The President of the Iranian Red Crescent Society criticized the transfer of the main rescue and relief operations in the earthquake-stricken city of Bam to the armed forces, stating, "The Red Crescent was a secondary force in the relief efforts." Dr. Nourbala, speaking to reporters, added, "In fact, they took away the maneuverability from the Red Crescent and diminished its capabilities by entrusting the main rescue and relief operations to the armed forces." During the relief efforts in the earthquake-affected areas of Kerman province (southeastern Iran), the devastated city of Bam was assigned to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while the town of Beravat was handed over to the Iranian Army. The President of the Iranian Red Crescent further stated, "There were many deficiencies in the relief operations, and we acknowledge that, but all the blame for the shortcomings of the relief organizations was directed at the Red Crescent... Some Red Crescent members were also attacked by the affected people, and some of them suffered broken limbs." He also emphasized, "We believe that the presence of the armed forces was very beneficial, but the rescue and relief operations should not have been entrusted to them." Nourbala concluded by saying, "Due to the overwhelming response from the public in donating aid, the situation was beyond the control of the officials overseeing the assistance, and we witnessed abuses and looting."
Rescue and Relief Operations in Bam Should Not Have Been Handed Over to the Military
Dr. Nourbala, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent, criticized the decision to hand over rescue operations in Bam to the military, arguing it undermined the Red Crescent's role. He acknowledged deficiencies in the relief efforts but noted that the Red Crescent bore the brunt of public criticism and faced attacks from affected citizens. This situation highlights the challenges of disaster response management in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Iranian Red Crescent Society's president criticized the decision to transfer control of rescue operations in Bam to the military, arguing it reduced the Red Crescent's effectiveness. The IRGC and the Iranian Army were given control over different areas affected by the earthquake.
- The Red Crescent was sidelined in favor of military forces in the relief operations.
- There were reports of public unrest and logistical challenges during the relief efforts.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran frequently experiences earthquakes, and the 2003 Bam earthquake was particularly devastating, prompting ongoing scrutiny of disaster response capabilities.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%