The Geneva Conventions at 60: learning from the
past to better face the futureThe Irish Red Cross as a member of the Red Cross Movement is marking the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, signed on 12th August 1949, by calling for
improved compliance with the treaties by States (countries) and armed groups. The Red Cross will also use the occasion to present its views on future developments of International Humanitarian Law.The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols form the backbone of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which places limits on how war is waged. All 194 States are party to the
Geneva Conventions, making them universal.The Red Cross is appealing to States - and to non-State armed groups, who are also bound by the rules - to show the political will needed to turn
the legal provisions into a reality on the ground."We see violations of International Humanitarian Law on a regular basis in the field, ranging from the mass displacement of civilians
to indiscriminate attacks and ill-treatment of prisoners," said Noel Wardick, Head of the International Department, Irish Red Cross. "If the existing rules were followed in the wars of
today, much of the suffering caused by armed conflict could be avoided. However, there is evidence that these violations are being increasingly reported and moreover, those responsible are being held
accountable for their actions. That is a sign of progress."The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols provide the most relevant existing framework for protecting civilians
and sick, wounded or captured combatants in times of conflict. The humanitarian mandate of the International Committee of the Red Cross - which includes visiting prisoners, organising relief
operations, reuniting separated families and other humanitarian activities during armed conflicts - is spelled out in these Conventions."In recent years, the relevance of International
Humanitarian Law (IHL) has been questioned in the face of the increasing complexity of armed conflicts and the difficulty of distinguishing between combatants and civilians as well as phenomena such
as terrorism and asymmetric warfare," said Mr Wardick. "There is no doubt that existing rules of IHL remain relevant and that achieving improved compliance with the law continues to be the
main challenge. We have to examine all possible means of enhancing compliance.""At the same time certain key concepts in today's armed conflicts have to be clarified and some as
yet insufficient rules have to be strengthened," added Mr Wardick. "It would also be desirable to further develop certain aspects of the law, particularly those related to non-international
armed conflicts. The role of the Red Cross is to do all it can to enhance respect for existing rules and also to give advice and guidance on which clarifications and developments of the law are
considered necessary from a humanitarian point of view."The ongoing relevance of IHL is supported by the findings of an opinion poll, commissioned by the International Committee of the
Red Cross to mark the anniversary, on what people in countries affected by war consider acceptable behaviour during hostilities and on the effectiveness of the Geneva Conventions. The research,
entitled Our world. Views from the Field, was carried out by the Ipsos Agency in Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia and the
Philippines "75% of the 4,000 people surveyed across the eight countries say there should be limits to what combatants are allowed to do in the course of fighting. But asked if they
had ever heard of the Geneva Conventions, less than half said they knew such rules existed. Around 56% believe the Conventions limit the suffering of civilians in wartime.In Liberia, 65% of
respondents said they had heard of the Conventions and among that group, a striking 85% of people said the treaties had a "great deal" or a "fair amount of impact." In stark
contrast, while roughly the same number of people in Lebanon (69%) said they were aware of the Conventions, only 36% of them thought that they were effective in limiting suffering.The
findings reveal broad support for the core ideas behind the Geneva Conventions, and IHL as a whole, by people who have actually lived in conflict and violence-affected countries.The survey
also shows that the perceived impact of the rules on the ground is far weaker than the support for them. The Red Cross views this as a strong indicator that people in war-affected countries want to
see better respect for and implementation of the law.EndsNote to EditorNoel Wardick, Head of the International Department, Irish Red Cross, is available for
interview.Contact: Aoife MacEoin, National Communications Officer at 087 998 3788.To learn more about the Geneva Conventions visit:
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/genevaconventions To learn more about the eight countries in the survey, go to:
www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/section-ourworld-yourmove The ICRC conducted the Our world Views from the Field survey as part of the Red Cross and Red Crescent's Our
world. Your move campaign: www.ourworld-yourmove.orgPart One of the research results were released on 24 June and can be found here:
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/research-report-240609A press conference will be held at ICRC headquarters in Geneva on 11 August at 14:00 local time.The
president of the ICRC, Mr Jakob Kellenberger, and the ICRC's director for international law, Mr Philip Spoerri will take part.TV news footage will also be available including fresh images
from Georgia/South Ossetia, which was involved in an international armed conflict with Russia in August last year. For feed times or to obtain a copy, contact Jan Powell: +41 22 730 2511 /
jpowell.gva@icrc.orgPhotos from the eight contexts, as well as historical images, including pictures of the 1949 signing of the Conventions, are also available for media use on the ICRC's
FTP server:URL address: ftp://media.xwave.ch
Username: icrcresearch
Password: icrc8765 Folder: our_world_research
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A Lebanese army vehicle drives past (L-R) Lebanese, Palestinian and Hezbollah flags near the Israel-Lebanon border August 11, 2009. An escalating exchange of threats between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas has ...
