DOCSLIB.ORG

Under Attack

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Under Attack UNDER ATTACK V IOLEN CE A GA INST HEALTH WORKERS, PATIENTS AND FACILITIES Safeguarding HUMAN Health RIGHTS in Conflict WATCH (front cover) A Syrian youth walks past a destroyed ambulance in the Saif al-Dawla district of the war-torn northern city of Aleppo on January 12, 2013. © 2013 JM Lopez/AFP/Getty Images UNDER ATTACK VIOLENCE AGAINST HEALTH WORKERS, PATIENTS AND FACILITIES Overview of Recent Attacks on Health Care ...........................................................................................2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................5 Urgent Actions Needed .......................................................................................................................7 Polio Vaccination Campaign Workers Killed ..........................................................................................8 Nigeria and Pakistan ......................................................................................................................8 Emergency Care Outlawed .................................................................................................................10 Turkey ..........................................................................................................................................10 Health Workers Arrested, Imprisoned ................................................................................................12 Bahrain ........................................................................................................................................12 Health Workers and Facilities Attacked ...............................................................................................15 South Sudan .................................................................................................................................15 Central African Republic ................................................................................................................16 Afghanistan ..................................................................................................................................17 Health Systems Destroyed ................................................................................................................18 Syria .............................................................................................................................................18 Other Recent Attacks ........................................................................................................................19 Appendix .........................................................................................................................................20 OVERVIEW OF RECENT ATTACKS ON HEALTH CARE UKRAINE S : PolicePoliice in KievKiev raidraid a RReded CCrossross cclinic.linlininic. PParamedicsaraamedics anandd whilewhile tryingtryiing toto evacuateevacuate woundedwounnded d indndividuals.ividuaals. TURKEY andand medicalmedical personnelpersonnnnel targetedtargeted byb governmentgovernmennt forfoor providingprroviiding carecare toto pro-pro- testers.testers. : DoctorsDDoctors triedtriied onon criminalcriminal cchargesharges ooff asassistingssisting ccriminals,rririminals, ddam-am- aging a pplacelace ooff wworship,orship, aandnd iinsult-nsult- iingng rreligiouseligious ssesentimentsntimeents fforor pprovidingroviding mmedicaledical assassistancessistance iinn a mmosqueosque ttoo pprotestersrotesters whwhoo hhadad sshelteredheltered ththere.ere. MALI : HealthHealth ffacilitiesacilities in GaoGao rransackedansacked anandd loolootedted by rrebels.ebee ls. NIGERIA shotshot deaddead in Kano.Kano. :Three:Three poliopolio workersworkers in P BBauchiauchi SStatetate abducabducted.ted. CENTRALCENTRAL AFRICANAFRICAN REPUBLIC : HealthHealth facilitiesfacilities COLOMBIACOLOMBIA anandd medimedicalcal oorganizationsrganizations nnearear BBossangoaossangoa ssystematicallyystematically ttargetedargeted B ofof attacksattackks on facilitiesfacilities anandd vehicles,vehicles, bbyy SeleSelekaka fforces.orces. medicalmedddical suppliessupplies recordedrecorded byby IICRC.CRC. armedarmed robberyrobbery in the northernnorthern towntown ooff BoguBoguila.ila. DEMOCRATICDEMOCRAATITIC REPUBLICREPUBLIC OFOF CCONGOONGO : TargetedTTaargeted attackattack on a medimedicalcal ffacilityacility in the ttownown ooff PinPinga.ga. K U EGYPTEGYPT SYRIASYRIA CHINACHINA : GovernmentGovernment forcesforces : DozensDozens ofof facilitiesfacilities : RepeatedRepeated attacksattacks oobstructedbstructed the aaccessccess ooff aambulancesmbulances ddamagedamaged or ddestroyedestroyed or anandd ffailedailed ttoo pproviderovide ssafeafe eexitsxitits fforor trtransformedanssformed