Humanitarianism
Humanitarian
principles have been part of human existence since the beginning of recorded
history. In fact, anthropologists tell us that the social norm of charity was a
necessity, not just a nice thing to do, for prehistoric societies.
The
idea that it is good to protect and provide for the most vulnerable members
of society the widows and orphans, disabled and sick, foreigners and pauperises central to all religious traditions.
example,
zakat involves giving alms to the poor in part to help engender social
equality is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are obligatory acts for
each Muslim.
Long
before the development of international humanitarian law, social institutions
were
established in different parts of the world to care for and protect vulnerable
people. Egyptian pharaohs, we are told in the Hebrew Scriptures, saved grain to
feed their people during times of famine. The monasteries of Europe provided
sanctuary to travelers and fed the poor.
International humanitarian law, also known as the law of armed conflict or law of war, is a collection of rules that protects civilians and soldiers who are no longer participating in hostilities.
Its purpose is to limit and prevent human
suffering in times of conflict. International humanitarian law is directed
primarily at states, which have a duty to respect it and ensure that it is
respected.
IHL is applicable only in
times of armed conflict, and it does not deal with the question of whether the
use of force by states or other actors is legal. Nor does it apply in natural
disasters or in situations in which states abuse their citizens. In other
words, IHL accepts the reality that wars will take place and seeks to mitigate
the effects of war on civilians. It is a pragmatic approach, far from pacifism,
which sees war itself as evil.
Instruments
of International Humanitarian Law
· Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field, Geneva, August 22, 1864
· Hague Convention (IV) Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and Its Annex: Regulations Concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land,
October
18, 1907
· Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, Geneva, August 12, 1949
· Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, Geneva, August 12, 1949
· Convention (III) Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Geneva,August 12, 1949
·
Convention
(IV) Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War,
Geneva,
August 12, 1949
· Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts
(Protocol
I), June 8, 1977
· Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts
(Protocol
II), June 8, 1977
· Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, and Relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem (Protocol III),
December
8, 2005
