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Sixty-Day Ceasefire Starts in Israeli-Hezbollah Conflict: Urgent Measures Needed to Make It Permanent

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Refugees, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations on November 29, 2024 at 7:00 AM

By René Wadlow

The ceasefire between Israeli troops and the Hezbollah militia is good news in an area deep in armed conflicts. After a year-long period of hostilities, we must strive so that the ceasefire holds, becomes permanent, and that the United Nations (UN) forces are able to carry out their mandate.

The ceasefire between Israeli forces and those of Hezbollah started at 4 AM on November 27, 2024, a conflict that has killed some 4,000 people, displaced more than one million in Lebanon and some 60,000 in Israel. As the ceasefire started, some Lebanese were already starting to return to their homes at day light although many houses in villages near the frontier have been destroyed.

The “Cessation of Hostilities” text which sets out the terms of the ceasefire calls for the ability of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line (the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel) to return safely to their lands and homes.

(C) NPR

The ceasefire was negotiated by diplomats from the USA and France. Amos Hochstein was the lead United States (U.S.) negotiator. The U.S. and France will continue to have diplomats to follow the ceasefire process and to deal with any violations or unsolved tensions. There have already been accusations of violations of the ceasefire by both sides. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) – some 10,000 soldiers, will again be able to control the Blue Line frontier. There is currently discussion on adding members to the UN force.

The ceasefire was able to be developed as there was a convergence of interests among leaders in Israel, Lebanon, Hezbollah and Iran which is a strong supporter of Hezbollah. Many in Israel, including in the active military, are exhausted by the armed conflicts and must continue operations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Lebanon faces economic and political difficulties provoking a growth of the already strong sectarian tensions. Hezbollah’s military and leadership has been seriously weakened by Israeli actions. However, the movement continues, and new leaders are coming to the fore such as Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah deputy in the Lebanese Parliament. With a new Iranian President and a new U.S. administration, Iran’s leaders may want to see what policies President Trump will develop toward Iran.

Turning the 60-day ceasefire into a permanent peace accord will not be an easy task. There are territorial disputes along the Blue Line which have not been solved in the past, a consequence of the 2006 war. Today, all the parties lack peace-oriented leaders. As noted, the ceasefire is in the current interest of all the leaders, but such situations can change due to internal political factors. 

Thus, there is an opportunity for Nongovernmental Organizations to continue promotion of a permanent ceasefire and to advance stability for the region. It is an opportunity for which we must organize with others.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Rape as a Weapon of War in Sudan: Counter Measures Needed

In Africa, Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, International Justice, Modern slavery, NGOs, Refugees, Solidarity, Sudan, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, War Crimes, World Law on November 25, 2024 at 8:00 AM

By René Wadlow

Sudan’s armed conflict which began on April 15, 2023 is between two former allies. On one side is General Abdel Fattah Al Burham of the Sudanese Armed Forces; on the other side is General Mohamed Hamdan Dagulo, known by his battle name of Hemedhi of the Rapid Support Forces. The conflict, which has spread to 14 of the 18 provinces of Sudan, has killed and wounded tens of thousands of civilians, displaced nearly 8 million people, and forced over two million to flee to neighboring countries. The agriculture of the country is disorganized, and many people face acute hunger.

There has been an appalling range of human rights and international humanitarian law violations including indiscriminate airstrikes and shelling against civilians, hospitals, and vital water services. The warring parties and their respective militia allies have made rape a weapon of war and have organized markets where women are sold for sexual slavery.

(C) AfricaNews

Rape harms not only the woman raped but also the whole family system. Often, the husband repudiates his wife. The whole family may scorn her. In a country where “the family” is a wide circle of people, the repudiated woman has few people to whom to turn for support. As was done by the “Islamic State” (IS, or Da’esh) in Iraq and Syria, sexual slave markets have been created where women are bought or exchanged.

