From Umar Dankano, Yola
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has expressed deep concern over the increasing disregard for international humanitarian law (IHL) by countries involved in armed conflicts.
ICRC President, Mirjana Spoljaric, made the remarks in a statement on Tuesday to mark the 76th anniversary of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, warning that global commitment to the treaties is weakening putting civilians at greater risk during armed conflicts.
Spoljaric lamented that the willingness to uphold the rules of war, as enshrined in the treaties, is rapidly diminishing, with catastrophic consequences for people trapped in conflict zones.
“The world made a solemn promise through the Geneva Conventions that even in war, there are limits,” she said, noting that this promise is now under serious threat. “These rules were not created to serve the powerful; they were made to protect the powerless the civilian caught in the crossfire, the wounded on the battlefield, the prisoners behind bars.”
She stressed that respect for the rules of war is “non-optional,” adding that the Geneva Conventions remain among the most widely accepted international treaties. When respected, she noted, they can help prevent brutality in war and keep open pathways to peace.
According to her, last September the ICRC alongside Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and South Africa launched a global initiative to renew political will for international humanitarian law. More than 70 states have since joined the effort, and she urged all others to do the same.
“The protective power of IHL is only as strong as leaders’ political will to uphold it,” Spoljaric stated. “The next 76 years of the Geneva Conventions will be defined by the choices they make today to preserve, or abandon, humanity in war.”