- Title: International aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres contender for Nobel Peace Prize
- Date: 16th September 2019
- Summary: CAMERA FILMING, NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERS SEARCH AND RESCUE CO-ORDINATOR, MAX DAVIS, SAYING (VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE FROM MARSEILLE, FRANCE): "Doing four rescues in four days is no joke. This is an immense amount of people and very stressful and then to be stuck onboard with no end or hope in sight is again just adding to that stress and tension." VARIOUS OF CHARITY MEMBERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERS MEDICAL LEADER, SAM TURNER, SAYING: (VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE FROM TRIPOLI, LIBYA) "We have spoken to people who have been trapped on the frontlines of the fighting in Libya, we have spoken to people who have lived through the air strike on the Tajoura detention centre, where approximately 60 people were killed in early July and further 70 were injured. We have also spoken to people and treated injuries of those who have experienced horrors during their time in Libya. At the hands of traffickers and criminals they have been exploited, they have been subjected to what we can only describe as torture: beatings, sexual violence and all sorts of horrific things that are really unimaginable." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING WITH TURNER SEEN ON VIDEO SCREEN
- Embargoed: 30th September 2019 20:59
- Keywords: Medecins San Frontieres Doctors Without Borders ebola measles MSF recued Ocean Viking Congo Nobel Peace Prize migrants
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: Various
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA00DAYGEWJR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: International aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) is a possible contender for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
The group, founded in Paris in 1971 but now headquartered in Geneva, has played a role in the rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean in addition to tackling Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Aquarius 2, run jointly by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and SOS Mediterranee, is the one remaining charity rescue vessel still operating in the central Mediterranean, picking up migrants who are in most cases trying to get to Europe from Libya, often in overcrowded, unseaworthy boats.
The ship has operated in the central Mediterranean since early 2016 and the owners say it has helped more than 29,000 people in distress, many of them African migrants.
MSF have also responded to two Ebola outbreaks in Democratic Republic of Congo during 2018, the aid group reported on its website.
The Central African country has experienced ten Ebola outbreaks since the virus was discovered in northern Congo in 1976 - more than twice as many as any other country.
In 2015, a MSF hospital in the northern city of Kunduz was destroyed by a U.S. air strike, killing 42 people including 14 staff. The Pentagon later blamed the attack on human error and equipment failure.
The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on Friday, October 11 at 1100 a.m. (0900GMT). - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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