What Are Geneva Conventions And War Crimes

As wars rage across the world, countries trade allegations of war crimes.

Transcript

00:00As tensions escalate in West Asia, horrific images of bombed cities, damaged hospitals

00:12and starving children continue to rattle the world.

00:15The countries involved have accused each other of violating the Geneva Conventions

00:19and committing war crimes.

00:22But what are these conventions?

00:24Let's look at the history.

00:30There are broad categories, genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing

00:36that have been legally defined in various international treaties.

00:39The 1948 Convention Against Genocide, the 1949 Geneva Conventions and 1977 Additional Protocols,

00:47the 1998 Rome Statute, all to protect human life and dignity during a war or otherwise.

00:54After World War II in 1949, as the United Nations came together, a set of four formal treaties

01:00were signed, the Geneva Conventions, to cover the basic dignity and protection of both soldiers

01:06and civilians, and also define the responsibilities of the warring countries and the world at large.

01:12The first convention on the condition of wounded and sick in armed forces in the field is to

01:17ensure respect, protection and medical care for soldiers and civilians caught up in the

01:22armed conflict.

01:22It specifically says that medical personnel, facilities and equipment must be protected.

01:29Red Cross and other authorized impartial relief organizations must be given access and protected.

01:35The second convention is similar protections for those soldiers, civilians and medical personnel

01:40at sea.

01:41The third convention is on treatment of the prisoners of war.

01:45They must be treated humanely, get shelter, food, medical care and cannot be tortured or put

01:51under experiments.

01:52The fourth Geneva Convention is on protection of civilians in a war.

01:57For example, Article 18 says civilian hospitals and their staff are to be protected.

02:03Additional protocols signed in 1977 and 2005 provide for special protections for women, children,

02:10medical personnel and journalists.

02:12For example, Article 51 and 54 barred destruction of food, water and other materials essential for survival.

02:20Article 56 and 53 say that dams, nuclear generating stations, dikes as well as places of worship or of cultural

02:27importance cannot be attacked.

02:29The International Criminal Court in the recent times has passed several orders over ongoing violations.

02:35But without international consensus, implementation is missing.

02:40The law exists, the world is watching.