Suchergebnisse

The ICRC has on various occasions drawn the attention of National Red Cross Societies to the importance of an ever wider dissemination of the Geneva Conventions. In March 1971, it sent them a letter relating to the teaching of international humanitarian law in universities. Recently it reverted to the subject in a circular which we publish below, followed by the outline of a course on international humanitarian law which Mr. Jean Pictet, Vice-President of the ICRC, is giving at the University of Geneva, and which he has authorized us to reproduce.

We are very pleased to publish this report by Mrs. Diallo on research into the correlations between the principles of international humanitarian law and the humanitarian principles underlying African traditions. In earlier issues of International Review, various authors have drawn attention to the fact that historically, in Islamic countries, in India and elsewhere in the Far East, in a variety of ethical doctrines and in many different types of civilization, thoughts have been expressed which compare with those of the Red Cross—leading to the conclusion that they arise from aspirations common to most of mankind. It is particularly appropriate therefore to disclose certain concordances between them and to discover, in all these different places, a unity of view and of teaching in ethical and social affairs.

The Henry Dunant Institute is currently publishing a book in French only under the titleGuérilla et droit humanitairein its "Collection scientifique." The author is Mr. Michel Veuthey, an ICRC collaborator, who, since 1967, has taken part in the work of reaffirmation and development of humanitarian law. Mr. J. Pictet, Vice-President of the ICRC, associate professor at the University of Geneva and director of the Institut Henry Dunant, introduces the book with the following preface:At last we have a complete work on guerrilla warfare, thus fulfilling a real need. Anyone who wishes to study the subject in detail should have a copy of this book.

From 4 to 9 November 1974, a group of army officers attended at ICRC headquarters a study course on the Geneva Conventions and on the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The purpose of the course was to train officers with the object of entrusting them later on with the task of disseminating knowledge of the Geneva Conventions among members of the armed forces in their own country.

A group of six army officers, from Dahomey, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal and Zaire, followed a course in Geneva organized jointly by the Swiss army and the International Committee of the Red Cross from 29 April to 10 May 1974.

A second meeting of experts on the use of such conventional weapons as may cause unnecessary suffering or have indiscriminate effects was held at ICRC headquarters from 12 to 15 June 1973. At this meeting, experts had an opportunity to comment on the report issued after the first meeting, held in Geneva from 26 February to 2 March 1973.

Mrs Diallo went recently to Africa at the request of the ICRC for which she drew up a report, which it gives us pleasure to publish, in view of the interest of the Red Cross in demonstrating that the profound idea which inspired it, the idea of respect for human dignity and of unselfish help for those who suffer, is an inseparable part of man's heritage.