This outstanding book is designed to give the reader an authoritative understanding over International Humanitarian Law. The well-written opening chapter traces the historical development of International Humanitarian Law from ancient times to our time, and examines its nature, scope and purpose. The book shows the relationship between International Humanitarian Law with Public International Law, International Criminal Law and International Human Rights Law. Topics examined include the concept of combatant; means and methods of warfare; protection of civilians, wounded, sick and shipwrecked, prisoners of war; protection of the natural environment in time of armed conflict; individual criminal responsibility for violation of International Humanitarian Law; non-international armed conflicts; rebel’s status in non-international armed conflict; humanitarian intervention; implementation of International Humanitarian Law; and effective enforcement of International Humanitarian Law. The contributors’ comprehensive knowledge of the subjects is reflected even by a cursory reading of the book. This book would be a valuable contribution to the scarce literature on the subject. This lucidly written and timely book will immensely help students, teachers, lawyers, judges, scholars, government official, officials of international humanitarian institutions, human rights activists, military personnel, and anyone seeking to understand this area of law.
Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................... vii
Preface ................................................................................................. xxi
Acknowledgment ............................................................................... xxiii
Chapters and Authors .......................................................................... xxv
About the Editors ............................................................................... xxvii
About the Authors ............................................................................... xxix
Contents .......................................................................................... xxxiii
Table of Cases .................................................................................... xliii
CHAPTER 1
An Introduction to Origin, Evolution & Development of
International Humanitarian Law ............................................ 1
Vaibhav Goel
(1) Introduction ................................................................................. 1
(2) Historical Developments Prior To 1885 In The
Evolution Of The Law Of War ................................................ 2
2.1 There is no Law .................................................................. 2
2.2 In The Beginning ................................................................ 4
2.3 The Middle Ages ................................................................ 7
2.4 The Beginning of Modern Times ....................................... 8
(3) Origin Of The Humanitarian Idea—Developments
From 1885 Onwards ..............................................................11
(4) Expansion And Spread Of The Humanitarian Idea ...................13
(5) Definition & Nature Of IHL .....................................................14
(6) Conclusion ..................................................................................22
CHAPTER 2
The Relationship between International Humanitarian
Law with Public International Law, International
Criminal Law and the International Human Rights Law ...... 23
PS Seema
(1) Introduction .................................................................................23
(2) Rights Protected Under The International
Humanitarian Law .................................................................24
2.1 Rights of the Wounded and the Sick ...............................25
2.2 Rights Available to the Wounded, Sick and
Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea ............26
2.3 Rights to the Prisoners of War ..........................................26
2.4 Rights of Civilian Persons .................................................30
(3) Rights Protected Under The Human Rights Law......................31
3.1 Civil and Political Rights (First Half of UDHR
and the ICCPR) ...........................................................32
3.2 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Second
Half of UDHR and the ICESCR) ................................33
(4) Comparison Of The Rights Protected Under The IHL
And The IHR .........................................................................34
(5) The Relationship Between The International Criminal
Law And The International Humanitarian Law ....................37
5.1 The International Criminal Law—Substantive Part ........38
5.2 Rights and Safeguards Guaranteed to the
Accused Under the Human Rights Law ......................38
5.1.2 Rights and Safeguards Guaranteed to the
Accused Under the International
Humanitarian Law ..........................................39
5.1.3 Identification of International Crimes
Under the International Humanitarian
Law and the Human Rights Law ....................39
5.2 The International Criminal Law—The
Procedural Part .............................................................42
5.3 Contents of the International Criminal Law
and the International Humanitarian
Law–Inter Relationship ................................................49
(6) The Relationship Between International Humanitarian
Law And Public International Law ........................................50
6.1 Protection to the Wounded, Sick, and the
Wounded Sick and the Shipwrecked............................51
6.2 Protection to be Given to the Prisoners of War ................52
6.3 Protection to be Given to the Civilians ............................53
6.4 Restriction on the Use of Weapon ....................................54
