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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 January 2010
The first issue of the Bulletin international des Sociétés de secours aux militaires blessés (October 1969) contains an appeal by the International Committee for ratification of the Articles of 1868 additional to the 1864 Geneva Convention. It is addressed to the Central Committees of the Relief Societies, with the request that they approach their respective governments on the matter. By the same token, the Committee proposed as recommended reading the work by Gustave Moynier, Etude sur la Convention de Genève, which was described as a guide for use by army officers and doctors to give them a better understanding of the provisions of the 1864 Convention, “to refute the objections of its detractors and, by demonstrating that this instrument represents a victory for civilization, to turn them into zealous supporters”. In the second issue of the Bulletin (January 1870), the Committee asked the Central Committees to what extent States had promulgated penal or other legislation and military ordinances or regulations relating to the stipulations of the Geneva Convention or action by relief societies.
Part I of this article, “Protection and Assistance”, appeared in the International Review of the Red Cross (IRRC), No. 303, November–December 1994, pp. 532–541.
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6 Over time, the Review has gradually specialized in humanitarian law, and is probably the only multilingual, international journal to deal with this body of law on a regular basis. However, it is encouraging to note that in recent years National Societies and academic institutions have launched international reviews on humanitarian law, sometimes jointly. Furthermore, an increasing number of international and national reviews on public international law are giving wider coverage to humanitarian law and humanitarian activities.
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8 See Article 5, paras. 2 and 3, of the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and Article 4, paras. 1 and 2, of the Statutes of the ICRC (of 20 January 1988). Furthermore, Article 3 of the ICRC Statutes of 10 March 1921 had already stipulated that the goal of the ICRC was to coordinate efforts to relieve the victims of war, sickness and civil disaster.
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26 For example, between 1976 and 1993 over 1,000 high-ranking officers from 118 countries attended international courses for military officers on the law of armed conflict, organized by the San Remo Institute with the support of the ICRC. In this regard, the Institute's invaluable contribution to the development of the law cannot be overstated. As Jovica Patologie, Honorary President of the Institute, pointed out, “During the Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law applicable in Armed Conflicts (1974 to 1977), the Institute organized annual round tables, between sessions of the Conference, at which those taking part in the Conference and others informally discussed the main issues and the means of resolving them. The ICRC gave its full support to this forum.” “Working for a humanitarian dialogue. The International Institute of Humanitarian Law celebrates its twentieth anniversary”, IRRC, No. 278, 09–10 1990, pp. 449–455, at p. 453 Google Scholar.
Round table meetings and seminars have been organized by the Institute jointly with the ICRC and other organizations for the purpose of discussing ways — like those described in this article — of revising, updating and adapting the law.
27 René Kosirnik, “Dissemination of international humanitarian law and of the principles and ideals of the Red Cross and Red Crescent”, and “Guidelines for the '90s”, IRRC, No. 287, 03–04 1992, pp. 173–178.Google Scholar
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45 Section to follow:
III — The Movement: solidarity and unity
