Non-international Armed Conflict (NIAC)

1. Non-international Armed Conflict (NIAC) Lecture 13 (2010) Cecilie Hellestveit

2. Overview of lecture • IAC – NIAC • Major differences • Classification of situations • The making of treaty law in NIAC • Customary law in NIAC • Main principles of ius in bello interno

3. Two main categories of armed conflicts in international humanitarian law : • NIACs ( non-international armed conflicts) • 90-95 % of all ”massive organized violence” 1990-2008 • only a limited part of IHL treaty law and IHL customary law applicable • ”..armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties” GC Common art. 3 (lowest threshold) • -  IACs ( international armed conflicts) • 5-10% of all ”massive organized violence” 1990-2008 • Entire body of IHL treaty law and IHL customary law applicable • ”…declared war or…any other armed conflict which may arise between two or more of the High Contracting Parties” GC Common art. 2

4. « armed conflict » • Not explicitly defined in treaty law • Low threshold : more than riots, disturbances, internal unrest • APII • GCart3 : silent. • Travaux preparatoires, Rome Statute, ICTY Tadic-case : also GCart3 conflicts • BUT : if NIAC outside of territory : may be lower threshold • e.g US supreme court Hamdan • Principle of best protection

5. IAC versus NIAC IAC : * State parties at ’both sides’ * State party on one side, the non-state party consisting of (peoples) ”…fighting against colonial domination and alien occupation and against racist regimes” API art 1(4) NIAC * State party(ies) at only one side BUT : who is ” party” ? * No state party at any side

6. Existence of NIAC (ICTY) • ICTY Tadic(1995) armed conflict exists • “whenever there is a resort to armed force between States or protracted armed violence between governmental authorities and organized armed groups or between such groups within a State.” • ICTY Haradinaj (2008) IHL applicable when • “ (i) the armed violence is protracted and (ii) the parties to the conflict are organized” • “armed conflict” is distinguished from “banditry, riots, isolated acts of terrorism, or similar situations”  The ICTY test of NIAC is whether • the armed violence is protracted ( intensity of the conflict) and • the parties to the conflict are organized

7. Type of NIAC • GCart3 + Hague art 19, CCW etc • no additional requirements • APII • territorial control, concerted military operations APII art 1(1) • API + GC • certain limited causes API1(4) + procedural requirements API 96(3) • NB : API conflicts are IACs for the purpose of the GC, not automatically for all IHL..

8. Israel – Hizbullah 2006 • On 12 of July 2006, Hizbullah – a non-state actor with territorial control in Southern Lebanon, fired rockets at Israeli border towns, and attacked a border control on the Israeli side of the fence. Result among Israeli soldiers: 2 wounded, 3 killed, 2 capured and taken to Lebanon. Israeli army followed Hizbullah into Lebanon, another 5 Israeli soldiers killed in planned ambush. • Israel responded by airstrikes into Lebanon, and asked the Lebanese state to intervene. After a few days, the Lebanese leadership responded that ”they would not intervene in the face of such blatant aggression and destruction as the one Israel was showing into Lebanese territory”, and that they were ”fully supportive of the defensive actions of Hizbullah”.

9. Colombia and FARC • On March 1. 2008, the Colombian army attacked a base of the FARC – a colombian non-state organization with some territorial control in parts of Colombia, killing over 20 ( 16 insurgents and 5 civilians). The base was located in Ecuador. A country with a government which is ’friendly’ towards the FARC. The colombian authorities did not contact Ecuador prior to the attack. • Ecuador and Venezuela condemned the attack, cut their diplomatic relations with Colombia, and started to prepare their armies, lining them up along the Colombian border.

