UPDATED : 25/06/2008

The Second Consultation Meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Member States’ National Societies of Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) held in İstanbul under the hosting of Turkish Red Crescent and Islamic Committee of International Crescent has ended.

Making a call at the closing of the meeting held in The Grand Cevahir Hotel, Tekin Küçükali, the President of the Turkish Red Crescent, said they are deeply affected by the ignorant attitude of the world’s public opinion towards humanitarian matters in the OIC geography including Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Europe and Caucasian regions.

Küçükali, saying that there are man-made disasters along with the disaster of the century, tsunami and the suffering raised in Iraq has gone beyond words, stated “We believe immediate action should be taken to prevent the violations of human rights in countries like Iraq, Palestine, Sudan, Lebanon and so forth in today’s modern world and to stop these agonies.”

Stating that the law system where the strong is right can not be accepted, Tekin Küçükali, spoke as; “We should have the International Humanitarian Law regulated for preventing the wars in total and have the rights resulting from these collection of laws for which states partied taught to societies.”

Küçükali: “We call United Nations for action to implement Universal Law Rules same everywhere on earth.”

Saying that they would do any effort to create a continuing peace atmosphere, Küçükali, kept on his words as: “We call fort he rest of the world with the conscious that our differences are beauties binding us together. Act for peace in your own geography and do not make interventions causing more human sufferings in these regions. We call all bodies of Red Cross Red Crescent movement to create local solutions in accordance with universal values to stop human sufferings in this region. We believe efforts in which approaches resulting from local facts are adopted will provide much more effective and consistent solutions. We call for United Nations to act in accordance with the equal implementation of universal laws as implemented everywhere in the world to protect the humanitarian rights of civilians in the region and fulfill their tasks in their definition of the foundation.”

Istanbul Declaration

At the end of the meeting, the Istanbul Declaration signed by Küçükali, the President of ICIC Mr. Ali M. Buhedma and the Vice President of ICIC and the General Director of Turkish Red Crescent Ömer Taşlı was read.

The President of ICIC Buhedma who read the declaration, stated; aiming at building up the solidarity among Islamic countries in the OIC geography and solving problems by helping the victims of wars, conflicts and disasters in these regions, ICIC, would reinforce solidarity among nations and humanitarian understanding and values  by activating human power and will thanks to the cooperation with international and national humanitarian aid organizations, inter-governmental institutions, governments and their organizations and the bodies of international Red Cross Red Crescent movement.

Buhedma, who told that they would try to build up a harmonious life where there are no prejudices or double standards against the race, religion, gender and ethnicity of people and establish and reinforce a real peace which is just, balanced, and tolerant, said they would defend fraternity all across the globe by avoiding prejudices and attitudes and oppressions humiliating the human dignity.

Emphasizing that ICIC which called for all parties to approach problems emphatically and create solutions attracted the whole international public opinion on the effects of man-made disasters, Buhedma spoke as follows:

“ICIC undertakes that it will work for elevating the human values, preventing wars and conflicts and alleviating their effects on civilians and in this respect, for pioneering to build up a world where peace rules.

Calls for all nations to act in accordance with the Guiding Principles of International Disaster Intervention Law and to provide all facilities for the free circulation of humanitarian aid workers and the humanitarian aids at times of disasters.

Informs all authorities about the international human rights violations and holds the initiative to revise existing regulations and make necessary changes and also undertakes the role of defending and expanding international humanitarian law globally.

Calls for Organization of Islamic Conference member states, Islamic Development Bank, Islamic Solidarity Fund and other donators for necessary aids to provide necessary sources to implement humanitarian aid activities and programs.”