“Red Cross Teaches First Aid To Taliban.” Oh no, how could they? That is just not right. Those were some of the thoughts I had when I first read this headline in my PR class last Wednesday. It is the title of a Huffington Post article published last year, and for a second, I hoped they had the information all wrong.
This is what comes to my mind when I think of the Red Cross worker: a smiling young nurse in a white uniform and a white hat on her head, bearing a red cross. That’s the image movies left in my head. The point here is that I know that this young lady and her colleagues always help those in need. If you are sick, if you are a victim of a disaster or if you are fighting a war, these wonderful people come to your rescue.
Well for your information, the Taliban also battle such conditions and are actually described by the Red Cross as combatants. They receive assistance for the Red Cross just like soldiers from other countries that signed the Geneva Protocol would. These people according to the Red Cross deserve humanitarian aid and equal treatment. Remember the mandate and mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC):
“The work of the ICRC is based on the Geneva Conventions of 1949, their Additional Protocols, its Statutes – and those of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – and the resolutions of the International Conferences of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The ICRC is an independent, neutral organization ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence. It takes action in response to emergencies and at the same time promotes respect for international humanitarian law and its implementation in national law.”
Enough said about why the Red Cross did what they did. Let’s look at this from a public relations perspective.
This could be a PR nightmare for the organization, depending on how it was handled; it could have been one of the worst things that ever happened to an organization. Let’s see how this could have impacted them. The Red Cross is staffed primarily by volunteers; actually, volunteers make up 92% of their staff, says Anita Foster, chief communications officer for the Dallas Area Chapter of the Red Cross. Would all the volunteers especially those from countries with bad relations with the Taliban understand that the Red Cross’ neutrality and its commitment to helping all people? What about their donors? Would all their donors still contribute the money they do if they think that there is some likelihood that a cent of it might benefit the Taliban?
However this is not all bad news for the Red Cross or any organization facing a similar situation. I believe that for an organization such as the Red Cross which is over a hundred years old, this offered them an opportunity to educate the public on what they really are, what their mission is, and where they serve. People were already paying attention to them and so they were likely to successfully pass across such a message at that time.
I am not sure how the Red Cross handled this situation, though I know they handled it well. However, here are some ways in which I think How they could have done it?
- · Public statements to the press explaining why the Red Cross offered those lessons to the Taliban.
- · In-house communication with their staff explaining why they did what they did, and reminding them of their policy of neutrality.
- · Press appearances might even be more convincing, as the spokesperson could answer more questions than a sheet or paper or an email might.
- · Lastly, don’t forget social media. Do not fail to respond to worried, disgruntled or confused followers. If you leave the comments to flow unanswered, then they just keep coming in. Also state your mission on these platforms.
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