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1-01-2009 International Review of the Red Cross List of special theme issues of the International Review of the Red Cross  Links to issues with special themes from 1995 to the present Recent issues
Civilians to take on an increasingly decisive role in determining the outcome of a war – this, added to other changes in warfare, have resulted in a greater destabilization of the fundamental civilian/combatant distinction upon which modern humanitarian law is built. The lawfulness of an attack on civilians depends on their own conduct in hostilities, and rests on the criterion of “direct participation in hostilities”. The definition and scope of this concept are the subjects of debate, to which the Interpretative Guidance of the ICRC, published in this edition of the Review, aims to bring further clarification.
Today, nobody questions that international humanitarian law and international human rights law apply during armed conflict and that the two bodies of law are complementary and influence each other. While international humanitarian law remains the special law applicable during armed conflict, conflicting norms or standards sometimes require interpretation to determine whether a rule of humanitarian law or human rights law prevails in a concrete setting. Questions relating to detention in non-international armed conflict and law enforcement in situations of occupation dominate this substantive debate.
Sanctions are an integral part of every coherent legal system, and the threat of an effective sanction has a dissuasive effect. The culture of war – and the constant assault on the ethical norms and conventions of war – has produced a demand for justice among both combatants and non-combatants. This Review examines the part played by sanctions in obtaining greater respect for international humanitarian law and the form that citizens expect justice to take, i.e. what kind of punishment, what it should be based on and who should sit in judgment.
The war in Iraq presents challenges to all those involved in it, including humanitarian actors. In this issue of the Review, various authors look at the socio-political and humanitarian environment in Iraq today and assess the impact of the conflict on humanitarian law and humanitarian action. The issue is divided into two parts: The first part (Iraq I, December 2007 edition) comprises all articles dealing with the socio-political and humanitarian environment, while the second one (Iraq II, March 2008 edition) is concerned with humanitarian law and action. It is hoped that the author's insights into these topics will contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of this conflict and point towards possible ways to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.
The war in Iraq presents challenges to all those involved in it, including humanitarian actors. In this issue of the Review, various authors look at the socio-political and humanitarian environment in Iraq today and assess the impact of the conflict on humanitarian law and humanitarian action. The issue is divided into two parts: The first part (Iraq I, December 2007 edition) comprises all articles dealing with the socio-political and humanitarian environment, while the second one (Iraq II, March 2008 edition) is concerned with humanitarian law and action. It is hoped that the author's insights into these topics will contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of this conflict and point towards possible ways to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.
This issue deals with historical, legal, social, psychological and political questions relating to torture. It includes a discussion on the legal interpretations of the notion of torture, cruel or inhuman treatment and psychological torture, and analyses the context in which torture occurs and has occurred in the past. While looking at torture from the victims' and society's point of view, it also considers it from the perpetrator's perspective by trying to explain what brings a person to inflict torture. The issue further reflects the torture debate in the United States, particularly after the Abu Ghraib incident.
The word "catastrophe" is used to signify a brutal event bringing large-scale death and destruction. In that sense, every armed conflict, every natural or technological disaster is a catastrophe. The present issue of the Review looks in particular at the threat of a nuclear, radiological, biological or chemical (NRBC) event. It further discusses the chance of mitigating a catastrophic event by developing emergency preparedness plans and the appropriate response capacity. As local capacities may often be insufficient to deal with a major crisis, international assistance is frequently required. As for NRBC weapons it is especially important to stimulate discussion on how governments can, perhaps together, counter these threats while they still remain hypothetical.
Multiple humanitarian actors with different objectives, principles and modi operandi intervene in situations of armed conflict and internal violence in order to alleviate the plight of the victims: governmental and non-governmental organisations, international organisations, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and private companies, among others. The diversity of actors and approaches can help to alleviate suffering if they manage to act in a complementary fashion, on the basis of their respective operational abilities. This edition explores the distinctive characteristics of the diverse actors and the need to build and nurture an effective partnership among them.
The present edition of the International Review of the Red Cross illustrates some aspects of present-day methods of warfare and the applicable rules.
Military entrepreneurship is now an integral feature of contemporary war. The present edition of the International Review of the Red Cross highlights the variety of issues raised by the increased presence of private military companies (PMCs) in situation of armed conflicts.
Penal prosecution was seen as antagonistic to reconciliation strategies, but the “justice versus peace” problem is now seen as a simplification of the debate. Reconciliation is increasingly understood as an umbrella-term for an overall process which includes the search for truth, justice and forgiveness. This issue concentrates on the problems raised by Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and provides an overview of the ones established, their successes and their failures.
The present issue of the International Review of the Red Cross looks at the different international and internationalized criminal tribunals and courts set up since the creation of the two ad hoc Tribunals by the UN Security Council, and inquires into the broader objectives of international criminal law.
In situations of armed conflict and collective violence, the communication process is often distorted and the exchange of information is influenced by the contentious environment. The present issue of the International Review of the Red Cross looks at the links between communication and armed conflict, for both the media and humanitarian organizations.
Weapons are an integral feature of every armed conflict and conventional weapons will always remain the arms the most used. However, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the potential misuse of advances in life sciences are also working their way up the security agenda. The present edition of the International Review of the Red Cross illustrates some aspects related to humanitarian law and humanitarian action.
Religion is a salient and ambivalent feature in many conflicts and its growing and intensified manifestation of religion in politics and vice versa is part of the environment of ICRC operations. The tension between absolute belief in the divine and the historical nature of human existence influences the acceptance of both international law, including humanitarian law, and humanitarian action. Various articles in the present issue of the Review show the importance of religion in these fields on the tightrope between bigotry and indifference.
This issue of the International Review of the Red Cross focuses on detention. The edition starts out with an interview with Lech Walesa and goes on to address the topic of indefinite detention, detention abroad, the effectiveness of human rights mechanisms as well as the protection of detainees from an ICRC perspective. 14-10-2004
The armed conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and their ramifications for the fight against terrorism have highlighted new challenges and risks for humanitarian operations. In this edition of the Review, authors reflect on some of these challenges that directly affect humanitarian organizations and shape their strategies and priorities.
This issue of the Review celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. The various articles explain the significance of the cultural heritage of mankind and shed light on the legal rules established to protect it.
Texts published by the Review reflect the views of the author alone and not necessarily those of the ICRC or of the Review. Only texts bearing an ICRC signature may be ascribed to the institution. |