fforor mmilitaryilitary uuse;se; stabbed,stabbed, includingincluding one toto death.death. seseverelyverely injinjuredured pprotestersrotesters dduringuring hhundredsundreds ooff hhealthealth wworkersorkers anandd the ddispersalispersal ooff the RRaba’aabaa’a’a ppatientsatients dedetained,tained, ttortured,ortured, anandd AAl-Adawiyal-Adaawiya ssit-in,it-in,n iin wwhiwhichhhich aatt lleasteast kkilled;illed; aambulancesmbulannces deldeliberatelyiberately atattackedtacked anandd oobstructed.bstruuuccted. ISRAEL/PALESTINEISRAEELELL//PPALAALESTINE : A PalestinianPaleestinian volunteervolunteer pparamedicaramamedimmedic aararrestedrested anandd dedetainedtaineed fforor attendingattteendingendid ng toto ana injuredininjjured protester.protester. YEMEN M on healthhealth servicesservices notednooted byby MSF.MSF. AFGHANISTANAFGHANISTTANANN : InIn DozensDozens ofof killings,killings, asassaultssaults aanandd abduabductionsctions aagainstgainst hhealthealth wworkers,orkers, ooccupationccupation ooff hhealthealthh N ffacilities,acillities, uusese ooff hhealthealth ffacilitiesacilities as eelectionlectiion ppolls.olls. PAKISTANPPAKIAKISTANTAN C : MoreMore SOMALIASOMALIA membersmembers andand peoplepeople guardingguauardding them : MédecinsMédecins SansSans Fron-Fron- kkilled.illed. - BAHRAINBAHRAIN : PhysiciansPhysicians andand nursesnurses targetedtargeted attack.aattack. ddismissedismissed frfromom their ggovernmentovernment ppositions,ositions, ararrested,rested, anandd jjailedailed fforor SOUTHSOUOUTHOU H SUDANSUDAN : PatientsPatients andand pprovidingroviding assassistanceistance ttoo pprotesters.rotesters. peopleppeople seekingsseseeking sanctuarysananctuary in hospitalshospitals attackedattacked andand in some D casescases killedkilled in their bedsbeds in Bor,Bor, BentiuB andand MalakalMalakal towns.towns. HospitalsHospitals KENYAKENYYAA : HealthHealth workersworkers threat-threat- eneenedd anandd aaccusedccused ooff ssupportingupporting rrivalival ggroups.roups. 4 UNDER ATTACK INTRODUCTION Over the past few years, the frequency and severity of attacks on health workers, patients, hospitals and clinics throughout the world have increased. In Pakistan and Nigeria, more than 70 polio vaccination workers have been killed. In Bahrain and Turkey, health workers have been arrested for providing care to individuals protesting government policies. In Syria, hundreds of patients and health workers have been arbitrarily arrested, killed and tortured, and hospitals and health clinics have been targeted and bombed. In 2012 and 2013 alone, the International Committee of the Red Cross identified 1,809 specific incidents in 23 countries in which violence was used against patients, health workers, ambulances or medical facilities. A health worker (R) vaccinates a child at a public health center in Kano, northern Nigeria, on February 13, 2013. Gunmen attacked two polio vaccination clinics in the northern city of Kano on February 8, killing at least 10 people, after Wazobia FM broadcast a story about claims of forced vaccinations. © 2013 Ben Simon/AFP/Getty Images MAY 2014 5 In compliance with international humanitarian law, par - Security Council expanded the mandate of the Secretary- ties to an armed conflict must ensure the respect and General’s special representative on children in armed protection of patients as well as health workers, facilities conflict to include reporting of attacks on medical facil - and transportation. It is also an obligation under human ities and personnel. The International Committee of the rights law for governments to ensure access, without dis - Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the Safe - crimination, to primary health care. guarding Health in Conflict Coalition have all recently launched campaigns highlighting attacks on health The United Nations Special Rapporteur’s groundbreak - workers and facilities. ing October 2013 report on the right to the highest at - tainable standard of health stressed the need to hold This report describes recent examples of attacks on countries accountable for interference with the health health in order to raise attention to this issue among the care system and attacks on medical personnel and facil - global health community, the human rights community, ities. The report emphasized the importance of better and those responsible for the attacks. The escalating monitoring and data collection on attacks, as well as level of attacks targeted against health care must be rec - prosecution of those responsible. ognized as a critical human rights issue. Global and na - tional human rights institutions should take action to Although much remains to be done, some steps have ensure that practical steps are taken to protect health been taken to address