(7) Conclusion ..................................................................................55
CHAPTER 3
The Concept of Combatant under International
Humanitarian Law ................................................................ 57
Annyssa Bellal and Vincent Chetail
(1) Introduction ...............................................................................57
(2) Combatants Status......................................................................61
2.1 Members of the Armed Forces ..........................................62
2.2 Other Groups and Militias ...............................................62
2.3 Levée En Masse .................................................................64
2.4 Guerrilla Fighters ..............................................................64
2.5 Children ............................................................................67
(3) Unprivileged Combatants: Spies And Mercenaries ....................68
3.1 Spies ..................................................................................68
3.2 Mercenaries .......................................................................69
(4) New Challenges ..........................................................................70
4.1 Terrorists ...........................................................................70
4.2 Private Military Companies ..............................................73
(5) Conclusion ..................................................................................76
CHAPTER 4
Law Relating to Means and Methods of Warfare ........................ 79
Dr Vedantam Seshaiah Shasthri
(1) Ancient Law On Means And Methods Of Warfare ...................79
(2) Modern International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
Relating To Means And Methods Of Warfare .......................82
2.1 Introduction ......................................................................82
2.2 Overview of Lieber Code ..................................................83
2.3 St Petersburg Declaration on Use, in Time of War,
of Explosive Projectiles under 400 Grams of
Weight 1868 ................................................................84
2.4 Brussels Declaration on Laws of War 1874 ......................86
2.5 First Hague Conference 1899 ...........................................87
2.6 Second Hague Conference 1907 ......................................88
2.7 Geneva Protocol 1925 ......................................................89
2.8 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 1968 ...........................90
2.9 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological
and Toxic Weapons and their Destruction,
Stockholm 1972 ...........................................................90
2.10 Convention on Prohibition of Military or Any
Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification
Techniques, Geneva 1976 ............................................91
2.11 Additional Protocol I 1977 to the Four Geneva
Conventions 1949 ........................................................91
2.12 Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the
Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which
May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or
to Have Indiscriminate Effects, Geneva 1980 .............92
2.13 Protocol on Detectable Fragments and Restrictions ........93
2.14 Protocol on Prohibitions on the Use of Mines,
Booby-traps and other Devices ....................................93
2.15 Protocol on Prohibitions on the Use of
Incendiary Weapons .....................................................94
2.16 Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons ................................94
2.17 Convention on Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical
Weapons and on Their Destruction, Paris 1993 ..........95
2.18 Convention on Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling,
Production and Transfer of Anti Personnel
Land Mines, Ottawa 1997...........................................95
2.19 Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
Rights of the Child on the Involvement of
Children in Armed Conflicts 2000 ..............................95
(3) Advisory Opinion Of The International Court Of Justice
(ICJ) On The Legality Of The Use Of Nuclear
Weapons Under International Law ........................................95
(4) Conclusion ............................................................................... 102
CHAPTER 5
Protection of Civilians, Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked,
Prisoners of War ...................................................................103
Michelo Hansungule
(1) Introduction ............................................................................ 103
(2) Origins And Objectives Of IHL .............................................. 110
(3) General Analysis Of The Geneva ‘Red Cross’
Conventions & Protocols .................................................... 116
(4) Methods Of Warfare ................................................................ 121
(5) Enforcement Of Humanitarian Law ....................................... 124
(6) August 1949 Convention Relative To The Protection
Of Civilian Persons In Time Of War ................................... 127
(7) Prisoners Of War (POW) ......................................................... 130
7.1 PoW or Unlawful Combatant? ....................................... 131
(8) The Three Additional Protocols .............................................. 134
8.1 Additional Protocol I ..................................................... 134
8.2 Additional Protocol II .................................................... 137
8.3 Protocol III ..................................................................... 138
(9) Civilians In War Zones ............................................................ 139
9.1 Distinction Between Civilians and Combatants ........... 139
