IHL MODULE 4 – Implementation of IHL 1. Improving Respect For International Humanitarian Law: A Major Challenge For The ICRC – Cornelio Sommaruga • Introduction • Aims of International Humanitarian Law • Legal Status of ICRC • Protection of POWs and detainees • ICRC – Current Problems in the Legal Field • Problem of Implementation of International Humanitarian Law • Conclusion 2. Implementing International Humanitarian Law – Yves Sandoz • Presentation • Introduction • Implementation During International Armed Conflicts • Means of Prevention - Respect for the Law by the States Concerned - General Dissemination of the Conventions and Protocol I - Special instruction for the Authorities Directly Concerned - Duties of Commanders - Training Qualified Personnel - Legal Advisers in the Armed Forces - Communication of Translations of the Conventions and Protocols and Laws of Application. • Means of Control - Obligation on Parties to the Conflict to Put an End to All Breaches - Protecting Powers - Substitutes for the Protecting Powers - Synthesis • Repression of Violations - General Observations - Responsibility of Superiors and Duty of Commanders - Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters - Practical Application - Other Means • The Enquiry Procedure Instituted by the Conventions of 1949 - The Fact-Finding Commission Instituted by Protocol I of 1977 - The Role of the ICRC - Procedure in Case of Disagreement Concerning the Application and Interpretation of the Provisions of the Conventions and of Protocol I - Co-operation With the United Nations - The Role of the Media • The Application of International Humanitarian Law in Non-International Armed Conflicts • Conclusions 3. Implementing International Humanitarian Law: Problems And Priorities – Dieter Fleck • What is required under existing humanitarian law? - National legislation - Organizational measures in peacetime - Organizational measures to be taken in the event of armed conflict - Dissemination and educational measures • What has been achieved in practice? • What remains to be done? • Conclusions 4. The Application Of The Geneva Conventions By The International Criminal Tribunal For The Former Yugoslavia – William J. Fenrick • Standards for the classification of armed conflicts • Further developments 5. Applicability Of International Humanitarian Law To United Nations Peace-Keeping Forces – Umesh Palwankar • Introduction • United Nations peace-keeping forces: definition and characteristics • Applicability of IHL to the PKF: position of the ICRC and the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent • Position of the UN • Current problems • Measures to improve dissemination of IHL • Implementation of and respect for IHL by the PKF • Possible role for the PKF in promoting respect for IHL • Cooperation between the PKF and the ICRC 6. UN Guidelines For Peace-Keeping Forces – Observance By United Nations Forces Of International Humanitarian Law • Section 1 - Field of application • Section 2 - Application of national law • Section 3 - Status-of-forces agreement • Section 4 - Violations of international humanitarian law • Section 5 - Protection of the civilian population • Section 6 - Means and methods of combat • Section 7 - Treatment of civilians and persons hors de combat • Section 8 - Treatment of detained persons • Section 9 - Protection of the wounded, the sick, and medical and relief personnel • Section 10 - Entry into force 7. Measures Available To States For Fulfilling Their Obligation To Ensure Respect For International Humanitarian Law – Umesh Palwankar • Introduction • General remarks • Measures to exert diplomatic pressure • Coercive measures that States may take themselves • Possible measures of retortion • Possible unarmed reprisals • Measures in co-operation with international organizations • United Nations • Measures decided by the Security Council • Measures decided by the General Assembly • Contribution to humanitarian efforts • Protecting Powers • Conclusion 8. The Evolution Of Individual Criminal Responsibility Under International Law – EDOARO GREPPI • War crimes and crimes against humanity: origin and evolution of illegal sphere - Before the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials - Nuremberg and Tokyo International Tribunals - International legal heritage after the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials • Evolution in the 1990s: from the ad hoc Tribunals to the International Criminal Court • A few concluding remarks 9. International Criminal Law And The Ad Hoc Tribunals • Historical Background • A Case For War Crimes Tribunals • Case Against War Crimes Tribunals • The ICTY And ICTR 10. War Crimes: A Critical Introduction – GERRY J. SIMPSON • Introduction • War Crimes Trials : Some Problems - The Problem Of Partiality - The Problem Of Legality (a) Generality (b) Nullem Crimen Sine Lege (c) Nullem Crimen Sine Lege (d) Defences - Conceptual Difficulties Associated With International Criminality - War Crimes And History: Ideological Dimensions (a) Teaching History (b) Legitimation (c) Dissidence • Conclusion: Privileged To Judge? 