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Belgian Red Cross (Flemish section): Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law The Belgian situation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2010

Carl Vandekerckhove
Carl Vandekerckhove*
Affiliation:
Director-General, Belgian Red Cross (Flemish-speaking community)
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Extract

Since 20 November 1986 Belgium has been committed to comply not only with the obligations contained in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, but also with those included in the two Additional Protocols of 1977. Everybody in our country must therefore make necessary preparations for pautting into effect the obligations falling within their responsabilities.

Type
Tenth Anniversary of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions (1977-1987)
Information
International Review of the Red Cross (1961 - 1997) , Volume 27 , Special Issue 258: Protocols , June 1987 , pp. 277 - 281
Copyright
Copyright © International Committee of the Red Cross 1987

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References

1 The two Additional Protocols were adopted with the Law of 16 April 1986 and published in the “Moniteur beige—Belgisch Staatsblad” on 7 November 1986. Since the Belgian instruments of ratification were deposited in Bern on May 20th 1986, the Protocols did not enter into force until 20 November 1986.

2 See Article 1, Protocol I.

3 See document C. 1/2.4/1 of the 25th International Red Cross Conference, Geneva, 1986: “Dissemination of international humanitarian law.”

4 See Resolution IV of the Twenty-fifth International Red Cross Conference: “Dissemination of international humanitarian law and the principles and ideals of the Movement in the service of peace”, Geneva, 31 October 1986.

5 Surbeck, J.-J., “La diffusion du droit international humanitaire, condition de son application” in Studies and essays on international humanitarian law and Red Cross principles in honour of Jean Pictet, ICRC, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1984, p. 545.Google Scholar

6 See also MajorBlondieau, J.-P., «Droit de la guerre et droit humanitaire en Belgique», I.R.S.D., Brussels, 1985 Google Scholar. In this dissertation for the Royal Defence College, Major Blondieau analyses the observance of the Ministerial Directives. By means of a number of random tests, he comes to the (alarming) conclusion that “the theoretical knowledge of the interviewed officers is insignificant. Their reactions to possible combat situations would often be incorrect”.

7 In its teaching programmes for “International Understanding and Global Education”, Red Cross Youth in the Flemish Section trains its leaders to acquaint all members with the Red Cross ideals and principles of respect for the human being in times of conflict.