9.2 Privileged Combatant .................................................... 146
(10) International Criminal Court (ICC) ....................................... 149
(11) Conclusion ............................................................................... 153
CHAPTER 6
Protection of the Natural Environment in the Time of
Armed Conflict .....................................................................155
Marco Roscini
(1) Introduction ............................................................................ 155
(2) The Laws Of War .................................................................... 158
2.1 Rules Specifically Addressing the Natural
Environment .............................................................. 158
2.2 Rules Indirectly Protecting the Natural
Environment .............................................................. 166
2.3 Ecocide as a War Crime? ................................................ 171
(3) The Law Of Peace .................................................................... 174
3.1 The Applicability of International Environmental
Law Treaties in Time of Armed Conflict ................... 175
(4) Soft Law ................................................................................... 178
(5) Conclusion ............................................................................... 178
CHAPTER 7
Individual Criminal Responsibility for Violations of
International Humanitarian Law .........................................181
Dr V Seshaiah Shasthri
(1) Introduction ............................................................................ 181
(2) Development Of Law Relating To Individual Criminal
Responsibility ...................................................................... 186
2.1 Introduction ................................................................... 186
2.2 Contribution of Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals ........ 187
2.3 After the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials .......................... 188
2.4 Subsequent Developments ............................................ 191
(3) Application Of Rules Of IHL To Violations During
Armed Conflicts Of Non International Character .............. 198
(4) International Criminalisation Of Violations Of IHL .............. 199
(5) Position Under The Statutes Of ICTY And ICTR ................. 201
(6) Contribution Of The International Law Commission ............ 202
(7) Position Under Various UN Security Council Resolutions ..... 203
(8) Conclusion ............................................................................... 204
CHAPTER 8
International Humanitarian Law Relating to
Non-international Armed Conflicts .....................................207
Dr V Seshaiah Shasthri
(1) Introduction ............................................................................ 207
(2) Acquaintance With IHL .......................................................... 208
(3) Development Of Law (IHL).................................................... 210
(4) Scope Of Common Article 3 ................................................... 211
(5) Importance Of ‘Lowering Of Threshold’ Under
Additional Protocol II, 1977 .............................................. 214
(6) Turku Declaration On Minimum Humanitarian
Standards ............................................................................. 216
(7) Post Turku Developments ........................................................ 225
(8) Burundi Declaration ................................................................ 225
(i) Humanitarian Stance ...................................................... 229
(ii) Focus on the Spirit of Humanitarian Law than
on Peace ....................................................................... 229
(iii) Reference to the Humanitarian Traditions of the
Burundians ...................................................................... 230
(9) Judicial Contribution To The Development Of IHL
Relating To Violations Of Common Article 3
During Non International Armed Conflicts ....................... 231
(10) Conclusion ............................................................................... 238
CHAPTER 9
Status of Rebels in Non-International Armed Conflict ..............239
Dr Hitoshi Nasu
(1) Legal Status Under Customary International Law .................... 240
(2) Legal Status Under The Geneva Conventions ......................... 244
2.1 Legal Protection for Rebels ............................................ 244
2.1.1 Common Article 3 of the Geneva
Conventions .................................................. 244
2.1.2 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva
Conventions .................................................. 249
2.1.3 Special Agreements ........................................... 252
2.2 Juridical Basis of Legal Obligations Upon Rebels ......... 253
2.2.1 Legislative Jurisdiction ...................................... 254
2.2.2 Subjective Theory ............................................. 254
2.2.3 Objective Theory .............................................. 256
(3) The Role Of The United Nations ........................................... 257
CHAPTER 10
Legal Status of Humanitarian Intervention ...............................261
Peter Hilpold, Azizur Rahman Chowdhury and
Md Jahid Hossain Bhuiyan
(1) Definition Of Humanitarian Intervention .............................. 261
(2) The Evolution Of The Doctrine Of Humanitarian
Intervention Prior To The United Nations Charter ............ 264
(3) The United Nations Charter ................................................... 267
(4) Is Humanitarian Intervention Permissible To Protect
Human Rights? ................................................................... 271
(5) Instances Of Humanitarian Intervention ................................ 273
5.1 Belgian and US Intervention in Congo in 1964 ........... 273
5.2 US Intervention in the Dominican