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Africa Yearbook
    AFRICA YEARBOOK AFRICA YEARBOOK Volume 10 Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2013 EDITED BY ANDREAS MEHLER HENNING MELBER KLAAS VAN WALRAVEN SUB-EDITOR ROLF HOFMEIER LEIDEN • BOSTON 2014 ISSN 1871-2525 ISBN 978-90-04-27477-8 (paperback) ISBN 978-90-04-28264-3 (e-book) Copyright 2014 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Nijhoff, Global Oriental and Hotei Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Contents i. Preface ........................................................................................................... vii ii. List of Abbreviations ..................................................................................... ix iii. Factual Overview ........................................................................................... xiii iv. List of Authors ............................................................................................... xvii I. Sub-Saharan Africa (Andreas Mehler,
    [Show full text]
  • If Our Men Won't Fight, We Will"
    “If our men won’t ourmen won’t “If This study is a gender based confl ict analysis of the armed con- fl ict in northern Mali. It consists of interviews with people in Mali, at both the national and local level. The overwhelming result is that its respondents are in unanimous agreement that the root fi causes of the violent confl ict in Mali are marginalization, discrimi- ght, wewill” nation and an absent government. A fact that has been exploited by the violent Islamists, through their provision of services such as health care and employment. Islamist groups have also gained support from local populations in situations of pervasive vio- lence, including sexual and gender-based violence, and they have offered to restore security in exchange for local support. Marginality serves as a place of resistance for many groups, also northern women since many of them have grievances that are linked to their limited access to public services and human rights. For these women, marginality is a site of resistance that moti- vates them to mobilise men to take up arms against an unwilling government. “If our men won’t fi ght, we will” A Gendered Analysis of the Armed Confl ict in Northern Mali Helené Lackenbauer, Magdalena Tham Lindell and Gabriella Ingerstad FOI-R--4121--SE ISSN1650-1942 November 2015 www.foi.se Helené Lackenbauer, Magdalena Tham Lindell and Gabriella Ingerstad "If our men won't fight, we will" A Gendered Analysis of the Armed Conflict in Northern Mali Bild/Cover: (Helené Lackenbauer) Titel ”If our men won’t fight, we will” Title “Om våra män inte vill strida gör vi det” Rapportnr/Report no FOI-R--4121—SE Månad/Month November Utgivningsår/Year 2015 Antal sidor/Pages 77 ISSN 1650-1942 Kund/Customer Utrikes- & Försvarsdepartementen Forskningsområde 8.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography: Boko Haram
    PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 3 Bibliography: Boko Haram Compiled and selected by Judith Tinnes [Bibliographic Series of Perspectives on Terrorism – BSPT-JT-2019-5] Abstract This bibliography contains journal articles, book chapters, books, edited volumes, theses, grey literature, bibliog- raphies and other resources on the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram. While focusing on recent literature, the bibliography is not restricted to a particular time period and covers publications up to May 2019. The literature has been retrieved by manually browsing more than 200 core and periphery sources in the field of Terrorism Stud- ies. Additionally, full-text and reference retrieval systems have been employed to broaden the search. Keywords: bibliography, resources, literature, Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, Abu- bakar Shekau, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, Nigeria, Lake Chad region NB: All websites were last visited on 18.05.2019. - See also Note for the Reader at the end of this literature list. Bibliographies and other Resources Benkirane, Reda et al. (2015-): Radicalisation, violence et (in)sécurité au Sahel. URL: https://sahelradical.hy- potheses.org Bokostan (2013, February-): @BokoWatch. URL: https://twitter.com/BokoWatch Campbell, John (2019, March 1-): Nigeria Security Tracker. URL: https://www.cfr.org/nigeria/nigeria-securi- ty-tracker/p29483 Counter Extremism Project (CEP) (n.d.-): Boko Haram. (Report). URL: https://www.counterextremism.com/ threat/boko-haram Elden, Stuart (2014, June): Boko Haram – An Annotated Bibliography. Progressive Geographies. URL: https:// progressivegeographies.com/resources/boko-haram-an-annotated-bibliography Hoffendahl, Christine (2014, December): Auf der Suche nach einer Strategie gegen Boko Haram. [In search for a strategy against Boko Haram].
