What, post-cold war, are the implications of so-called humanitarian interventions for international law, the nation state and peoples’ rights? Is this a cover for imperialism or, in the era of globalisation, an essential widening of protection for human rights? The provisions of the UN Charter and related instruments are examined, together with the arguments in support of such interventions. That state sovereignty protects human rights by reducing the incidence of war and promoting self-determination and that military intervention can result in atrocities are often overlooked. Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia and the first Gulf war are among the examples discussed.
1 David J. Scheffer , ‘Toward a modern doctrine of humanitarian intervention’, University of Toledo Law Review , (Vol. 23, 1992), pp. 253 and 259.
2.
2 V.I. Lenin , ‘Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism’, in The Lenin Anthology, edited by Robert C. Tucker (1975), p. 259.
3.
3 See Steve G. Simon , ‘The contemporary legality of unilateral humanitarian intervention’ , California Western International Law Journal (Vol. 24, 1993), pp. 121-124 .
4.
Simon, ibid., pp. 119-120 (a good overview of several definitions).
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5 Ibid., pp. 266-270.
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6 See e.g. Nigel David White , ‘The United Nations system: conference, contract, or constitutional order?’ , Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law (Vol. 4, 2000), p. 281 .
7.
7 See e.g. Military and paramilitary activities (Nicar. v. U.S.), 1986 ICJ 14, 92-97 (27 June 1986).
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8 UN Charter preamble.
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9 Simon , ‘Contemporary legality...’, op. cit., p. 137.
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10 UN Charter, art. 2, para. 1.
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11 Ibid. at art. 2, para 4.
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12 Ibid. at art. 2, para 7.
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Richard B. Lillich , ‘The growing importance of customary international human rights law’ , Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law (Vol. 25, 1995/1996), p. 1 .
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14 Richard Falk , ‘The complexities of humanitarian intervention: a new world order challenge’ , Michigan Journal of International Law (Vol. 17, 1996), p. 494 .
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15 John J. Merriam , ‘Kosovo and the law of humanitarian intervention’ , Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law (Vol. 33, 2001), p. 116 .
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16 Ibid., pp. 116-17.
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17 Simon , ‘Contemporary legality...’, op. cit., p. 153.
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18 All from Jonathan Charney , ‘Anticipatory humanitarian intervention in Kosovo’ , American Journal of International Law (Vol. 93, 1999), pp. 834 and 838-839 .
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19 Scheffer , ‘Toward a modern doctrine...’, op. cit., p. 289.
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20 Charney , ‘Anticipatory humanitarian intervention...’, op. cit., p. 839.
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21 Merriam , ‘Kosovo...’, op. cit., p. 133.
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22 Simon , ‘Contemporary legality...’, op. cit., p. 151.
23.
23 Ibid., pp. 118, 153.
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24 Ibid., p. 151.
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25 Dino Kritsiotis , ‘Reappraising policy objections to humanitarian intervention’ , Michigan Journal of International Law (Vol. 189, 1998), p. 1031 .
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26 Scheffer , ‘Toward a modern doctrine...’, op. cit., p. 290.
27.
Simon , ‘Contemporary legality...’, op. cit., p.152.
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28 Simon , ‘Contemporary legality...’, op. cit., p. 152.
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29 Kritsiotis , ‘Reappraising policy objections...’, op. cit., p. 1007.
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30 Ibid., p. 1022.
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31 Simon , ‘Contemporary legality...’, op. cit., p.139.
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32 Kritsiotis , ‘Reappraising policy objections...’, op. cit., pp. 1026-1034, p. 1026.
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33 Ibid., p. 1027.
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34 Ibid., pp. 1035, 1037.
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35 Military and paramilitary activities , 1986ICJ., op. cit., 106 .
36.
36 Norman Lewis , ‘Human rights, law, and democracy in an unfree world’, in Tony Evans (ed.), Human Rights Fifty Years On ( Manchester, MUP , 1998), p. 80.
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37 Richard Ponzio , ‘Theme Panel IV: the end of sovereignty? Roundtable’ , American Society of International Law and Procedure (Vol. 88, 1994), p. 73 .
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38 Ibid.
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39 See e.g. Father Robert Araujo , ‘Sovereignty, human rights, and self-determination: the meaning of international law’ , Fordham International Law Journal (Vol. 24, 2001), p. 1477 .
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40 See e.g. Stephen Erlanger , ‘Crisis in the Balkans; blunders; dozens of civilians are killed as NATO strikes go awry’ , New York Times (1 June 1999), p. A12 .
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41 See e.g. Martyn Housden , ‘Population, economics, and genocide: Aly and Heim versus all-comers in the interpretation of the Holocaust’ , Historical Journal (Vol. 38, 1995), p. 2 .
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42 Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky , Manufacturing Consent: the political economy of the mass media ( New York, Pantheon , 1988), p. 188.
43.
43 Ibid., p.183; See generally, ibid., pp. 169-296.
44.
Nicole Barrett , ‘Holding individual leaders responsible for violations of customary international law: the U.S. bombardment of Cambodia and Laos’ , Columbia Human Rights Law Review (Vol. 32, 2001), p. 429 .
45.
45 Noam Chomsky , The Chomsky Reader, edited by James Peck ( New York, Random House , 1987), pp. 305-306.
46.
46 Ibid., pp. 303-11, p. 306.
47.
