Field Operations tarian law, stressing the importance of the subsequent end of the conflict in respect for the civilian population and Nicaragua, the situation in the country the Red Cross emblem. During field no longer came under the ICRC's man- missions to conflict areas, members of the date. For this reason, the network of opposition and the general public were ICRC sub-delegations and offices, which major targets of dissemination work. was set up over the years to offer protec- Courses and conferences were mainly tion and assistance to the direct and in- given to the armed forces and the police, direct victims of the conflict, was and efforts were also carried out through dismantled in the course of the year and the mass media. the delegation's expatriate staff was reduced from 20 to 8 by December. Another popular method of dissemina- tion in El Salvador last year was through the medium of theatre. Specially con- Visits to detainees ceived plays with audience participation Roughly 1,300 security detainees who had explained very clearly exactly what goes been registered by the ICRC were still on when, for example, ICRC delegates behind bars in February 1990, but by the visit security detainees. The plays were by end of April none of these people were and large presented to members of the being held for reasons related to the con- armed forces, and set in a Salvadoran flict. Upon the request of the authorities, context. the ICRC was actively involved during the release of those detainees in locating their families, monitoring their health and their GUATEMALA transportation back to their places of origin, as well as providing food and Cooperation with the Guatemalan Red clothing. Cross was a priority in 1990 and many facets of National Society work were Tracing Agency touched upon, the ICRC offering assistance in the following ways: training On 15 November the delegation submit- staff; setting up a dissemination depart- ted a list of 997 missing persons from the ment within the National Society, which 10 years of conflict to the new authorities. would eventually take over the training In addition, the delegation continued to of their own staff; determining the needs check tracing requests still pending against of civilian victims of the conflict by con- information regarding returning refugees ducting thorough surveys with the Na- and demobilized contras obtained from lists drawn up by UNHCR and CIAV/ tional Society to evaluate those needs and 1 the best ways of meeting them. OAS/ONUCA . In addition, a course on the law of war Over 8,400 Red Cross messages were ex- was given from 8 to 12 January to 26 changed throughout the year and 925 trac- future officers of the general staff of the ing requests were resolved. The ICRC also Guatemalan Armed Forces. issued 177 certificates for former detainees visited by the ICRC, as evidence that they had been held captive. NICARAGUA

"Comision Interamericana de Averiguacion y Following the elections in March, the Verification," Organization of American States cease-fire agreement of April 1990 and and ONU Centro America.

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