The Kampala Convention on internally displaced persons: Some international humanitarian law aspects

Refugee Survey Quarterly

Volumn 29, Issue 3, 2010, Pages 58-66

  Ojeda, Stephane ^a  

^a Legal Division   (Switzerland)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

HUMAN RIGHTS; HUMANITARIAN AID; INTERNATIONAL LAW; INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION; POLITICAL CONFLICT;

AFRICA;

EID: 78649691054     PISSN: 10204067     EISSN: 1471695X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/rsq/hdq028     Document Type: Article

References (48)

1. At the time this was written, it was estimated that there are about 26 million IDPs worldwide
2. For more detailed figures, see N.M. Birkeland, "Internal Displacement: Global Trends in Conflict-induced Displacement", International Review of the Red Cross, 91(875), 2009, 491-508.
3. See, for instance, the Great Lakes Protocol on the Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons, adopted by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, 30 Nov. 2006 (entry into force: Jun. 2008), available at: http://www.icglr.org/key-documents/humanitarian-social-environ/Protocol% 20on%20the%20Protection%20and%20Assitance%20to%20Internally%20Displaced% 20Persons.pdf (last visited 9 Aug. 2010).
4. AU Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, adopted by the Special Summit of the Union held in Kampala, Uganda, 23 Oct. 2009 (not yet entered into force), available at: http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Conferences/2009/october/pa/summit/A U-IDP%20Convention %20-%20Assembly%20-%20Final%20-%2010.23%20pm%2023%20Oct.doc (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).
5. See A. Solomon, An African Solution to Internal Displacement: AU Leaders Agree to Landmark Convention, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, 23 Oct. 2009, available at: http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2009/1023_african_union_solomon.aspx (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).
6. Kampala Convention, Art. 1(k). In addition to the situations listed in this definition, Art. 10 adds displacement due to development projects carried out by public or private actors.
7. United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Report of the Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Francis M. Deng, submitted pursuant to Commission resolution 1997/39, Addendum, Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, UN Doc. E/CN./4/1998/53/Add.2, 11 Feb. 1998, Annex, "Introduction: Scope and Purpose", para. 3.
8. See also, J.P. Lavoyer, "Comments on the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement", International Review of the Red Cross, 80(324), 1998, 467-80.
9. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, 75 UNTS 31, 12 Aug. 1949 (entry into force: 21 Oct. 1950).
10. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, 75 UNTS 85, 12 Aug. 1949 (entry into force: 21 Oct. 1950).
11. Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 75 UNTS 135, 12 Aug. 1949 (entry into force: 21 Oct. 1950).
12. Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (GCIV), 75 UNTS 287, 12 Aug. 1959 (entry into force 21 Oct. 1950).
13. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (AP I), 1125 UNTS 3, 8 Jun. 1977 (entry into force 7 Dec. 1978).
14. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (AP II), 1125 UNTS 609, 8 Jun. 1977 (entry into force 7 Dec. 1978).
15. Kampala Convention, Arts. 3(1)(e) and 4(1).
16. Rules 139 and 140 in J.M. Henckaerts & L. Doswald-Beck, Customary International Humanitarian Law, Volume 1: Rules, Cambridge/Geneva, Cambridge University Press/ICRC, 2005, 495-499, also available at: http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/pcustom (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).
17. ICRC, Respecting and Ensuring Respect for International Humanitarian Law, available at: http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/section_ihl_state_respo nsibility?opendocument (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).
18. Kampala Convention, Art. 9(1)(b).
19. For example: ICRC, Internal Displacement in Armed Conflict - Facing Up to the Challenges, Geneva, ICRC, 2009, available at: http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/p1014/File/ICRC_002_401 4.PDF (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).
20. Kampala Convention, Art. 20(2).
21. GC IV, Art. 49; AP II, Art. 17.
22. Rule 129 in Henckaerts & Doswald-Beck, Customary International Humanitarian Law, 457-461
23. Kampala Convention, Art. 4(6).
24. GC IV, Art. 147; AP I, Art. 85.
25. For example: Kampala Convention, Art. 5(1), (6).
26. For example: AP II, Arts. 13 and 14.
27. Rules 1, 2, 7, 11, 15 in Henckaerts & Doswald-Beck, Customary International Humanitarian Law, 3-11, 25-29, 37-40, 51-55
28. GC IV, Art. 49(3).
29. AP II, Art. 17(1).
30. Rule 131 in Henckaerts & Doswald-Beck, Customary International Humanitarian Law, 463-468
31. Failure to comply with these requirements may constitute a grave breach according to Art. 147 GC IV and Art. 85(4)(a) AP I.
32. Kampala Convention, Art. 3(1)(j).
33. GC IV, Arts. 50 and 59.
34. Rule 56 in Henckaerts & Doswald-Beck, Customary International Humanitarian Law, 200-202
35. GC IV, Arts. 23 and 59; AP I, Arts. 70 and 71; AP II, Art. 18(2).
36. Rule 55 in Henckaerts & Doswald-Beck, Customary International Humanitarian Law, 193-200
37. Kampala Convention, Art. 11.
38. GC IV, Art. 49(2).
39. Kampala Convention, Art. 12(1) and (2).
40. AP II, Art. 1(1).
41. For more details, see ICRC, Interpretive Guidance on the Notion of Direct Participation in Hostilities under International Humanitarian Law, Geneva, ICRC, 2009, available at: http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/direct-participation-ih l-feature-020609 (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).
42. AP II, Art. 1(1).
43. For more details, see ICRC, How is the Term "Armed Conflict" Defined in International Humanitarian Law?, ICRC Opinion Paper, Geneva, ICRC, Mar. 2008, available at: http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/armed-conflict-article-170 308 (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).
44. Kampala Convention, Art. 7(5).
45. See, however, A. Clapham, Human Rights Obligations of Non-State Actors, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2006, 271-316.
46. For example: Rules 1, 7, 10, 31-32, 35-37, 55-56, 93-94, 129-138 in Henckaerts & Doswald-Beck, Customary International Humanitarian Law, 3-8, 25-29, 34-36, 105-111, 119-126, 193-202, 323-330, 457-491
47. At the time this was written, 27 States had signed and one State (Uganda) had ratified the Kampala Convention. Fifteen ratifications are needed for the Kampala Convention's entry into force (Kampala Convention, Art. 17).
48. See J. Kellenberger, Root Causes and Prevention of Internal Displacement: The ICRC Perspective, Official Statement before Special Summit on Refugees, Returnees and IDPs in Africa, Kampala, 23 Oct. 2009, available at: http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/displacement-statement-231 009 (last visited 22 Jul. 2010).