10. Iraq 2004 • On 20 March 2003, an international coalition attacked Iraq , with the aim of removing the regime of Saddam Hussein. The campaign lasted until May 1, when the coalition forces had control and eventually established an occupation regime. • During the invasion, local resistance movements (Iraqi insurgents, Peshmergas etc) were fighting alongside coalitions forces. • On 28 June 2004, the CPA, the occupation-authorities of Iraq, handed the sovereign authority of Iraq over to an Iraqi transitional council, preparing for elections. The foreign military forces would still do the main fighting against insurgents and remnants of the Iraqi army of the former regime.

11. Georgia and South – Ossetia • On 8 of August 2008 the Georgian army went into South-Ossetia, a Georgian region, to quell insurgents aiming to seceede South-Ossetia from Georgia. 4 Russian peace-keepers were killed. • 9 of August : the Russian army went over the border to South – Ossetia in order to ’ protect South-Ossetians and Russian nationals from Georgian aggression’. • During the war, South- Ossetian irregular forces were fighting against the Georgian forces.

12. Flotilla • Turkish ships carrying international activists with the intention to break the naval blockade by Israel on Gaza. Israeli commandos border the ship. Turkish nationals resist, hostilites erupt between groups of activists and israeli forces. 10 turkish activists killed. • Part of the conflict Israel – Hamas ( extended NIAC)? • Do the Turkish activists attack an occupying power ( Military occupation,GC4, protected persons) ? • Are the Turkish activist having a separate «  armed conflict » with Israel forces ? ( IAC or NIAC?)

13. NIAC • IAC NIAC • Iraq • Afghanistan • NIAC  IAC • Lebanon • Georgia • (Colombia) • Often more than one conflict at a time. Individually assessed. • Iraq, Georgia • Sometimes no armed conflict at all • Flotilla • Objective assesment • Reason for conflict not relevant ( except API1(4) : NIAC =>> IAC) • The opinion of parties not decisive ( underlying reality) • Formalist approach (Westphalian order)

14. NIAC : 3rd state invention on part of state • NIAC : ancilliary cross border attack of insurgents • Internationalized NIAC • States aid insurgens • ICJ. NIcaragua : ”effective control” • ICTY. Tadic : ”overall control” • ICJGenocide : - STATE RESPONSIBILITY : ” effective control” - CLASSIFICATION : maybe ” overall controll” • National liberation wars • API art 1(4) • Transnational armed groups

15. Threshold for applicability of IHL in NIAC • Geneva Conventions Common artice 3 : ”armed conflict” • Not defined • Very low threshold (but dependent on what rules apply if no IHL) • Excluded : Riots, unrest, disasters, other causes of state of emergency • Hamdan v. Rumsfeld : art 3 apply to the armed conflict with al-Qaida • AP II : armed conflict between states and non-state groups with territorial control (APII art 1) • Narrow definition • ”take place in the territory”, ” between its armed forces” • traditional civil war

16. Ad bellum / in bello • IAC : • Ius ad bellum : why you fight does not affect your rights and duties in fighing ( ius in bello) • General rule : ius ad bellum is kept separate from ius in bello in IAC. • NIAC • Why you fight, can influence which rules are applicable. API art 1(4)”fighting against colonial domination and alien occupation and against racist regimes…”  ’converts’ NIAC to IAC • General rule : there is no ius ad bellum in NIAC.

17. International law / domestic law IAC • International law : • Prohibition against the resort to threat or use of armed force in international relations • Except self-defence and collective action under UN SC. • (But no clear definition of ’aggression’) • Municipal law : • Normally no prohibition against resort to use of armed force in international relations (provided internal rules are followed) • No prohibition against participation in IAC. NIAC • International law • No general prohibition against civil war , insurgency or secession • Municipal law : • Normally strictly prohibited to start or to be involved in any way in civil war, insurgency or secession • ”High treason” etc. Often subject to capital punshment.

