Shelling of populated areas under the spotlight as Security Council debates protection of civilians
(London / New York, 9 November 2011) As the United Nations Security Council convenes a high level debate on the protection of civilians today, a coalition of non-governmental organisations is calling on states to take immediate action against bombings in populated areas.
In Côte D’Ivoire, Libya, Syria and other locations in 2011, shelling and rocket attacks into populated areas have had a deadly impact on civilians. Last year a report by the UN Secretary General highlighted the impact of explosive weapons in populated areas as a particular concern. Now the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW) is urging states to begin discussions on how to stop this pattern of harm.
On 9th November states will debate the Protection of Civilians at the UN Security Council in New York. Although the UN Secretary General last year called on states to gather data on deaths and injuries from explosive attacks and to make public their own policies regarding the use of explosive weapons, states have yet to respond. NGOs welcome growing recognition by governments of this persistent problem, but want to see discussions towards stronger standards.
Coinciding with the Security Council debate on civilian protection, INEW member organisations Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) together with Harvard Law School have released papers highlighting this problem.
According to Human Rights Watch, which has provided case studies on Libya, Somalia, and Sri Lanka, “use of explosive weapons in populated areas, regardless of user, munition type, or intent, causes frequent and foreseeable harm to civilians. Due to the nature of the weapons and the locations targeted, these kind of attacks kill and injure civilians, damage infrastructure, and leave behind explosive remnants of war. There is a need for the international community to focus on and address the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.”
From 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2011, Action on Armed Violence recorded 20,644 civilian deaths and injuries from explosive weapons as reported in English language media sources. In populated areas 85% of casualties from explosive weapons were civilians. AOAV noted: “As the pattern of harm from explosive weapons used in populated areas has continued, there has been increasing attention paid to the issue by states and humanitarian actors. This growing recognition strengthens the basis for concrete actions by states to enhance humanitarian protection.”
According to INEW Coordinator, Thomas Nash, it is time for states to start discussions that could lead to stronger standards. “States should make public their information on the risks these weapons present. In Libya, we saw a terrible human toll when Grad rockets were used in towns and cities. States should reject the use of such weapons near civilians. It is time to begin a serious discussion about how we can provide better civilian protection.”
Contact:
In London: Thomas Nash, Coordinator, INEW: tel. +447711926730, tnash@www.inew.org.
In London: Katherine Harrison, Action on Armed Violence: tel. +447545424175, kharrison@aoav.org.uk.
In Cambridge, Massachusetts: Bonnie Docherty, Human Rights Watch: tel. +16176691636, docherb@hrw.org.
Notes:
The Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School report, ‘Documentation of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas,’ is available here: http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/11/04/use-explosive-weapons-populated-areas.
The Action on Armed Violence report, ‘Explosive weapons in populated areas 2010-2011’, is available here: http://www.aoav.org.uk/uploads/changing_policy/reports/AOAV%20Report-%20Explosive%20Violence%20in%20Populated%20Areas,%202010-11.pdf.
The International Network on Explosive Weapons was established in Geneva on 29 March, 2011 by Action on Armed Violence, Handicap International, Human Rights Watch, IKV/Pax Christi, Medact, Norwegian People’s Aid, Oxfam International, and Save the Children UK.
Explosive weapons include improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as well as explosive ordnance such as mortars, artillery shells and aircraft bombs.
These weapons use blast and fragmentation to kill and injure people in the area around the point of detonation. When used in public places, this area-effect means that innocent people are often severely affected.
Data indicate that between 80 and 90% of those killed and injured by explosive weapons when used in populated areas are civilians; still more are affected when there is damage to vital infrastructure (such as schools, hospitals, housing and water and sanitation systems).
INEW calls for immediate action to prevent human suffering from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. States and other actors should:
- Acknowledge that use of explosive weapons in populated areas tends to cause severe harm to individuals and communities and furthers suffering by damaging vital infrastructure;
- Strive to avoid such harm and suffering in any situation, review and strengthen national policies and practices on use of explosive weapons and gather and make available relevant data;
- Work for full realisation of the rights of victims and survivors;
- Develop stronger international standards, including certain prohibitions and restrictions on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
The UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians takes place today, Wednesday 9 November and will be webcast live here: http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/ choose channel 4.
The UN Secretary General’s report on Protection of Civilians from November 2010 is available here: http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2010/579.
More information on explosive weapons is available at https://www.inew.org.