Cook Islands - Accession to Protocols I and II
06-06-2002 News Release 02/23
On 7 May, the Cook Islands announced their accession to Protocols I and II additional to the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
On 7 May, the Cook Islands announced their accession to Protocols I and II additional to the 1949 Geneva Conventions. This is a particularly timely step since it comes on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Protocols. Together with the Geneva Conventions, these instruments form the cornerstone of international humanitarian law.
Some years after the Second World War, struggles for independence from colonial rule and revolutionary conflicts flared up in various parts of the world. In these new situations the four Geneva Conventions, which lay down rules relating to armed conflict between sovereign States, did not apply. In modern warfare civilians pay a heavy toll, and control of the population is often the main issue at stake. The ICRC therefore felt that the legal protection afforded by the Conventions should be extended to the victims of this type of conflict and of civil wars, which were becoming increasingly frequent. The two Additional Protocols remind combatants of their obligation to distinguish at all times between civilians and military objectives and to respect, in all circumstances, the " fundamental guarantees " against such acts as hostage-taking, torture, murder, mutilation, affronts to personal dignity (including sexual abuse) and collective punishment.
In the past 25 years, results have been long in coming. So far, 160 States have acceded to Protocol I (which protects the victims of international armed conflict) and 153 to Protocol II (applicable in non-international conflicts), while 190 are bound by the Geneva Conventions. With the improvement in the political climate following the end of the Cold War, the ICRC hopes that this anniversary will prompt other countries to make the commitment to respect and ensure respect for these international treaties which are so basic to the protection of conflict victims.
The ICRC intends to mark the 25th anniversary of the Additional Protocols with a series of events and announcements on the 6 and 7 June.