Humanitarian corridors

Résumé du document

A humanitarian corridor aims at facilitating the transportation of charitable supplies like food, clothes, medicines, and hospital services such as ambulances that are directed to the local population in times of crisis in conflict zones. It is set on a specific route for a given time. Humanitarian corridors are limited in space, time and scope: they take the form of neutralized and negotiated itineraries that can only be used to help the civilians, during times of conflict or crisis. The concept of humanitarian corridor originates from the international humanitarian law (IHL), with the idea of right of access to victims. It was then recognized by various UN resolutions, under the influence of the movement promoting the right to intervene. Also, it takes a leaf out of the Law of the Sea when it comes to the access to maritime zones within the limit of national jurisdiction, with the concept of "harmless passage". In the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, article 23 states that "Each High Contracting Party shall allow the free passage of all consignments of medical and hospital stores and objects necessary for religious worship intended only for civilians of another High Contracting Party, even if the latter is its adversary. It shall likewise permit the free passage of all consignments of essential foodstuffs, clothing and tonics".

Extraits

[...] Some families had to leave their house and were blocked in the middle of nowhere because the roads are destroyed. The access to these people is impossible. In conflicts, we have to negotiate with the different belligerents to get an access to the civilians in order to settle medical units, to distribute the humanitarian supplies and to rescue the populations. Today, in Lebanon, it is impossible for us to negotiate a safe access to reach the bombed villages. It is a very big obstacle for us, but also for our Lebanese colleagues. [...]

[...] Even when they are negotiated, the humanitarian corridors are insecure, especially in intern conflicts. As explained above, the peacekeeping forces of the United Nations and of regional organizations are therefore ensuring the security of the humanitarian actors, using force if necessary. This seems necessary in the context of violent conflicts but it raises a thorny issue. Because armed forces appear as necessary in the establishment of many humanitarian corridors, it puts at risk the neutrality and the impartiality of the humanitarian actors. [...]

[...] - August 2008: Georgia and Russia agree to open two humanitarian corridors in South Ossetia. - September 2008: Sri Lanka announces the establishment of humanitarian corridors to allow the civilians to leave the region of Wanni. - October 2008: The rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo allows the opening of emergency humanitarian corridors. - January 2009: Israel finally agrees to establish humanitarian corridors to the Gaza Strip (including the Kerem Shalom crossing). - August 2009: Yemen rebels declare being ready for humanitarian corridors. [...]

[...] The concept of humanitarian corridors is used to hide the reality. This so- called corridor is a kind of alibi because, in practice, there is no access for the humanitarian actors in the South of Lebanon. The international community is deluding itself. Even the part of the “humanitarian corridor” that goes from Cyprus to Bayreuth, namely the most easy to establish, does not really work. Some medications of great urgency were blocked in Cyprus. The humanitarian corridor to the South of Lebanon is an “illusion” environment or the lack of facilities in some countries, or barriers due to the belligerents. [...]

[...] ( During the past decades, the concept of humanitarian corridors has been defined more and more precisely by the international humanitarian law and by the United Nations. It has helped to rescue many civilians in more and more conflict or crisis zones. Yet, it remains a controversial issue and the perspectives of evolution are limited by the continuing importance of national sovereignty and territorial integrity in international law. Sources BELANGER Michel, Droit international humanitaire général, 2ème édition, Ed. Gualino, Paris p. BOUCHET-SAULNIER Françoise, Dictionnaire pratique du droit humanitaire, Ed. La découverte, Paris p. BRAUMAN Rony, L'Action Humanitaire, Editions Flammarion p. BETTATI Mario, Droit humanitaire, Ed. [...]