Republic in 1965 ...................................................... 273
5.3 Indian Invasion in East Pakistan
(Now Bangladesh) in 1971 ....................................... 273
5.4 Vietnam’s Intervention in Kampuchea
(Now Cambodia) in 1978 and 1979 ....................... 274
5.5 Tanzania’s Intervention in Uganda in 1979 .................. 274
5.6 ECOWAS Intervention in Liberia in 1990 ................... 274
5.7 US, UK and France Intervention in
Northern Iraq, 1991 ................................................. 275
5.8 US Intervention in Somalia in 1992–1993 .................. 277
5.9 US Intervention in Haiti in 1992 ................................. 277
5.10 French Intervention in Rwanda in 1994 ....................... 277
5.11 NATO Intervention in Kosovo in 1994 ........................ 278
(6) Did Humanitarian Intervention Without The Permission
Of The Security Council Acquire Legal Status On The
Basis Of Customary International Law (Or Is It
On The Way To Do So)? ..................................................... 283
(7) The Reform Of The United Nations And The
Responsibility To Protect .................................................... 286
(8) Conclusion ................................................................................ 290
CHAPTER 11
Institutions for Implementation of International
Humanitarian Law ...............................................................295
Dr Ajay Kumar and Anirudh Dadhich
(1) Introduction: The Idea Of An International Legal
Community ......................................................................... 295
(2) Traditional Bases Of National Court Jurisdiction Over
International Crimes ........................................................... 298
(3) An Innovation: The Jurisdiction Of International
Criminal Tribunals .............................................................. 300
3.1 The Yugoslav Tribunal ................................................... 301
3.1.1 Crisis in the Balkans ......................................... 301
3.1.2 Condemnation of Violations of International
Humanitarian Law ....................................... 303
3.1.2 The Legal Foundation of the Yugoslav
Tribunal ........................................................ 305
3.1.4 Cooperation and Judicial Assistance ................. 306
3.2 The Rwanda Tribunal .................................................... 307
3.2.1 Mass Killings in Rwanda .................................. 307
3.2.2 Condemnation of Violations of International
Humanitarian Law ....................................... 308
3.2.3 The Legal Foundation of the Rwanda Tribunal 309
3.2.4 Cooperation and Judicial Assistance ................. 310
(4) The Primacy Of The AD HOC Tribunals .............................. 312
(5) International Criminal Court .................................................. 314
5.1 General Problems faced for the Establishment of a
Permanent Tribunal/International
Criminal Court .......................................................... 314
5.2 Establishment of International Criminal Court ............ 317
5.3 Jurisdiction ..................................................................... 317
5.4 Role of ICC & Provisions for Implementation
of IHL ........................................................................ 318
(6) Conclusion ............................................................................... 321
CHAPTER 12
Effective Enforcement of International
Humanitarian Law ...............................................................323
Dr Ajay Kumar and Anirudh Dadhich
(1) Introduction ............................................................................ 323
(2) Implementation And Enforcement Of IHL:
Some Viewpoints ................................................................. 324
(3) Applicability Of The International Humanitarian Law .......... 324
(4) ICC As Vanguard Of International Rule Of Law ................... 327
(5) International Jurisdiction Of The ICC .................................... 327
(6) Rome Statute Of The International Criminal Court .............. 328
(7) Obligation On The Part Of States .......................................... 331
7.1 Complementarity ........................................................... 331
7.2 Full Cooperation ............................................................ 332
(8) Failure Of States To Implement Legislation ............................ 333
8.1 Failure to Implement the Rome Statute ....................... 333
8.2 Flaw in Implementing Legislation ................................ 333
8.3 Failure to Ratify and Implement the Agreement on
Privileges and Immunities ......................................... 335
(9) Implementation Of Rome Statute Through National
Legislation ........................................................................... 335
(10) Checklist For Effective Implementation .................................. 336
(11) Implementation Measures Taken In Member Parties ............. 339
11.1 Australia ......................................................................... 339
11.2 France ............................................................................. 340
11.3 Italy ................................................................................ 341
11.4 South Africa ................................................................... 342
11.5 United Arab Emirates .................................................... 342
11.6 United Kingdom ............................................................ 343
11.7 United States .................................................................. 343
(12) Proposed Implementation Measures ....................................... 344
(13) Conclusion ............................................................................... 345
Index ............................................................................................... 347
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