So far, efforts by the United Nations (UN) and regional governments for a ceasefire and negotiations have not led to constructive action. Thus, the conflictual situation requires close cooperation among UN agencies, humanitarian and peace Nongovernmental Organizations.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Tension Reduction on the India-China Himalaya Frontier

In Asia, Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Cultural Bridges, Current Events, NGOs, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations on October 28, 2024 at 7:30 AM

By René Wadlow

On October 21, 2024, prior to the meeting of the Indian leader, Narendra Modi, and the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Subrahmanyam Juishankar, announced that an accord had been reached between Indian and Chinese authorities for a reduction of tensions along the 3,500-kilometer frontier between the two countries.

In 2020, there had been exchanges of fire between Indian and Chinese forces in the Tibet-Ladakh frontier area. There then seemed to be real possibilities that the violence would escalate. Thus, the Association of World Citizens (AWC) had made an Urgent Appeal, posted in July 2020 on its website and sent widely to contacts that might be helpful in reducing tensions. Today, the AWC is pleased with the new agreement and re-publishes its original 2020 Appeal.

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Can Track II Efforts Reduce China-India Frontier Tensions?

July 3, 2020 at 7:52 AM

By René Wadlow

In a June 24, 2020 message to the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Mr. Vladimir Novov, the Association of World Citizens (AWC) expressed its active concern with the June 15 death of Indian and Chinese military in the Galwan River Valley in Ladakh on the India-China frontier and the possibility that the tensions will increase. While there have been brief discussions among Indian and Chinese authorities to prevent escalation, there have been no real negotiations. Negotiation is a basic political decision-making process, to facilitate compromise without loss of essential objectives.

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The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on June 25 that since early May, the Chinese have been amassing a large contingent of troops and arms along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Also, within India, there has been a good deal of media attention, highly critical of China, given to the events. In addition, there have been calls for a boycott of Chinese goods, and some Chinese products have been removed from Indian shops. Both Indian and Chinese spokespersons have made references to the 1962 war during which some 2,000 persons were killed.

The AWC believes that there is a need for prompt measures as the India-China tensions add to existing tensions between the USA and China as well as boundary issues with Asian States in the South China Sea.

There may be a role for “Track II” nongovernmental efforts and exchanges. Track I is official government to government diplomacy among instructed representative of States, usually diplomats from the Foreign Ministry. However, governments have a range of officials on whom to call: intelligence agencies, the military, and “friends of the President” – trusted individuals within the executive entourage.

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Track II efforts are organized through nongovernmental organizations and sometimes by academic institutions. Such efforts can entail informal, behind the scene communications that take place in the absence of formal communication channels. The term “Track II” was coined by the U. S. diplomat Joseph Montville in The Arrow and the Olive Branch: A Case for Track II Diplomacy.

Track II efforts have grown as there is increasing recognition that there is a tragic disjunction between the United Nations tension-reduction mandate and its ability to intervene in conflicts when called upon. As Adam Curle, experienced in Quaker mediation efforts has written “In general governments achieve their results because they have power to influence events, including the ability to reward or to punish. Paradoxically, the strength of civilian peacemakers resides specifically in their lack of power. They are neither feared nor courted for what they can do. Instead, they are trusted and so may sometimes be enabled to play a part in peacemaking denied to most official diplomats.”

Those involved in Track II efforts must, nevertheless, have ready access to governmental decision-makers and Track I diplomats. As the World Citizen and Quaker economist Kenneth Boulding in a little verse writes,

“When Track One will not do,
We have to travel on Track Two
But for results to be abiding,
The Tracks must meet upon some siding”.

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In the China-India frontier tensions, both sides must be convinced that there is a considerable sentiment for peace among their own supporters. In this conflict, which could slip into greater violence, there is an understandable tendency to look for short term answers. Yet there is also a need for some involved in Track II efforts to have an over-all integrated perspective for both short as well as long-term transformation. Thus, there needs to be a “pool” of people with experience, skills and the ability to move fast when the need or the opportunity is there?

