International Humanitarian Law

multinational HUMANITARIAN LAW and THE IRAQ CRISIS SUSAN SOUX April 2003 turn outside(a) do-gooder Law ? the RULES which seek, for mercifulitarian reasons, to hold in the effects of armed conflict, protect people who ar not, or are no longer taking constituent in the hostilities, and to restrict the methods and convey of warfare employed IHL the practice of law of armed conflicts or or law of war Geneva Hague Geneva the law of Geneva is designed to safety device military personnel who are no longer taking part in the fighting and people not actively involved in hostilities Hors de combat civils Medical/religious personnel The Hague the law of The Hague establishes the rights and obligations of belligerents in the engage of military operations, and limits the means of harming the enemy International humanitarian law prohibits tout ensemble means and methods of warfare which fail to discriminate cause superfluous speck or unnecessary suffering cause severe or lon g damage to the environment. Other agreements prohibit the use of certain weapons and military tactic and protect certain categories of people and goods. ? he 1954 chemical formula for the Protection of heathenish Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, plus its two protocols ? ? ? the 1972 biological Weapons Convention the 1980 Conventional Weapons Convention and its four protocols the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention ? the 1997 capital of Canada Convention on anti-personnel mines ? the 2000 Optional Protocol to the Convention on the declines of the churl on the involvement of children in armed conflict. M either provisions of world-wide humanitarian law are now accepted as commonplace law that is, as general rules by which all States are bound.HENRI DUNANT dispute OF SOLFERINO History 1859 Battle of Solferino 1863 ICRC Geneva Conventions 1864 Hague laws 1899/1907 1949 Geneva conventions 1977 supererogatory Protocols Geneva Conventions 1949 Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the terminal figure of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field. Geneva, 12 August 1949. Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea.Geneva, 12 August 1949. Convention (III) intercourse to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949. Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949. Iraq ratified Geneva Conventions 1956 US ratified in 1955 surplus Protocols 1977 Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II), 8 June 1977. uncomplete Iraq nor the US have ratified the Protocols International Human Rights Law universal joint Declaration of Human Rights 1948 International Covenant on Social,Economic and cultural Right International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights other conventions/covenants Convention on the Status of Refugees 1951 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement 1998 International Tribunals Nuremburg ICTY Hague ICTR Rwanda Sierra Leone International Criminal Court (Rome 1998/2002) Universal Jurisdiction race murder War Crimes Crimes Against Humanity Current Issues Allegations of indiscriminate bombing Targeting under IHL Ensuring Humanitarian Access Status of Combatants, Civilians and Civilians Taking Up Arms Suicide Attacks traitorousness Occupying Forces International Red Cross Protectors of the Geneva Conventions impartial, neutral and independent from any political objective Right to be present when conflict breaks out Protect the lives and dignity of victims of war Monitors compliance with Geneva Conventions Visits POWs Provides medical/humanitarian assistance IRAQ ICRC in battle areas Hospitals Water prisoner of wars hint IFRC and Red Crescent Societies outside the battle Refugee camps hint Humanitarian assistance International Delegates Water Systems Medical Assistance Family TracingRefugee Camps Orthopaedic Centres Orthopaedic Centres Resources www. icrc. org www. ifrc. org www. redcross. ca http//www. ihlresearch. org/iraq/ http//www. reliefweb. int/ocha_ol/civilians/ www. unhcr. ch As human beings, we cannot be neutral, or at least have no right to be, when other human beings are suffering. Each of us must do what he or she can to help those in need, even though it would be ofttimes safer and more comfortable to do nothing. Kofi Annan UN Secretary-General