Source: https://ihl-in-action.icrc.org/case-study/syria-training-military-and-civilians-rules-armed-conflicts
Timestamp: 2020-08-05 16:43:21
Document Index: 740377439

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 3', 'Art. 3', 'Art. 47', 'Art. 48', 'Art. 127', 'Art. 144', 'Art. 83', 'Art. 19']

Syria, Training the Military and Civilians on the Rules of Armed Conflicts | IHL in Action
Case prepared by Laura Di Gianfrancesco, Reine Pfister and Thilo Tesing, students at Roma Tre IHL Legal Clinic, under the supervision of Prof. Giulio Bartolini and Dr. Tommaso Natoli.
A. Training Combatants and Lawyers on the Rules of War in Northern Syria
[Source: Geneva Call, ‘Training combatants and lawyers on the rules of war in Northern Syria’, June 2016, available at https://genevacall.org/training-combatants-lawyers-rules-war-northern-syria/]
B. How a Swiss NGO teaches Humanitarian Law to Syrian Rebels
[Source: Vony Rambolamanana, ‘How a Swiss NGO teaches humanitarian law to Syrian rebels’, 19 September 2016, available at https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/opinion_how-a-swiss-ngo-teaches-humanitarian-law-to-syrian-rebels/42457032]
Geneva Call, which has been present in Syria since 2012, promotes respect of international humanitarian norms by non-state armed actors in conflict. On September 19 it plans to relaunch its audio-visual and internet campaign on humanitarian law, Fighters not killers, coinciding with the presentation at the UN of a new Syria report by an independent international commission of inquiry.
In Syria, however, selecting the armed groups is not easy. The main criteria are that working with them could have an impact on their behaviour, followed by the accessibility of the terrain. Geneva Call works mainly with Sunni factions of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is a coalition of armed groups affiliated to the Syrian opposition, and the Islamic Front, which is composed of moderate Islamists and Salafists, but also with Kurdish armed groups in both the north and south of Syria. […] [I]t must be decided what types of actions will have most impact. A local partner made possible in 2015 alone the training of 300 fighters of the FSA and Islam Army in rules of war, but also civilians such as members of the Free Syrian Lawyers association.
C. Geneva Call Trained Kurdish Authorities and Police Forces on International Humanitarian Norms
[Source: Geneva Call, ‘Syria: Geneva Call trained Kurdish authorities and police forces on international humanitarian norms’, 10 July 2014, available at https://genevacall.org/syria-geneva-call-trained-kurdish-authorities-police-forces-international-humanitarian-norms/]
1. How would you classify the situation in Northern Syria? What additional information would you need to make such a determination? (GC I-IV, Art. 3)
3. Can a “Deed of Commitments” be qualified as a “special agreement” under GC I-IV, Art. 3?
II. Training and Dissemination
4. Are Parties to the conflict obliged to disseminate IHL? If yes, when does this obligation apply? In armed conflict? In time of peace? (GC I, Art. 47; GC II, Art. 48; GC III, Art. 127; GC IV, Art. 144; P I, Art. 83; P II, Art. 19; CIHL, Rule 142)
5. Do you identify any difference in legal obligations pertaining to IHL dissemination towards armed forces, members of organized armed groups and civilian population? Is a basic training on the core humanitarian rules sufficient to ensure respect for IHL?
6. In your opinion, did the fact that relevant organized armed groups signed a series of “Deeds of Commitment” have a positive impact of IHL dissemination activities? Why do you think training programs are helpful to support the implementation of Deeds of Commitment?
7. What is the role of organisations like Geneva Call in IHL dissemination among the parties to an armed conflict?
8. Did the signature of the “Deeds of Commitment” have additional follow-up regarding IHL obligations apart from the management of training courses? Were organized armed groups keen to implement relevant provisions provided in such documents? Did local civil society play any role in monitoring and supporting the application of “Deeds of Commitment”? Do you agree that the existence of such follow-up mechanisms enhance respect of IHL by the parties to the conflict? Why? How?
9. Do you think it is relevant to teach IHL through references to religious values and to involve religious leaders in the training sessions as in this case? Can religion play a role in compliance with humanitarian norms?
10. Is “the need to respect these norms to preserve their reputation” a pushing factor for the application of IHL by organized armed groups? Do you think that internal and external pressure on the parties to the conflict can contribute to the respect of IHL?
11. Why it is that “even if these fighters could be indicted by an international court, that is not the most persuasive argument for these rebel groups”? In your opinion, does the deterrent effect of criminalisation of violations of IHL have a positive impact in ensuring the respect for the law?
12. Do you think that the involvement of senior civilian leaders linked with organized armed groups in training courses can increase the success of these efforts?