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INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

International Humanitarian LawThe Geneva Conventions of 1949 are the major source of what is called International Humanitarian Law, or IHL, which seeks to ensure that even violent disagreements between nations are conducted with as much civility and respect for human dignity as possible. They were completed on August 12, 1949.

The Geneva Conventions owe their heritage to a battle conducted 140 years ago. In 1859, Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman, observed firsthand the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in northern Italy, where more than 40,000 soldiers were killed or wounded in a conflict between France and Austria. Dunant stayed in the area for three days, helping Italian women care for the wounded, under a concept they called tutti fratelli – Italian for "we are all brothers."

International Red Cross and Red CrescentDunant was so affected by the suffering he saw that he convinced influential people in Europe of the need for an association of national societies to relieve suffering during war. This association evolved to what is today called the International Committee for the Red Cross and Red Crescent, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Over the years, the Red Cross (along with its Muslim equivalent, Red Crescent) has become a respected symbol of refuge from war. Incorporated in 1893, the American Red Cross is a leading member of this international movement of 175 national societies.

The Geneva Conventions of 1949 consist of four separate conventions that deal with the sick and wounded, shipwrecked, prisoners of war and civilians caught in war; these were amended in 1977 with two additional protocols to provide additional protection to victims of conflict.

Though the conventions are very complete in explanation, they can be broken down to seven basic rules:

  • Persons not taking part in hostilities are entitled to respect for their lives
  • It is forbidden to kill or injure an enemy who surrenders or is out of combat
  • The sick and wounded shall be cared for
  • Captured civilians and combatants shall be protected and allowed to correspond with their families and receive relief
  • Everyone shall be entitled to fundamental judicial guarantees
  • Parties to a conflict cannot use weapons that cause unnecessary loss or suffering
  • Attacks shall be directed solely against military objectives
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American Red Cross, Western Colorado Chapter
506 Gunnison Avenue
Grand Junction, CO 81501
Phone:  970-242-4851
Fax   970-241-2337
Email:  chapter@arcwcc.org