We are sure that there are groups in India and China which can rise to meet this challenge.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

A Gaza Development Corporation

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Solidarity, Sustainable Development, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on October 15, 2024 at 6:00 AM

By René Wadlow

There is increasing discussion concerning the Gaza Strip, its relation to the West Bank, and “the day after” when there is a ceasefire, people return to their home area, and reconstruction begins. The Association of World Citizens (AWC) had proposed in a written text to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (A/HRC/5-12/NGO /1, October 14, 2009) the creation of a Gaza Development Corporation, a strong, future-oriented positive vision influenced by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) of the “New Deal” of the USA and a Jordan Valley Authority proposed in the early 1950s.

The AWC proposal had been first submitted to the representatives of governments and the UN Secretariat for an international funding conference for the Palestinian Authority held in Paris in December 2007. At the funding conference, the World Bank representative, much in the spirit of the AWC proposal, stressed the need to integrate an economically vigorous Palestine into the wider geographic context. Such a wider economic zone would include Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The World Bank representative highlighted that prosperity depends on liberating the economic potential of the Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

(C) Isochrone

Unfortunately, the Gaza Development Corporation was not acted upon at the Paris funding meeting, nor in its follow up phase. Creating a framework and institutions to help the people of the Gaza Strip and the wider region will not be easy. However, difficult times call for political creativity. Thus, the AWC re-proposes for consideration the creation of a Gaza Development Corporation.

The TVA was created in May 1933 to help overcome the deep economic depression in the USA. President Franklin Roosevelt, in his message to Congress, suggested that the Authority should be a “corporation clothed with the power of Government but possessed of the flexibility and initiative of a private enterprise. It should be charged with the broadest duty of planning for the proper use, conservation and development of the natural resources of the Tennessee River drainage basin and its adjoining territory for the general social and economic welfare of the Nation… This in a true sense is a return to the spirit and vision of the pioneer. If we are successful here, we can march on, step by step, in the development of other great natural territorial units.”

(1935) Midsouth Fair Exhibit (C) Tennessee Valley Authority

The central idea of the TVA was that it should do many things, all connected with each other. To do all these activities well, it had to be a public corporation, public because it served the public interest, a corporation rather than a government department, so that it could initiate the flexible, responsive management of a well-run private business. As Stringfellow Barr wrote in his book Citizens of the World (New York: Doubleday and Co, 1952, 285 pp), “The great triumph of the TVA was not the building of dams. Great dams had been built before. The greatest triumph was that it not only taught the Valley people but insisted on learning from them too. It respected persons.”

Strong socioeconomic structures are needed which can be maintained during periods of inevitable future tensions. As Jean Monnet, one of the fathers of the European Common Market has said, “Men take great decisions only when crisis stares them in the face.” Just as the first steps of the European Common Market had to overcome the deep wounds of the Second World War, so the situation in the Gaza Strip and the wider area needs to break the strong psychological barriers with cooperative economic measures from which many can benefit and negotiations in good faith”.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

One Year of Israeli-Hamas Armed Conflict

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Humanitarian Law, International Justice, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Nonviolence, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, War Crimes, World Law on October 6, 2024 at 5:30 PM

By René Wadlow

October 7-8, 2024 will mark one year of armed conflict between Israeli forces and the Hamas militia – an armed conflict which grinds on and has spread.

On October 8, 2023, in light of the October 7 Hamas attack and the start of the Israeli response in the Gaza Strip, the Association of World Citizens called for five immediate steps that it hoped would create a climate of dialogue and the start of negotiations in good faith. The proposals were posted on the World Citizens’ website, sent to the Israeli Missions to the United Nations (UN) and to groups that might have avenues of communication with Hamas.

“As Citizens of the World, we call for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian armed conflict;

For the release of all hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian groups;

For the release of all Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, often under administrative detention without trial;

For preventing the extension of the conflict to the Lebanon frontier through negotiations with Hezbollah;

For preventing an increase in violence on the West Bank among Israeli settlers and Palestinian villages;

For the start of negotiations in good faith for a political solution that ensures freedom and the collective safety of Israelis and Palestinians.”

