United Nations Security Council Resolution 1296
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1296, adopted unanimously on April 19, 2000, after recalling Resolution 1265
(1999), the Council discussed steps to enhance the protection of civilians during armed conflict
.
s and internally displaced person
s were targeted. All parties involved were referred to the importance of compliance with the United Nations Charter
and international law with regards to international humanitarian
, human rights
and refugee law.
. Systematic and widespread violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in situations of armed conflict could constitute a threat to international peace and security. It was important that civilians had access to humanitarian aid
, and a denial of assistance constituted a violation of international law. At the same time, it was important that aid agencies remained neutral
during conflict.
The resolution noted that the Council would include measures for demobilisation, demilitarisation
and reintegration of ex-combatants and child soldiers
, disposal of weapon
s and ammunition
, and resources for the protection of civilians in immediate danger. Such measures would include security zones or corridors to protect civilians and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance in instances of genocide
, crimes against humanity
and war crime
s. The peacekeeping
missions could also include a component for the dissemination of information on international law through mass media
.
The Security Council also took note of the entry into force of the Ottawa Treaty
in 1997 and the positive impact it would have on the safety of citizens. Furthermore, the destabilising effect of small arms was recognised with regard to prolonging conflicts and distribution of humanitarian aid. Finally, the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was asked to continue his work and submit a report by March 30, 2001 on the situation of civilians in armed conflict.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1296, adopted unanimously on April 19, 2000, after recalling Resolution 1265
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1265
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1265, adopted unanimously on September 17, 1999, in the first resolution to address the topic, the Council discussed the protection of civilians during armed conflict.-Observations:...
(1999), the Council discussed steps to enhance the protection of civilians during armed conflict
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
.
Observations
The Security Council regretted that the majority of victims of armed conflicts were civilians. There was concern in particular that vulnerable groups such as women, children, refugeeRefugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s and internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s were targeted. All parties involved were referred to the importance of compliance with the United Nations Charter
United Nations Charter
The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the international organization called the United Nations. It was signed at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, United States, on 26 June 1945, by 50 of the 51 original member countries...
and international law with regards to international humanitarian
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
, human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and refugee law.
Acts
The Council strongly condemned deliberate attacks on civilians and emphasised the need to consider ways to best protect civilians. The majority of victims were internally displaced persons and vulnerable groups and therefore were afforded protection under international lawInternational law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. Systematic and widespread violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in situations of armed conflict could constitute a threat to international peace and security. It was important that civilians had access to humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
, and a denial of assistance constituted a violation of international law. At the same time, it was important that aid agencies remained neutral
Neutrality (international relations)
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
during conflict.
The resolution noted that the Council would include measures for demobilisation, demilitarisation
Demilitarisation
Demilitarisation or demilitarization is the reduction of a nation's army, weapons, or military vehicles to an agreed minimum. Demilitarisation is usually the result of a peace treaty ending a war or a major conflict....
and reintegration of ex-combatants and child soldiers
Military use of children
The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities , or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in...
, disposal of weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s and ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
, and resources for the protection of civilians in immediate danger. Such measures would include security zones or corridors to protect civilians and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance in instances of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
, crimes against humanity
Crime against humanity
Crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings...
and war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s. The peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
missions could also include a component for the dissemination of information on international law through mass media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
.
The Security Council also took note of the entry into force of the Ottawa Treaty
Ottawa Treaty
The Ottawa Treaty or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, officially known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, aims at eliminating anti-personnel landmines around the world. , there were 158...
in 1997 and the positive impact it would have on the safety of citizens. Furthermore, the destabilising effect of small arms was recognised with regard to prolonging conflicts and distribution of humanitarian aid. Finally, the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
was asked to continue his work and submit a report by March 30, 2001 on the situation of civilians in armed conflict.
See also
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1201 to 1300 (1998 – 2000)
- List of ongoing political conflicts