The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) recently urged both India and China to observe the Geneva Conventions amidst the Galwan clash in Ladakh that transpired in June 2020. Both countries are signatories to these conventions, which serve as important international treaties limiting the severity of war. This piece will delve into further details about these conventions and their importance.
The Geneva Conventions: An Overview
The Geneva Conventions, forged in 1949, together with their Additional Protocols serve as significant global treaties. The primary aim of these is to restrict the extent of war barbarity. They work towards protecting those who aren’t partaking in the combat, such as civilians, medical personnel, and aid workers, as well as those who aren’t capable of fighting anymore, such as wounded, sick, or shipwrecked troops, and prisoners of war.
Dissecting the Four Geneva Conventions
The Geneva Conventions majorly comprise four integral sections. The first Convention is tailored to safeguard wounded and sick soldiers stationed on land during conflict. The second Convention extends similar protection to wounded, sick, and shipwrecked military staff at sea amid warfare. The third Convention is applicable to prisoners of war, while the fourth Convention ensures protection to civilians, even those dwelling in occupied territories.
Article 3, which is common amongst the four Geneva Conventions, tackles the situations of non-international armed conflicts. These can range from traditional civil wars and internal fights that extend into other nations, to conflicts where a third state or a multinational force intervenes alongside the government.
The 1977 Protocols: Additionalities to the Geneva Conventions
Apart from the four conventions of 1949, two additional Protocols were adopted in 1977. The objective of these was to amplify the protection of victims involved in international (Protocol I) and non-international (Protocol II) armed conflicts, and establish limits on warfare conduct. In 2005, a third Additional Protocol came into existence that introduced an additional emblem – the Red Crystal – that has similar international stature as the emblems of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC)
The primary responsibility of monitoring the obedience of signatories to these rules during conflict situations lies with ICRC. This organisation, established in 1863, engages in worldwide operations with a mission to assist those affected by conflict and armed violence. Simultaneously, it promotes the laws designed to protect victims of war. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the ICRC operates independently and neutrally. Its major source of funding is the voluntary donations received from governments and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.