(C) Ted Eytan

A year later, the armed violence has increased: in Gaza with a high number of persons killed, wounded and displaced, on the West Bank, in Lebanon, has expanded to Iran and brought in elements of the conflict in Yemen.

There have been relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly, of the International Court of Justice, and appeals for a ceasefire and negotiations from many Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs).

Due to the spiraling growth of destruction, as NGOs we must continue and increase our efforts.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Pact for the Future: A Partly Open Door for NGO-UN Cooperation

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Cultural Bridges, Current Events, Human Development, Human Rights, NGOs, Refugees, Religious Freedom, Social Rights, Solidarity, Sustainable Development, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on October 4, 2024 at 6:00 AM

By René Wadlow

The Pact for the Future was accepted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in a three-stage process. The first stage was a nearly year-long drafting of the document with many small revisions in the 56 paragraphs setting out the goal of a renewed UN better able to guarantee peace and development. The second stage was a last moment motion by the Russian Federation which asked for a vote, finding some of the wording, especially on human rights, too strong. The Russian motion was put to a vote with 143 States voting for the text of the Pact, 15 abstentions, and 7 opposed (Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Sudan, and Nicaragua.)

After this vote, the President of the General Assembly called for a vote by acclamation. Everyone applauded, some more vigorously than others. Thus, the Pact was adopted by consensus.

The Pact should be seen as a springboard for action rather than as an end point. With the 193 UN members potentially involved in drafting the document, there was a need for compromises and general ideas rather than any new specific proposals. The Pact is a reaffirmation of the goals and processes of the UN system, but it also notes the need for constant renewal. In paragraph 6, the Pact states, “We recognize that the multilateral system and its institutions, with the United Nations and its Charter at the center, must be strengthened to keep pace with a changing world. They must be fit for the present and the future – effective and capable, prepared for the future, just, democratic, equitable and representative of today’s world, inclusive, interconnected and financially stable.”

Paragraph 9 states, “We also reaffirm that the three pillars of the United Nations – sustainable development – peace and security, and human rights – are equally important, interlinked and mutually reinforcing. We cannot have one without the others.”

In practice, it was easier to stress sustainable development since the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals had already been set out, through progress is very uneven. For peace and security, there are Articles 25 and 26 stating that, “We will advance the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. We will uphold our disarmament obligations and commitments.” A culture of peace is mentioned in a number of places, but no specific steps are set out.

For two days prior to the governments’ discussion and voting on the Pact, there was what were called “Action Days” to which were invited Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), academics working on UN issues, and the representatives of business corporations involved in international trade. The two days were certainly a time for networking if not for “action”.

The Pact is a partially open door for UN cooperation with NGOs stating in a general way the “participation of relevant stakeholders in appropriate formats.” More specifically, the Pact calls to “Facilitate more structured, meaningful and inclusive engagement of nongovernmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council in the activities of the Council in line with ECOSOC resolution 1996/21”. The door of the Pact was most open to youth calling for an increase in the representation of youth, which can only be via NGOs. We will have to see what, as NGO representatives, we can make of the partly open door.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Strong Measures Needed to Prevent Escalation of Israeli-Hezbollah Conflict

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on September 26, 2024 at 7:05 AM

By René Wadlow

Antonio Guterres, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, said in his opening remarks to the UN General Assembly on September 24, 2024, “Gaza is a nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region with it. Look no further than Lebanon. We should all be alarmed by the escalation. Lebanon is on the brink. The people of Lebanon – the people of Israel – and the people of the world – cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.”

Lebanon may have already moved over the brink. Israeli strikes on Lebanon on September 23 killed at least 356 people and injured more than 1,200 others. Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem has just said, “We have entered a new phase – an open-ended battle of reckoning.” Until now, Hezbollah has designed its attacks to stay below the threshold of a full-scale conflagration, but these deadly exchanges of fire carry a high risk of miscalculation, spiraling violence upward.