18. Structure , default regime IAC • Reciprocity in laww • Equality of belligerents • Absence of IHL : very little protection • IHL gives more protection than default regime (’no rules’) NIAC • Asymmetry • No equality of belligerents • When IHL does not apply : IHRL is default regime  IHL provides ’less protection’ than default regime (human rights regime)  IHRL limits the right of State to use of fore on its own territory ( ”ad bellum” – function of IHRL) • If IHRL not generally applicable: lower threshold for IHLR ( ” best protection”)

19. International legal rules applicable :

20. The making of treaty-law in NIACs • Why difficut to make treaty-rules for NIAC ? • STATES fear that such rules will: • obstruct States’ abilities to defend themselves internally • give ’legitimacy’ to non-state actors resorting to massive violence, and make State-actors legitimate targets • status will deprive the State of right to prosecute insurgents, and effectively undermine the State’s monopoly to the right to resort to the use of armed force. Difficult to find common interest among groups that would need to cooperate to create comprehensive treaty–rules for NIACs

21. The making of treaty law in NIAC ( cont.) CONVENTIONAL LAW OF NIACs • Geneva Conventions Common art. 3 (1949) • Humane treatment • Care for sick and wounded • Cultural Property Convention art. 19 (1954) • Respect for cultural property • Additional Protocol II to the Geneva Conventions (1977) • 28 articles – approx. 10 of which have substantive content (protection) Treaties expanded to NIACs • Blinding Weapons Protocol (1995) • Mines Protocol (1996) • Protocol 2. to the Cultural Property Convention (1999) • Weapons Convention (2001) Treaties applicable to NIACs from first entry • Chemical Weapons Convention ( 1993) • Landmine Convention (1997) • ICC art 8 (2) (1998) • Clusterbomb Convention (2008)

22. Customary law in NIACs The particularities of customary law in IHL • Opinio juris • Takes little to establish rule that strengthen protection • Takes much to prove that a rule of protection has ceased to exist • The opinio juris of which countries? • Practice • Seldom public • Costly in terms of ’political capital’ • Scholarly writings: • risky to ennumerate rules (must be ’complete’) E.g. ICRC study, Manual on NIACs. • asdf WHERE DO RULES COME FROM ? • Analogies from IAC (civilians) • Common sense • E.g.Tadic: what is inhumane , and consequently proscribed in IACs, cannot but be inhumane and inadmissible in NIACs • General principles • E.g Martens clause : ”in cases not covered…combatants and civilians remain under the protection and authority of… the principles of humanity and from the dictates of public conscience. ” • Jurisprudence • ICJ, ICTY, ICTR, ICC • IHRL courts • National courts , e.g. Israeli High Court of Justice ( Supreme court with competence to oversee the military occupation of the Palestinian Territories)

23. IHL norms in NIAC : • General scarcity of treaty rules in NIAC • General scarcity of clear rules of customary law in NIAC • Tendency of increased codification, but largely fragmented in specific areas of IHL • Largely based on analogies from IAC • Problems of incoherencies • Problems of rules taking on a different function in NIAC . E.g principle of distinction.

24. Body of ius in bello interno • 3 main principles of IHL in NIAC ( also in IAC). 1) principle of humane treatment without adverse distinction GC common art 3 (I) , Rule 87 & 88 of ICRC study 2) prohibition against superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering. API art 35 (2) (customary nature), Rule 70 ICRC study 3) principle of distinction between ’fighters’ and civilians and between military objectives and civilian objects. APII art 13(2)(3), ICC art 8(2) e (i), Rule 1&6,7 ICRC Study

25. Application of IHL to NIAC : No legal effect on parties • GC Art 3. 4th para : «  application .. shall not affect the legal status of the Parties to the conflict » • APII : nothing in protocol invoked for the purpose of affecting the sovereignty of a State or the responsibility of the government, by all legitimate means, to maintaint or re-establish law and order in the State or to defend the natioanl unity and territorial integrity of the State (3(1) • APII : nothing in protocol invoked as justification for intervention in the armed conflict or affairs of Party (3(2)

