New Delhi: Regional Legal Adviser for South Asia and Iran, International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), Mr Charles Sabga visited the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) on June 25, 2013 to discuss International Humanitarian Law and Contemporary Armed Conflict.
He began his presentation by providing an overview of the context in which the ICRC was created, its role as “guardian of international humanitarian law”, and the evolution of the international humanitarian law (IHL) in general. Over its 150 years of operations, the ICRC has been governed by seven fundamental principles, three of which - impartiality, neutrality, and independence – form the core of the organisation’s operations.
Mr Sabga also drew attention to the changing nature of international armed conflict and the role of non-state actors, noting that international humanitarian law applies equally to state and non-state actors.
Changing international contexts and evolution of technology has also led to the emergence of new areas of concerns and challenges for the ICRC, including cyber warfare, the role of private military security companies (PMSCs), automated weapons and the Arms Trade Treaty. An area highlighted by both Mr Sabga and in the ensuing discussions was the dilemma of enforcement and implementation of IHL.
The lecture emphasised on the ICRC’s role as an observer and a neutral agency, the primary objective of which is to ensure humanitarian protection and assistance to victims of war and armed violence. Giving example of ICRC’s work in India, Mr Sabga said that the ICRC is working closely with the Indian Red Cross to provide humanitarian assistance to pilgrims and residents trapped in the areas of Uttarakhand affected by the recent rains, flash floods and landslides.
Humanitarian Protection, Assistance to War Victims Main Objective of ICRC, Says Sabga