A rapid escalation in recent days, starting with the attack on Hezbollah members via booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies followed by Israeli bombardments, has raised the specter of a new phase in the conflict with a possible ground invasion by Israeli troops as in 1982 and 2006. There are fears that Iran could be drawn into the fighting. The new Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking at the UN General Assembly also on September 24, demanded a global response to the Lebanon situation, “not to allow Lebanon to become another Gaza.”

In 2007, young people from Beirut posing with a Hezbollah flag on the ruins of the Khiam prison formerly run by the pro-Israeli South Lebanon Army (C) Paul Keller

Hezbollah is supported by Iran but not fully under Iranian control. Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, has in recent days made widely watched television talks attacking Israeli politics and indicating continuing Hezbollah support for the Palestinians in Gaza, saying that a ceasefire in Gaza was necessary before any negotiations with Hezbollah could take place. Since negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza seem unlikely for the moment, Hezbollah’s current campaign is likely to continue. In addition, recent tensions in the West Bank between Israeli settlers, Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in settled villages have added more heat to the general tensions in the area.

The issue is what can be done now to prevent escalation and reduce tensions. A first step is to stress respect for international humanitarian law – often cited by the Association of World Citizens (AWC). Hospitals, medical facilities, educational institutions have been destroyed in the exchanges of fire. There is a need for resolute action on the violations of humanitarian law. Regular military personnel of all countries are theoretically informed of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 and the Protocol Additional adopted in 1977 in light of the experiences of the war in Vietnam. Today, international human rights standards are also considered part of international humanitarian law, thus providing additional protection for vulnerable population groups such as women, children and minorities.

A possible second phase is the “good offices” function of the UN Secretary-General. It is certain that the UN Secretariat is concerned, but their ability for action may be very limited.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

It is not clear what governments at the UN can do. The Security Council has been blocked on many issues by the veto. The resolutions of the General Assembly are “recommendations” with little follow up in practice.

A 21-day ceasefire proposal has just been set out at the UN by France and the USA but rejected by Israel.

There may be some role for non-official mediation carried out by groups representing religious, academic, or charitable organizations. One advantage of non-official mediation is that all concerned are aware that such mediation is genuinely impartial seeking only a reduction of suffering caused by the conflicts. The disadvantage is that non-official mediators lack the resources, political, economic or military on which governmental mediators can draw.

It is certain that strong measures are needed to prevent escalation. Vision and creativity are important factors. The role of nongovernmental organizations in consultative status with the UN such as the AWC may be able to play a role in these dangerous times.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

September 21, Day of Peace: Action Needed!

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Current Events, NGOs, Nonviolence, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations on September 21, 2024 at 7:17 PM

By René Wadlow

September 21 is the United Nations (UN) designated International Peace Day, set out in 1981 by a UN General Assembly resolution as being a day close to the start of the General Assembly. The Day is devoted to creating a culture of peace through dialogue in a spirit of mutual understanding and a consciousness of the unity of humanity. As the psychoanalyst Erick Fromm wrote, “I believe that the One World which is emerging can come into existence only if a new man comes into being – a man who has emerged from the archaic ties of blood and soil, who feels himself to be a Citizen of the World, whose loyalty is to the human race and to life.”

This year, September 21 is one of the two Action Days of the Summit for the Future being held at the UN in New York. We are all aware that in many parts of the world there is armed conflict, political rivalries and growing tensions. The current heavily State-centered approaches to world politics hampers the effectiveness of the UN and its Specialized Agencies. In these times of insecurity when many people feel uncertain about the future, when anxieties and fears are promoted and then exploited by political populists, old-fashioned nationalists and religious fundamentalists, we need to present a positive vision and to build bridges of understanding over the current divides of nationalism, ethnicity and social classes.

