Red Cross volunteers walk through Bogale in Ayeyarwady Division last month. Pic: AFP/International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

THE Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) has asked non-government organisations and individual donors not affiliated with the society to refrain from using the Red Cross emblem when they conduct relief work for cyclone victims.

“We appreciate the work that donors are doing to help Nargis survivors but if they use the Red Cross symbol, people will be confused,” said Dr Tha Hla Shwe, the president of MRCS.

The request followed reports that some donors working in the delta had been wearing clothing showing the cross used by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), national Red Cross societies and army medics working in disaster and war zones.

The Geneva Convention stipulates that only these groups are permitted to wear the symbol, while others must ask permission from the Red Cross. But these rules are not enforced in Myanmar.

“MRCS has worked hard for many years to gain the trust of the people. If others use it without permission it could have a negative impact on our reputation. This is something I am very worried about,” said Dr Tha Hla Shwe.

According to the IFRC website (www.ifrc.org), the emblems recognised by the Geneva Conventions of 1949 are the red cross, red crescent and red lion and sun. National societies had to use one of the symbols to be recognised as a movement member.

From 1980 to 2005 only the red cross and red crescent emblems were in use. In 2005 the red crystal was also recognised as a distinctive sign under international law, with the same status as the cross and crescent.

The emblems are used in more than 190 countries in the world to protect medical personnel, buildings and equipment in time of armed conflict and to identify national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, the ICRC and the IFRC.