    [Show full text]
  • Africa Trends January-February 2013 a Bimonthly Newsletter on Africa Africa Trends Volume 2, Issue 1, January - February 2013
    Volume 2, Issue 1 Africa Trends January-February 2013 A Bimonthly Newsletter on Africa Africa Trends Volume 2, Issue 1, January - February 2013 Editor Ruchita Beri Associate Editor Princy Marin George Editorial Team Keerthi Sampath Kumar Saurabh Mishra 1 Africa Trends Volume 2, Issue 1, January - February 2013 In This Issue Page EDITOR’S NOTE 3 COUNTRY WATCH 4-7 Towards a Just Peace - Understanding Mali's Multifaceted Challenges Melissa M. Cyrill COMMENTARY 8-12 Mali's War and Algeria's Struggle for Peace Princy Marin George BOOK REVIEW 13-14 Vijay Prashad, Arab Spring, Libyan Winter Sneha Bhura NEWS TRACK 15-34 Disclaimer This newsletter does not reflect the views of IDSA. News reports have been abridged to provide clarity. IDSA is not responsible for the accuracy and authenticity of the news items. 2 Africa Trends Volume 2, Issue 1, January - February 2013 Editor’s Note In this year’s first issue of Africa Trends, we turn the spotlight on a conflict area that has absorbed regional and global attention in the past two months—Mali. Melissa Cyrill provides an insight into the numerous challenges—security, social, political, and humanitarian—facing the country today, and points to several factors that may be crucial for Mali to move towards peace; Princy Marin George studies the consequences of the northern Mali crisis on neighbouring Algeria, its long struggle against extremism, and its current role in striving for regional stability. As the ripples of the Arab revolutions continue to course through northern Africa, Sneha Bhura reviews Vijay Prashad’s Arab Spring, Libyan Winter for our readers.
    [Show full text]
  • A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 View the Global Study At
    A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 View the Global Study at: http://wps.unwomen.org/en The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of UN Women, the United Nations or any of its affiliated organizations. For a list of any errors or omissions found subsequent to printing please visit our website. ISBN: 978-0-692-54940-7 Design: Blossom – Milan Printing: AGS Custom Graphics, an RR Donnelly Company ©2015 UN Women Manufactured in the United States All rights reserved A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 4 FOREWORD Ban Ki-moon United Nations Secretary-General Fifteen years ago, Security Council resolution 1325 this priority with its emphasis on gender equality and reaffirmed the importance of the equal participation respect for the human rights of all. and full involvement of women in all efforts for maintaining and promoting peace and security. In the The Global Study on the implementation of resolution years since, it has buttressed this decision by adopting 1325 is an important part of the United Nations six further resolutions on women, peace and security. global agenda for change to better serve the world’s most vulnerable people. As noted by the High- I am personally committed to implementing these Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace resolutions. I have highlighted women’s leadership Operations and the Advisory Group of Experts for the in peacebuilding as a priority and appointed an 2015 Review of the United Nations Peacebuilding unprecedented number of women leaders in the Architecture, changes in conflict may be outpacing the United Nations.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography: Terrorism by Country – Mali Compiled and Selected by David Teiner
    PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 6 Bibliography: Terrorism by Country – Mali Compiled and selected by David Teiner Abstract This bibliography contains books, edited volumes, theses, journal articles, book chapters, grey literature, bibliographies and other useful resources on terrorism affecting Mali. It covers the activities of the numerous terrorist and insurgent groups in the country and the attempts to fight these by national and international actors. Most of the included literature was published since the Malian crisis in 2012. Earlier publications analyzing political, social, economic, or religious developments, that help to understand dynamics of the present conflict, are also included. The literature has been retrieved by manually browsing more than 200 core and periphery sources in the field of terrorism studies. Keywords: Mali, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, Ansar Dine, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, JNIM, GSIM, Mouvement national pour la liberation de l’Azawad, MLNA NB: All websites were last visited on November 23, 2019. – See also Note for the Reader at the end of this literature list. Bibliographies and other Resources Campbell, John; Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) (2018, October): Sub-Saharan Security Tracker. URL: https://www.cfr.org/africa-sub-saharan/sub-saharan-security-tracker/p37884 DeLong-Bas, Natana (2014, September): Al-Qaeda. Oxford Bibliographies Online. DOI: https://10.1093/ obo/9780195390155-0065 Lebovich, Andrew; European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) (2019, May): Mapping Armed Groups in Mali and the Sahel. URL: https://www.ecfr.eu/mena/sahel_mapping NATO Multimedia Library (2016, February): From Al Qaida to ISIS: The Evolution of Terrorism.
