- Humanitarian crisis possible on both sides of border if conflict escalates, aid agency warns

- World Vision has small amount of pre-positioned emergency supplies in Georgia; more will be needed across the region if crisis worsens

TBLISI, Georgia, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — As fierce fighting continues today in Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia region, international aid agency World Vision is calling for the international community to help broker an immediate ceasefire.

“Thousands of civilians are in harm’s way right now, including women and children,” warned David Womble, World Vision’s national director for Georgia.

“The U.N. Security Council must make this matter a priority, and help broker an immediate ceasefire between the parties. If fighting continues, thousands of families will be forced to flee, and we could be faced with a humanitarian crisis.”

To avoid any further civilian casualties and suffering, World Vision is calling for the following:

– The United Nations Security Council must work to broker an immediate ceasefire.

– All combatants must abide by international law and protect civilians, particularly children and women, who are the most vulnerable.

– Civilians fleeing the conflict zone to the north and the south must be afforded safe passage.

– Humanitarian corridors should be set up immediately so aid workers can safely access civilians and provide life-saving assistance.

– In particular, UN agencies must be allowed access into the conflict zone to help coordinate the humanitarian response and maintain the necessary security communications to allow for humanitarian operations.

– The United Nations, regional actors and key international stakeholders should advance the mediation of a long-term political solution that will end the conflict and address the humanitarian conditions resulting from the fighting.

Meanwhile, Tskhinvali, the main city in South Ossetia, has reportedly been cut off by fighting and remains inaccessible.

“We’re hearing reports that the entire water supply to Tskhinvali has been shut off. Potable water is the number-one humanitarian need right now for the city and surrounding areas,” said Womble.

World Vision has a small amount of pre-positioned emergency supplies in Georgia and is poised to assist people fleeing south. The agency also has programs in the Russian Federation’s North Ossetia region, which borders the conflict zone, and is preparing for an influx of displaced people to the north as well.

The Christian aid agency has worked in Georgia since 1994, focusing on community development and the needs of children in difficult circumstances. Current programs include microfinance for poor entrepreneurs, support for street children and children with disabilities, food for work, HIV and AIDS prevention and assistance for returning migrant workers. World Vision does not have current programs in South Ossetia but assists more than 15,000 children in Abkhazia, another breakaway region of Georgia. The agency’s 155 staff in Georgia are accounted for and safe at the present time.

World Vision also has worked in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation since 1995, including peacebuilding and economic recovery projects in North Ossetia.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit worldvision.org/press.

Source: World Vision U.S.

Related posts:

1. Russia Media in Full Propaganda Mode as War Breaks Out With Georgia; Russia News Service Offers Complete Coverage WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — While the world’s media report...
2. Saakashvili First on Bloomberg TV: ‘Full Scale Russian Invasion’ NEW YORK, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire/ — Today, in his first...
3. Ozzy Osbourne to Headline Virtual OZZfest Lineup in Guitar Hero(R) World Tour OZZFest Artists Metallica, System of a Down and Black Label...

When asked whether Georgia is now at war with Russia, President Saakashvili said, “Russia has attacked Georgia, that means that Russia is trying to basically either attack Georgia overall or to chop off a piece of its territory.” He goes on to say, “We are a small freedom-flooded democratic country with a small population, very motivated, very determined to defend ourselves.”

Saakashvili accused Russia of “a sheer, clear and blunt aggression that parallels the worst examples of the 20th Century and certainly is unheard of and unparalleled in modern times.”

President Saakashvili’s comments came after reported aerial bombings and widespread fighting in the disputed region.

The 22 minute interview can be viewed in its entirety at: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aA18V3Yj0lCA

This exclusive news and follow up reports are available to the public on BLOOMBERG TELEVISION(R) networks and BLOOMBERG RADIO(R) services worldwide, as well as to users of the BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL(R) service. Clips from the interviews will be archived and available via the BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL service.

About Bloomberg Television

The BLOOMBERG TELEVISION(R) service is the only worldwide 24-hour business and financial television network, broadcasting in seven languages to more than 200 million homes via eleven channels. BLOOMBERG TELEVISION programming is created exclusively by the global BLOOMBERG NEWS(R) service with more than 2,300 professionals in over 135 bureaus. The dynamic BLOOMBERG TELEVISION screen adds depth and context to on-air reports, providing viewers with charts, breaking news, stock quotes and relevant stock indexes in real time gleaned from the news, data and analytics tools of the BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL(R) service.