26. Application of IHL to NIAC : No discrimination • GC Art 3 : (humanely treatment without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour , religion, faith , sex , birth or wealth or any other similar criteria.) • APII : no adverse distinction founded on race, colour,sex, language, religion, faith, political or other opinion, national or social origin, wealth , birth or other status or on any other similar criteria)

27. «STATUS » in NIAC Who are belligerentsICRC guide on DPH / custom : • Belligerents = members of the armed forces & persons who are directly participating in hostilites • Category 1 : armed forces and members of organized armed groups with permanent combatant function  no target immunity • Category 2 : civilians who directly participate in hostilites ( ad hoc). Remain civilians.  loss of target immunity ”for such time as DPH” APII art 13(3).

28. « STATUS » in NIAC :Conduct of Hostilities belligerents Civilians/ Target immunity CIVILIANS : Unless and for such time as theytake a directpart in hostilites (13(3) i.f: The Civilian population and individualciviliansenjoygeneral protection against the dangers arisingfrommilitaryoperations (APII 13(1) Theyshall not be the object of attack APII 13(2) Violence the primarypurpose of whichis to spreadterroramong the civilianpoplationisprohibited (APII 13(2) Starvation of civilainsprohibited as a method of combat ( for thispurpse) APII art14 Works and installations shall not beattacked (even if military objectives) if attackmay cause release and severelossesamongcivilian population (art 15) Medicalunits and transports shall not be the object of attack APII art 11(1) Exception : if used to commit hostile actsoutsidetheirhumanitarianfunction, and thenonlyafter warning (11(2) • Sick and wounded : shall be collected and cared for art 3(2) , APII art 7 ( collected after engagement art 8) • APII : Prohibited to order that there shall be no survivors ( art 4(1) i.f)

29. « STATUS » in NIAC : Detention & Prosecution BELLIGERENT CIVILIAN IHL : May be interned Domestic law: May be held accountable for subversive activities….. ( but breach of IHRL) • Armed forces = prosecutorial immunity ( customary law) • Non-State actors who DPH = no prosecutorial immunity (TPII art 6) BUT : may be given amnesty for lawful acts of war : « subsequent immunity » eg. TPII 6 (5)

30. STATUS : DETENTION • Persons taking no active part in the hostilities GC 3(1) • Members of armed forces who have laid down their arms • Surrendered persons • Hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, other cause • All persons who do not take a direct part or who have ceased to take part in hostilites ( APII 4(1) • Sick and wounded : shall be collected and cared for ( 3(2) , APII art 7,( receive medical care and attention «  to the fullest extent practicable and with the least possible delay », collected after engagement APII art 8.

31. APII Detention « PERSONS WHOSE LIBERTY HAS BEEN DEPRIVED OR RESTRICTED » (APII art 2(2) ( during or after the conflict for the same reasons) 5(1) persons deprived of their liberty for reasons related to the armed conflict ( interned or detained)  those responsible for internment or detention obliged to do certain things ( basic protections) ”shall be respected as a minimum” 5(1) ( unconditional) • Those responsible for internment or detention shall- within the limits of their capabilities – respectcertain other provisions 5(2) ( conditioned on resources : ability , not will) 5(3) persons not covered by 5(1)….( persons whose liberty restricted, but who are not interned or detained in this way). # under hostilites..

32. PROSECUTION • APII art 10 (1) : cannotbepunished for medicalactivities compatible withmedicalethics • APII 10 (3) (4) : can not bepenalized for not giving information obtainedduring care ( subject to national law) • APII art 6 : prosecution & punishment of criminaloffencesrelated to the armedconflict • 6 (2) (3)Basic fair trial standards • 6 (4) : whocannotbesentenced to death • Personsunder the age of 18 at the time of offence • 6(4) : whoshall not be put to death : • Pregnantwomen and mothers of youngchildre • 6(5) : endeavour to grant the boradest possible amnesty ( to belligerents and civilianswhose liberty has been restricted)