    [Show full text]
  • CNA National Security Seminar Series
    DCP-2017-U-016175-Final CNA National Security Seminar Series Security and Conflict in Mali: Alternative Models for Security Cooperation Arlington, VA, July 13, 2017 Rapporteur: Pamela Faber Introduction to Event On July 13, 2017, CNA convened a roundtable featuring a panel of experts to examine security cooperation in Africa, with a focus on efforts in Mali and the Lake Chad Basin. The roundtable served as a forum for operators, practitioners, and experts from different countries, including the United States, France, and Mali, to learn from one another and compare two approaches to security cooperation. This event note will introduce the conflict regions that were the focus of the event, outline the two models of security cooperation discussed (the French-led Operations Serval / Barkhane, and the African-led Multinational Joint Task Force [MNJTF]), and close with reflections and lessons learned from the event participants. Background to the Two Conflicts The event focused on two pockets of instability in Africa: Mali and the Lake Chad Basin countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. The current conflict in Mali has affected much of northwest Africa and has become a significant concern for the United Nations, France, and the United States. In this region of longstanding vulnerabilities, the most recent conflict began in 2011-2012 and culminated with a military coup led by junior officers and the overthrow of President Amadou Toumani Toure. Simultaneously, Tuareg groups led a series of uprisings in north Mali. The Tuareg have historically rejected the authority of the Bamako government and took advantage of the instability caused by the fall of Muammar Gadhafi, who had served as a stabilizing force in the Sahel by recruiting (and employing) thousands of Tuareg men.
    [Show full text]
  • Governance and Conflict: a Case of Mali by Ludwig Mpondo Akwa Nya
    GOVERNANCE AND CONFLICT: A CASE OF MALI BY LUDWIG MPONDO AKWA NYA BONAMBELA UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA SUMMER, 2019 GOVERNANCE AND CONFLICT: A CASE OF MALI BY LUDWIG MPONDO AKWA NYA BONAMBELA 637834 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR MASTERS’ DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA SUMMER, 2019 DECLARATION I, undersigned, declare that this is my original work and has not been submitted to any other college, or university other than the United States International University- Africa for academic credit. Signed:_______________________________ Date: _________________________ Ludwig Mpondo Akwa Nya Bonambela (637834) Student. This thesis has been presented for examination with my approval as the appointed supervisor. Signed: ______________________________ Date: ________________________ Dr. Maurice Mashiwa Supervisor. Signed: ______________________________ Date: _________________________ Prof. Martin Njoroge Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Signed: _________________________________ Date: _____________________ Ambassador Prof. Ruthie Rono. Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs. iii COPY RIGHT All rights reserved. No part of this dissertation report may be photocopied , recorded or otherwise reproduced ,stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any electronic or mechanical means without prior permission of USIU-A or the Author. Ludwig Mpondo Akwa Nya Bonambela ©2019 iv ABSTRACT Conflict
    [Show full text]
  • A Theory of ISIS
    A Theory of ISIS A Theory of ISIS Political Violence and the Transformation of the Global Order Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou First published 2018 by Pluto Press 345 Archway Road, London N6 5AA www.plutobooks.com Copyright © Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou 2018 The right of Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 0 7453 9911 9 Hardback ISBN 978 0 7453 9909 6 Paperback ISBN 978 1 7868 0169 2 PDF eBook ISBN 978 1 7868 0171 5 Kindle eBook ISBN 978 1 7868 0170 8 EPUB eBook This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental standards of the country of origin. Typeset by Stanford DTP Services, Northampton, England Simultaneously printed in the United Kingdom and United States of America Contents List of Figures vii List of Tables viii List of Abbreviations ix Acknowledgements x Introduction: The Islamic State and Political Violence in the Early Twenty-First Century 1 Misunderstanding IS 6 Genealogies of New Violence 22 Theorising IS 28 1. Al Qaeda’s Matrix 31 Unleashing Transnational Violence 32 Revenge of the ‘Agitated Muslims’ 49 The McDonaldisation of Terrorism 57 2. Apocalypse Iraq 65 Colonialism Redesigned 66 Monstering in American Iraq 74 ‘I will see you in New York’ 83 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Presidency of the Security Council For
    MONTHLY ACTION POINTS ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY SECURITY COUNCIL: MAY 2012 PRESIDENCY OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL FOR MAY: AZERBAIJAN AZERBAIJAN’S SUPPORT FOR WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL Azerbaijan’s stated priorities as an elected member of the Security Council include maintaining unity in the Security Council on such complex issues as Syria. Azerbaijan has emphasized the importance of protection of civilians in conflict. Azerbaijan’s relevant international commitments include: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (Acceded 10 July 1995) and its Optional Protocol (Ratified 1 June 2001) RECOMMENDED SECURITY COUNCIL ACTION POINTS ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY Women, Peace and Security In its regular work, the Council should ensure that all country reports and mandate renewals evaluate the level of protection and promotion of women’s human rights, as per SCRs 1325, 1820 (OP 9), 1888 (OP 11), 1889 (OP 5), and 1960 (OP 6, 13). Member States should inquire about any lack of such reporting. Security Council Mission to Africa Council members are expected to visit the West African countries of Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. On this mission, the Council members should meet with women’s rights advocates and civil society to discuss the concerns and solutions these groups have regarding the future of their countries; ensure they bring these messages to the attention of government and UN leaders in other meetings on the mission; and ensure the final mission report details the women, peace and security elements of the current situation in these countries, including in recommendations for future Council action.