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg is the global provider of financial data, news and analytics. The BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL(R) service and Bloomberg’s media services provide real-time and archived financial and market data, pricing, trading, news and communications tools in a single, integrated package to corporations, news organizations, financial and legal professionals and individuals around the world. Bloomberg’s media services include the global BLOOMBERG NEWS(R) service with more than 2,300 professionals in over 135 bureaus worldwide; the BLOOMBERG TELEVISION(R) 24-hour business and financial network produced and distributed worldwide on eleven channels in seven languages; and BLOOMBERG RADIO(R) services providing up-to-the-minute news on XM, Sirius and WorldSpace satellite radio globally and on WBBR 1130AM in New York. In addition, Bloomberg publishes BLOOMBERG MARKETS(R) magazine and BLOOMBERG PRESS(R) books for investment professionals. For more information please visit http://www.bloomberg.com/.

The BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL service and data products are owned and distributed by Bloomberg Finance L.P. (BFLP) except that Bloomberg L.P. and its subsidiaries (BLP) distribute these products in Argentina, Bermuda, China, India, Japan and Korea. BFLP owns and distributes Bloomberg Markets Magazine. BLP provides BFLP with global marketing and operational support and services. Bloomberg Tradebook is distributed by Bloomberg Tradebook LLC and its subsidiaries. BLP owns and distributes Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg Radio, the Bloomberg Website and Bloomberg Press. BLOOMBERG, BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL, BLOOMBERG MARKETS, BLOOMBERG NEWS, BLOOMBERG ANYWHERE, BLOOMBERG TRADEBOOK, BLOOMBERG BONDTRADER, BLOOMBERG TELEVISION, BLOOMBERG RADIO, BLOOMBERG PRESS and BLOOMBERG.COM are trademarks and service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, or its subsidiaries. BTV is a trademark and service mark of Bloomberg L.P., a Delaware limited partnership. All rights reserved.

Source: Bloomberg

Related posts:

1. Russia Media in Full Propaganda Mode as War Breaks Out With Georgia; Russia News Service Offers Complete Coverage WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — While the world’s media report...
2. Rise of Global Deaths and Chronic Diseases Leads to Summit on Protecting Global Employee Health American Cancer Society Convenes Global Companies, Health Care Professionals,...
3. VITAC Provides Closed Captioning for NBC’s Coverage of The Beijing Olympic Games VITAC’S LIVE CAPTIONING MAKES NBC’S BROADCASTS ACCESSIBLE TO OVER 30...

The media controlled by the Kremlin quotes Russian President Dmitry Medvedev as saying, “Russia will punish those guilty of killing Russian nationals. Georgian troops in fact staged an act of aggression.”

The Russia News Service, one of the oldest and most prominent independent English language Internet sites providing breaking news about Russia, closely follows these developments. See:

  -- Breaking News on Russia - http://www.einnews.com/russia/

  -- Breaking News on Georgia - http://www.einnews.com/georgia/

– Breaking News on South Ossetia – http://www.einnews.com/georgia/newsfeed-south-ossetia

About the Russia News Service, http://www.einnews.com/russia/

Edited by an experienced Russia expert, Dr. Tracy Dove, the Russia News Service provides daily news coverage of Russia’s politics, business & economy, Chechnya as well as the developments in the former Soviet republics. In addition, the website monitors over 200 news topics from areas such as agriculture, energy, industry, health, etc.

Scanning more than 25,000 unique URLs and indexing nearly 80,000 new articles every 24 hours, the news is updated every half hour and delivered to readers via the website or in the form of email daily briefs.

The Russia News Service is published by the IPD Group which specializes in media monitoring services.

About the IPD Group, Inc., http://www.ipdgroup.com/

The Washington, DC-based IPD Group, Inc. provides niche-focused Internet data mining and searching tools to corporations, institutions, and professional individuals. The company makes online research more convenient, rapid and affordable.

The IPD Group’s media monitoring and newsletter services are designed as alternatives to high cost services such as Lexis-Nexis.

  The IPD Group's publications include:

  -- EIN News - http://www.einnews.com/
  -- U.S. Politics Today - http://uspolitics.einnews.com/
  -- Healthcare Industry Today - http://health.einnews.com/
  -- Music Industry Today - http://music.einnews.com/
  -- The Inbox Robot - http://www.inboxrobot.com/
  -- Energy Industry Today - http://energy.einnews.com/
  -- Agriculture Industry Today - http://agriculture.einnews.com/

  For a FREE TRIAL to any IPD Group, Inc. product please visit:
  http://www.ipdgroup.com/products.php

Related posts:

1. Welcome to Border Lines, US and Mexico News Welcome to Border Lines, the new news portal that focuses...
2. Voters Say Paris Hilton’s Political Ad Will Help Her Reputation - Majority of Democrats and Independents Believe Ad will Hurt...
3. Texas and Mexico Small business web directory by catagory and pagesGet listed...