11. The New International Criminal Court – A Preliminary Assessment – Marie-Claude Roberge • A first assessment of the Statute adopted by the Rome Conference - Jurisdiction of the ICC over war crimes committed in both international and non- international armed conflicts - Automatic jurisdiction over the four core crimes - An independent Prosecutor • The ICRC’s role after Rome • Concluding remarks • Annex 1 • Annex 2 12. The International Criminal Tribunal For The Former Yugoslavia And The Kosovo Conflict – Sonja Boelaert-Suominen • The ICTY and the conflict in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995 • Chronology of the ICTY's involvement in Kosovo • Legal basis for the ICTY's involvement in Kosovo - Mandate - Jurisdictional aspects (a) Territorial jurisdiction (b) Temporal jurisdiction (c) Existence of armed conflict (d) Existence of an international armed conflict (e) Personal jurisdiction: nationality of the perpetrator • The division of labour between the ICTY and national jurisdictions – the role of UNMIK 13. Individual, Criminal Responsibility For Violations Of International Humanitarian Law Omitted –In Non-International Armed Conflicts – Thomas Graditzky • Application of international obligations to individuals • International criminalization of violations of international humanitarian law - Points at issue - State practice and opinions (a) State declarations (b) Military manuals (c) National legislation (d) Jurisprudence of national courts - Other sources (a) Security Council resolutions (b) Statutes of the two ad hoc international criminal tribunals (c) Work of the International Law Commission • Terminological aspects - The decision of the Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Tadic case - State practice and opinions • Conclusion Improving respect for international humanitarian law: a major challenge for the ICRC by Cornelio Sommaruga Fourth George Steward lecture, International Bar Association, Geneva, 3 June 1994 Statement by Cornelio Sommaruga, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Contents • Introduction • Aims of International Humanitarian Law • Legal Status of ICRC • Protection of POWs and detainees • ICRC – Current Problems in the Legal Field • Problem of Implementation of International Humanitarian Law • Conclusion Introduction It is a pleasure for me to deliver the fourth George Seward Lecture and to share with all of you who have gathered here in Geneva the current major concerns of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with respect to the implementation, development and dissemination of international humanitarian law. I am especially happy to review these concerns with a group of lawyers from all over the world because, as a lawyer myself, I am keenly aware of the role you may be called upon to play in this field also as distinguished citizens of all your countries. I should also like to take this opportunity to talk more specifically about the existing mechanisms to ensure respect for humanitarian law and about the ICRC's current efforts to enhance compliance with the rules applicable in any armed conflict. These efforts are aimed at prompting States to adopt preventive measures, improving faithful application of the relevant provisions and establishing a system of sanctions to repress and put an end to violations. News about armed conflicts, violence and political unrest reaches each and every one of us daily from all parts of the world. It is accompanied by unbearable pictures of combatants and civilians who have been wounded, tortured, forced into exile, starved or massacred. Yet, the right to assistance, as laid down in the Geneva Conventions, has too often been denied to such victims. Indeed, humanitarian organizations have not only continuously been hindered in their efforts to provide protection and distribute relief to vulnerable groups, they have even become the targets of warring parties. Aims of International Humanitarian Law In the face of this tragic reality, I should like once again to stress the aims of international humanitarian law, the so called "Geneva law". These aims are both modest and of crucial importance. They are crucial because humanitarian law seeks to preserve minimum standards of behaviour in situations where people are caught up in armed conflict, yet at the same time they are modest because war retains its cruelty and still leads to widespread suffering, large-scale squandering of resources and the devastation of entire nations. Moreover, all appeals for compliance