GA Proposal: PROTECT CIVILIANS IN CONFLICTS

[Bassein]

Though this is The People's republic of Bassein's first Draft Resolution, it believes that such a commitment towards protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts is extremely important for the sustainable development of the world.

Proposed by: The People's Republic of Bassein

Category: Human Rights

Strength: Significant

http://www.nationstates.net/page=UN_proposal/council=1/start=15

The General Assembly reaffirms its commitment to the full and effective implementation of all its resolutions and thereby puts forth a significnt pressing proposal in the good of all civilians across the world,

The General Assembly remains committed to addressing the impact of armed conflict on civilians,

The Assembly expresses its deepest concern that civilians continue to account for the majority of victims of acts of violence committed by parties to armed conflicts, including as a result of deliberate targeting, indiscriminate and excessive use of force and of sexual and gender based violence,and thereby


1. CONDEMNS all violations of international law, including international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law committed against civilians in situations of armed conflict;

2. DEMANDS that all relevant parties immediately put an end to such practices;

3. REAFFIRMS in this regard that parties to armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, in particular giving attention to the specific needs of women and children;

4. REITERATES the responsibility of states to comply with their relevant obligations to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity and serious violations of international humanitarian law;

5. UNDERLINES the importance of safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel to provide assistance to civilians in armed conflict in accordance with international law, and stresses the importance,within the framework of humanitarian assistance, of upholding and respecting the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence;

6. RECOGNIZES the increasingly valuable role that regional organisations and other intergovernmental institutions play in the protection of civilians, and encourages the Secretary-General and the heads of regional and other intergovernmental organisations to continue their efforts to strengthen their partnership in this regard;

7. CALLS UPON all nations to adhere to the International Human Rights Charter and thereby work progressively towards this cause.


Bassein aims at receiving majority support for this proposal so that it becomes stringent in mjnds of all the warring nations that civilian protection is the foremost priority. Amen.

[Bassein]

I welcome the valued suggestions and criticisms of all our member nations.

[Grays Harbor]

The only way to "protect" civilians completely in a conflict is to not have one.

To address a specific concern, having "complete and unhindered access" for humanitarian aid invites abuse, as we can imagine many nations taking advantage of this provision to smuggle arms, explosives and soldiers/insurgents past enemy lines and into the enemy's rear area. By granting such a blanket immunity to anybody claiming to be "humanitarian" is to invite such abuses. Anybody and anything in a combat zone should be liable to inspection and verification at the very least.

[New Olwe]

3. REAFFIRMS in this regard that parties to armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, in particular giving attention to the specific needs of women and children;

That's sexist. I'm not saying that men are more important than women or children, but women and children certainly shouldn't be given any more importance than men either.

5. UNDERLINES the importance of safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel to provide assistance to civilians in armed conflict in accordance with international law, and stresses the importance,within the framework of humanitarian assistance, of upholding and respecting the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence;

Our friends from Grays Harbor already pointed out why this is unworkable.

Amen.

There was no need to put that at the end of your resolution. To non-Christians it's offensive.

[Bears Armed]

7. CALLS UPON all nations to adhere to the International Human Rights Charter and thereby work progressively towards this cause.

"And what 'International Human Rights Charter' would that be?"?

[Flibbleites]

I'm puzzled as to why you call this a draft when you've already submitted it for approval.

Bob Flibble
WA Representative

[Gobbannium]

We are puzzled as to what this proposal does that merits a Significant strength. It condemns practices that are already illegal, makes them illegal again, repeats that nations should obey international law just in case we hadn't heard the previous two occasions, and attempts to interest us in a charter whose existence we had not previously been aware of. We are struggling to find enough that it actually does to make this worthy of Mild strength, to be completely honest.