Tania Voon , ‘Closing the gap between legitimacy and legality of humanitarian intervention: lessons from East Timor and Kosovo’ , UCLA Journal of International Law and Foreign Affairs (Vol. 7, 2002), p. 31 .
48.
William A. Orme Jr. , ‘Retreat from Lebanon: the Israelis; Barak declares end to ‘‘tragedy’’ as last troops leave Lebanon’ , New York Times (24 May 2000), p. A13 .
49.
49 Araujo , ‘Sovereignty, human rights, and self-determination ’, op. cit., p. 1480.
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50 ‘Declaration on principles of international law concerning friendly relations and co-operation among states in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations’, GA Res 2625 (XXV), October 24, 1970, in Henry J. Steiner and Philip Alston , International Human Rights in Context ( Oxford University Press , 2000), p. 1266.
51.
51 Peter Yu , ‘Succession by Estoppel: Hong Kong’s successor to the ICCPR’, Pepperdine Law Review (Vol. 27, 1999), pp. 57-58.
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52 ‘Declaration on the right to development’, GA Res 41/128, 41 UN GAOR (Supp. No. 53) at 186, UN Doc. A/41/53 (1986).
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53 ‘Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial peoples’, GA Res. 1514 (XV) 15 UN GAOR Supp. (No. 16) at 66, UN Doc. A/4684 (1961).
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54 ‘Mideast tensions; excerpts from president’s news conference on crisis in Gulf’, New York Times (1 December 1990), p. A6 .
55.
55 Scheffer , ‘Toward a modern doctrine...’, op. cit., pp. 267-269.
56.
Human Rights Watch, ‘Weapons transfers and violations of the laws of war in Turkey’ (1995), http://www.hrw.org/reports/1995/Turkey.htm.
57.
57 Patrick Tyler , ‘After the war; U.S. says Hussein is near a victory over the Shiite rebels’ , New York Times (25 March 1991), p. A1 .
58.
58 Human Rights Watch, ‘Weapons transfers ’ , op. cit.
59.
Marc Boutin , ‘Somalia: the legality of U.N. forcible humanitarian intervention’ , Suffolk Transnational Law Review (Vol. 17, 1994), p. 17 .
60.
60 Robert M. Cassidy , ‘Sovereignty versus the chimera of armed humanitarian intervention’ , Fletcher Forum on World Affairs (Vol. 21, 1997), p. 58 .
61.
61 Noam Chomsky , The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many ( Boston, South End Press , 1993), p. 29.
62.
62 Ibid., pp. 29-30.
63.
63 Richard Falk , ‘The Haiti intervention: a dangerous world order precedent for the United Nations’ , Harvard International Law Journal (Vol. 36, 1995), p. 344 .
64.
Fernando R. Teson , ‘Collective humanitarian intervention’ , Michigan Journal of International Law (Vol. 17, 1996), p. 360 .
65.
Noam Chomsky , Year 501: the conquest continues ( Boston, South End Press , 1993), pp. 207-219.
66.
66 Lee Hockstader , ‘New prime minister aims to end Haiti’s crisis: Bazin inaugurated and widely doubted’, Washington Post (20 June 1991), p. A17.
67.
Tim Weiner , ‘Key Haiti leaders said to have been in the C.I.A.’s pay’ , New York Times (1 November 1993), p. A1 .
68.
Catherine S. Manegold , ‘Aristide picks a prime minister with free-market ideas’ , New York Times (25 October 1994), p. A3 .
69.
Teson , ‘Collective humanitarian intervention’, op. cit., pp. 368-369.
70.
70 Michael Chossudovsky , ‘Dismantling former Yugoslavia, recolonizing Bosnia’, Covert Action Quarterly (Vol. 56, 1996) http://www.eroj.org/biblio/yugoslav/Chossudovsky.htm.
71.
71 Bosnia and Herzegovina: labor market in postwar Bosnia and Herzegovina: how to encourage businesses to create jobs and increase worker mobility, World Bank, Human Development Unit, South-East Europe Country Unit, Europe and Central Asia Region (4 November 2002), Report No. 24889-BIH, http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2002/11/28/000094946_02112004010263/Rendered/PDF/multi0page.pdf.
73 See David Sanger , ‘Threats and responses: a plan for Iraq; Bush says U.S. won’t force its ways on a beaten Iraq’ , New York Times (12 October 2002), p. A11 .
74.
Barry Bearak , ‘A nation challenged: the refugees; weary Afghans flee bombs, hunger, and the Taliban draft’ , New York Times (15 October 2001), p. B7 .
75.
Omar Zakhilwal and Adeena Niazi , ‘The warlords win in Kabul’ , New York Times (21 June 2002), p. A21 .
76.
Human Rights Watch, ‘Iraqi Kurdistan: severe lack of tents, food: crisis for thousands of displaced people’ (21 March 2003) http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/03/iraq032103.htm.
77.
Human Rights Watch, ‘Climate of fear: sexual violence and abduction of women and girls in Baghdad (Vol. 15(7)(E) July 2003), http://hrw.org/reports/2003/iraq0703/.
78.
Jefferson Morley , ‘Who is governing Iraq? Iraqi council advising U.S. authorities in charge of military occupation’ , Washington Post (8 September 2003) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/articles/A15601-2003May20.html.
79.
79 See e.g. Rajiv Chandrasekaran , ‘Council leaders pressing for power Iraqis urge quick end to occupation’ , Washington Post (15 September 2003), p. A1 .