Today, the revolutionary character of our times is recognized by many observers. Those who live in the midst of swift social change confront the upheaval of their way of life. We are entering a period of change for which there are no blueprints. Therefore, it is essential that we learn to work together. We celebrate our similarities rather than our differences. Thus, on this Day of Peace, we are called to new levels of creativity and constructive action.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

Victims of Enforced Disappearances: Continued Action Needed

In Being a World Citizen, Current Events, Democracy, Human Rights, International Justice, NGOs, Solidarity, Track II, United Nations, World Law on August 30, 2024 at 6:00 AM

By René Wadlow

August 30 each year is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The Day highlights the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances of December 18, 1992.

In a good number of countries, there are State-sponsored “death squads” – persons affiliated to the police or to the intelligence agencies who kill “in the dark of the night”, unofficially. These deaths avoid a trial which might attract attention. A shot in the back of the head is faster. In many cases, the bodies of those killed are destroyed. Death is suspected but not proved. Family members hope for a return. In addition to governments, nongovernmental armed groups and criminal gangs have the same practices.

Disappearances was one of the first issues to be raised, largely by Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) such as the Association of World Citizens (AWC), when the UN Secretariat for Human Rights with a new director, Theo van Boven, moved from New York to Geneva in 1977.

In 1976, Argentina’s military seized power and set out to kill opposition figures. This situation was quickly raised in the UN human rights bodies in Geneva. In 1980 a UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances was created and has done important work.[i] However, continued action is needed by both the UN and national NGOs.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.

[i] See Iain Guest, Behind the Disappearances: Argentina’s Dirty War Against Human Rights and the United Nations (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990). Iain Guest was the Geneva UN correspondent for the International Herald Tribune. He had access to Argentine confidential documents once the military left power. He interviewed many diplomats and NGO representatives active in Geneva-based human rights work. This book is probably the most detailed look at how human rights efforts are carried out in the UN Geneva-based human rights bodies.

World Humanitarian Day: A Call for Creative Action

In Being a World Citizen, Conflict Resolution, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, Middle East & North Africa, NGOs, Solidarity, The Search for Peace, Track II, United Nations, World Law on August 19, 2024 at 7:55 AM

By René Wadlow

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has designated August 19 each year as “World Humanitarian Day” to pay tribute to aid workers in humanitarian service in difficult and often dangerous conditions. August 19 was designated in memory of the August 19, 2003 bombing of the UN office building in Baghdad, Iraq, in which Sergio Vieira de Mello, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and at the time Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, was killed along with 21 UN staff members. Over 200 UN employees were injured. The exact circumstances of the attack are not known, and why UN security around the building was not tighter is still not clear. A truck with explosives was able to drive next to the building and then blew itself up.

Sergio Vieira de Mello had spent his UN career in humanitarian efforts, often with the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees and at other times as Special Representative of the UN Secretary General. As a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) representative to the UN in Geneva and active on human rights issues, I knew him during his short 2002-2003 tenure as High Commissioner for Human Rights. Many of us had high hopes that his dynamism, relative youth (he was 54), and wide experience in conflict resolution efforts would provide new possibilities for human rights efforts. His death along with the death of others who had been Geneva-based was a stark reminder of the risks that exist for all engaged in humanitarian and conflict resolution work.

Sergio Vieira de Mello (C) UN Photo/Patrick Bertshmann

The laws of war, now more often called humanitarian law, have two wings. One wing, dealing with the treatment of medical personnel in armed conflicts, the military wounded, prisoners of war and the protection of civilians is set out in the Geneva (Red Cross) Conventions. The second wing, often called the Hague Conventions, limits or bans outright the use of certain categories of weapons. These efforts began at the Hague in 1900 and have continued with the recent limitations on land mines, cluster weapons and certain chemical weapons. The Association of World Citizens was one of the NGOs leading the campaign against cluster weapons.

The current situation concerning refugees and internally-displaced persons can also be considered as part of humanitarian law. To prevent and alleviate suffering, to protect life and health, and to ensure respect for the human person, these are the core values of humanitarian law which we strongly reaffirm on World Humanitarian Day.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.