[Grays Harbor]

We are puzzled as to what this proposal does that merits a Significant strength. It condemns practices that are already illegal, makes them illegal again, repeats that nations should obey international law just in case we hadn't heard the previous two occasions, and attempts to interest us in a charter whose existence we had not previously been aware of. We are struggling to find enough that it actually does to make this worthy of Mild strength, to be completely honest.

His Majesty and the entire Cabinet have requested I pass along to you that they are quite amused by your description of this proposal, and have determined that they like your style.

[New Olwe]

We are puzzled as to what this proposal does that merits a Significant strength. It condemns practices that are already illegal, makes them illegal again, repeats that nations should obey international law just in case we hadn't heard the previous two occasions, and attempts to interest us in a charter whose existence we had not previously been aware of. We are struggling to find enough that it actually does to make this worthy of Mild strength, to be completely honest.

His Majesty and the entire Cabinet have requested I pass along to you that they are quite amused by your description of this proposal, and have determined that they like your style.

The Grand Duke of New Olwe and his entire Cabinet concur with the sentiments of Grays Harbor. That was forking awesome.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Honoured ambassador to The People's Republic of Bassein,

I don't how to say about this, but we have already a resolution on (already defined) humanitarian aid, refugees, neutrality of states, banning of torture, banning of landmines, civil rights. and so on... yet war is still completely unavoidable no matter how hard we try to promote world peace

However, we do have C&Cs and Liberations for the militants.

Yours etc,

[The Most Glorious Hack]

Amen.

There was no need to put that at the end of your resolution. To non-Christians it's offensive.

"So be it" is offensive?

[New Olwe]

"So be it" is offensive?

When it's stated as "Amen" it is, since that's a word associated with Christianity. Is that really what that means, BTW?

[Gobbannium]

"So be it" is offensive?

When it's stated as "Amen" it is, since that's a word associated with Christianity. Is that really what that means, BTW?

OOC: Yes. It's derived from the word for certainty I believe, which is why the Good News Bible uses it where older translations prefer "Verily, verily". Irish readers may be amused to note that "To be sure, to be sure," is just as valid a translation.

IC: Speaking as a nominal devotee of Strict Druidism, we personally find it hard to take offense at formal patterns of speech. We suggest that respected ambassador regard it as the affectation it is, and cease wasting energy in seeking things to be offended at.

[Name Unavailable]

It would impossible to not harm citizens in any type of full-blown war. Despite the hardships placed on a country due to a war, there is also the fact that many types of warfare involve using weapons that cause great damage. Also both invaders and defenders of all types throughout history have been known to use the locals as sheilds, hostages, etc., and many fortifications and bases during wartime are resident in civilian homes as well as near heavily populated areas.

A good proposistion, but not one that will be effective.

[Bergnovinaia]

It would impossible to not harm citizens in any type of full-blown war. Despite the hardships placed on a country due to a war, there is also the fact that many types of warfare involve using weapons that cause great damage. Also both invaders and defenders of all types throughout history have been known to use the locals as sheilds, hostages, etc., and many fortifications and bases during wartime are resident in civilian homes as well as near heavily populated areas.

A good proposistion, but not one that will be effective.

I'm curious if this could be considered a grave-dig. Perhaps not...

[Grays Harbor]

It would impossible to not harm citizens in any type of full-blown war. Despite the hardships placed on a country due to a war, there is also the fact that many types of warfare involve using weapons that cause great damage. Also both invaders and defenders of all types throughout history have been known to use the locals as sheilds, hostages, etc., and many fortifications and bases during wartime are resident in civilian homes as well as near heavily populated areas.

A good proposistion, but not one that will be effective.

I'm curious if this could be considered a grave-dig. Perhaps not...

OOC - 5 days between posts is not, in my opinion, a "gravedig". 5 weeks, yeas, but less than a week? Not hardly.

[Strykla]

Why do civvies always get caught up and killed in war, don't they know how/when to leave?

[Burninati0n]

OP: I'm fairly certain that you cannot reference UN resolutions in your proposal.