access to South Ossetia,
the exchange of news between families in Georgia and their relatives in South Ossetia will begin in full force. To support the ICRC's operations in the affected areas, the British Red Cross
has contributed £500,000, from the Department for International Development.Find out about contacting family members in
GeorgiaDonate to the ICRC's Caucasus Emergency AppealMake a donation to the British Red Cross Disaster Fund
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Helen, 85, and Tina, 75, sit outside a garage they live in on August 22, 2008, two weeks after an air strike destroyed their home in Gori. The August 8 air ...