    [Show full text]
  • A Model Humanitarian Intervention? a Model Humanitarian Alan J
    A Model Humanitarian Intervention? A Model Humanitarian Alan J. Kuperman Intervention? Reassessing NATO’s Libya Campaign On March 17, 2011, the United Nations authorized military intervention in Libya to protect the country’s civilians. The Security Council was reacting to violence between Libyan government forces and domestic opponents that had erupted the pre- ceding month. Two days after the authorization, NATO initiated the interven- tion, including establishing a no-ºy zone and launching aerial attacks on government forces. After seven months, Libyan rebel forces conquered the country and killed the former authoritarian ruler, Muammar al-Qaddaª, in October 2011. Western media and politicians praised the intervention as a hu- manitarian success for averting a bloodbath in Libya’s second largest city, Benghazi, and helping replace the dictatorial Qaddaª regime with a transi- tional council pledged to democracy. Based on this ostensible success, many experts now cite Libya as a model for implementing the humanitarian princi- ple known as the “responsibility to protect” (R2P). Before such conclusions are embraced, however, a more rigorous assessment of the net humanitarian im- pact of NATO’s intervention in Libya is warranted. The Libya intervention is the latest in a series of international military ac- tions after the Cold War justiªed on the basis of protecting noncombatants. This renaissance of “humanitarian intervention” started in the early 1990s, with prominent deployments of United Nations–authorized air and ground forces to northern Iraq, Bosnia, and Somalia. After NATO intervened in Kosovo in 1999, U.S. President Bill Clinton declared, “If the world community has the power to stop it, we ought to stop genocide and ethnic cleansing.”1 The Kosovo intervention, however, had not been authorized by the United Alan J.
    [Show full text]
  • The Situation in Mali
    UFRGSMUN | UFRGS Model United Nations Journal UFRGSMUN | UFRGS Model United Nations Journal ISSN: 2318-3195 | v1, 2013| p.71-97 The Situation in Mali Willian Moraes Roberto Marília Bernardes Closs Giordano Bruno Antoniazzi Ronconi 1. Historical background 1.1. Th e origins of Mali: pre-colonial and colonial period Th e formation of Mali’s State blends itself with Western Africa history. Th e country’s genesis refers to the year 1235, when the battle of Kirina, won by the mandinga people against the Sosso – former conquerors of the region, served as the founder of the State (Maglia, Closs and Noronha 2013). Mali rose in the vacuum of power left by the fall of Gana’s empire, then hegemonic in Western Africa (Macedo 2013). It would turn itself into the regional hegemony, based on an extensive tributary system1 with Mali’s capital as the center (Ki-Zerbo 1972). Th ereaft er, Mali became the major military power and the most dynamic economy in the region, building a structure of power similar to an empire. Th e development of the civilization is deeply connected with Mali’s territorial position between the Niger and the Senegal rivers. A large group of ethnics formed Mali’s State, among them the Malinke group, the Fulani group, the Sonike group and the Tuareg2 people (Visentini 2012). Th e empire was the richest, the most powerful and had the greatest reserves of minerals (especially gold) below the Sahara desert (Diallo 2011), a region of dynamic commercial transaharian activities (Pergher and Tocchetto 2013). Th e civilization was deeply infl uenced by the Islam (Maglia, Closs and Noronha 2013).
    [Show full text]