A red what?

THE Namibia Red Cross Society this week joined its international affiliates in officially recognising a new emblem, the ‘red crystal’, as its third official symbol.

The red crystal joins the famous red cross and red crescent emblems, and according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) it is considered a more neutral message than its two affiliate symbols. “Unfortunately, the emblems (cross and crescent) are sometimes perceived as having religious, cultural or political connotations.This has affected respect for the emblems, especially in certain conflict situations, and has diminished the protection the emblems offer to victims and to humanitarian and medical personnel,” a statement forwarded to the Namibian Red Cross Society by its mother body on Friday notes.”The adoption of an additional emblem will enable Societies that find it difficult to use either the red cross or the red crescent to become members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement”, the international body stated.Shannon Schroeder, National Manager for Finance and Administration at the Namibia Red Cross Society, said on Tuesday that, while Namibia has not yet started to use the red crystal symbol, it will soon.”We have to start, but we’re not using it yet,” she said.So far, 84 states have signed the Third Protocol (which introduces the new emblem), which was adopted in Geneva in December 2005, while nine more states worldwide have formally accepted it.It is understood that no country or national Red Cross Society will be obliged to change their emblems and accept the new one, but all will be required to respect the red crystal in the same manner.The new emblem, it would seem, is also meant to bring to an end the emblem debate that has been going on between the international body and its affiliate societies.Perhaps the best-known of these debates involves Israel, which for the last 50 years has been requesting the addition of a red Star of David.The country argued that the red cross and red crescent symbols represented Christianity and Islam respectively, and therefore asked for the recognition of a Jewish emblem.The Red Cross, however, argued that by granting Israel’s request, several other religions may also claim an emblem for themselves, which would eventually detract from the idea behind the emblems as easily recognisable symbols protecting buildings and vehicles on humanitarian grounds.”Unfortunately, the emblems (cross and crescent) are sometimes perceived as having religious, cultural or political connotations.This has affected respect for the emblems, especially in certain conflict situations, and has diminished the protection the emblems offer to victims and to humanitarian and medical personnel,” a statement forwarded to the Namibian Red Cross Society by its mother body on Friday notes.”The adoption of an additional emblem will enable Societies that find it difficult to use either the red cross or the red crescent to become members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement”, the international body stated.Shannon Schroeder, National Manager for Finance and Administration at the Namibia Red Cross Society, said on Tuesday that, while Namibia has not yet started to use the red crystal symbol, it will soon.”We have to start, but we’re not using it yet,” she said.So far, 84 states have signed the Third Protocol (which introduces the new emblem), which was adopted in Geneva in December 2005, while nine more states worldwide have formally accepted it. It is understood that no country or national Red Cross Society will be obliged to change their emblems and accept the new one, but all will be required to respect the red crystal in the same manner.The new emblem, it would seem, is also meant to bring to an end the emblem debate that has been going on between the international body and its affiliate societies.Perhaps the best-known of these debates involves Israel, which for the last 50 years has been requesting the addition of a red Star of David.The country argued that the red cross and red crescent symbols represented Christianity and Islam respectively, and therefore asked for the recognition of a Jewish emblem.The Red Cross, however, argued that by granting Israel’s request, several other religions may also claim an emblem for themselves, which would eventually detract from the idea behind the emblems as easily recognisable symbols protecting buildings and vehicles on humanitarian grounds.