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The Belgian Interdepartmental Commission for Humanitarian Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2010

Marc Offermans
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Extract

The Belgian Interdepartmental Commission for Humanitarian Law (ICHL) was established by a decision of the Council of Ministers on 20 February 1987. Its main task consists in studying national measures to implement the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions, and, if need be, the Conventions themselves.

Type
National Measures to Implement International Humanitarian Law
Information
International Review of the Red Cross (1961 - 1997) , Volume 31 , Issue 281 , April 1991 , pp. 154 - 166
Copyright
Copyright © International Committee of the Red Cross 1991

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References

1 On the implementation of international humanitarian law in Belgium, see Andries, A., “The implementation of the Additional Protocols in Belgium”, International Review of the Red Cross (IRRC), No. 258, 05–06 1987, pp. 272–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar See also the Belgian report drafted in answer to the questionnaire on the “Implementation of international humanitarian law at the national level, with special reference to developments of modern warfare”, at the XIth International Congress of the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War, held in Edinburgh, from 19 to 23 September 1988; this report was published in The Military Law and Law of War Review, 1989, pp. 91–121 Google Scholar, and in the Recueils de la Société internationale de droit militaire et de droit de la guerre, XI (1), Brussels, 1989, pp. 91–121.Google Scholar See also the unpublished report by De Wever, L., “Preliminary report by the Belgian Red Cross on the role of a Narional Society in the adoption of legislative and administrative procedures for the implementation of the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols in time of peace”Google Scholar; this report was presented in Geneva on 22 October 1989 during a day of study on international humanitarian law.

2 This list, which is preceded by an introduction, is published in the IRRC, No. 263, 03–04 1988, pp. 130–139 CrossRefGoogle Scholar, under the title “Respect for international humanitarian law. National measures to implement the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols in peacetime”.

3 This Resolution, adopted in Geneva on 31 October 1986, is published in the IRRC, No. 255, 11–12 1986, pp. 346–347 CrossRefGoogle Scholar and No. 263, March-April 1988, p. 127.

4 The Act of 16 April 1986 approving the following international treaties: the Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and the Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the protection of victims of non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977 ( Moniteur belge of 7 11 1986 Google Scholar and of 22 November 1986). The latter contains the Belgian interpretative declarations relating to Protocol I. The four Geneva Conventions had been approved long before, by Act of 3 September 1952 ( Moniteur belge of 26 09 1952).Google Scholar The texts of the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols are published in the Moniteur belge, in French and in Dutch.

5 Reports on this Symposium may be found in the following works: Andries, A., “Le symposium de la Croix-Rouge sur les récents développements du droit humanitaire”, Journal des tribunaux, 1986, p. 733 Google Scholar; Andries, A., “The implementation…”, op. cit., note 1 above, pp. 275–276 Google Scholar; Vandekerckhove, C., “Dissemination of international humanitarian law. The Belgian situation”, IRRC, No. 258, 05–06 1987, p. 278 CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Hullebroeck, G., “The dissemination of humanitarian law. One of our major concerns”, IRRC, No. 263, 03–04 1988, p. 178 CrossRefGoogle Scholar; De Wever, L., “Rodekruissymposium over tenuitvoerlegging van de Aanvullende Protokollen bij de Conventies van Genève”, Universeel. Tweemaandelijks tijdschrift van het Belgische Rode Kruis in Vlaanderen, 1987, No. 1, pp. 12–14 and No. 2, pp. 90–92.Google Scholar

6 These proceedings are published in The Military Law and Law of War Review, 1988, pp. 195–366.Google Scholar A report on this publication appears in Andries, A. and Gorle, F., “Chronique annuelle de droit pénal militaire (1988–1989)”, Revue de droit penal et de criminologie, 1989, pp. 964–965 Google Scholar and Gorlé, F. and Andries, A., “Kroniek van militair strafrecht (1988–1989)”, Rechtskundig Weekblad, 1989–1990, p. 658.Google Scholar

7 The ICRC President's speech is published in The Military Law… Review, op. cit., note 6 above, pp. 205–209.Google Scholar

8 The Prime Minister's speech is published in the same Review, pp. 219–224.Google Scholar

9 That is, the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions.

10 Currently Foreign Affairs.

11 The ICHL is mentioned in the following publications: Andries, A., “The implementation…”, op. cit., note 1 above, p. 281 Google Scholar; Andries, A., “The international challenges facing humanitarian law today, 125 years after its creation”, IRRC, No. 273, 11–12 1989, pp. 561–562 CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Vandekerckhove, C., “Dissemination of international humanitarian law…”, op. cit., note 5 above, p. 281 Google Scholar; Offermans, M., “La Commission interdépartementale de droit humanitaire (CIDH)”, More. Bulletin d'information pour le personnel de l'Administration générate civile du ministère de la défense nationale, 1990, No. 1, pp. 21–25 Google Scholar; Andries, A. and Gorlé, F. “Chronique annuelle de droit pénal militaire (1986–1987)”, Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1987, p. 938 Google Scholar; Gorlé, F. and Andries, A., “Kroniek van militair strafrecht (1986–1987)”, Rechtskundig Weekblad, 1987–1988, p. 481 Google Scholar; R. Bats, Introduction to the report on the proceedings of the Symposium of 27 and 28 November 1986 devoted to the implementation of the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, The Military Law and Law of War Review, 1988, pp. 197–199 Google Scholar; De Wever, L., “Een verjaardag in het teken van een humanitair gebaar. 8 mei 1989. De Belgische Regering en de Gemeenschappen engageren zich voor het humanitair recht”, Universeel, Tweemaandelijks tijdschrift van het Belgische Rode Kruis in Vlaanderen, 1989, No. 4, p. 166 Google Scholar; De Wever, L., Het Rode Kruis en de verspreiding van het internationaal humanitair recht, 8-page brochure published by the Belgian Red Cross, Flemish Community, 12 1989, p. 7 Google Scholar; Remacle, R., “Conseillers en droit humanitaire”, Contact (Institut royal supérieur de défense), 1988, p. 107 Google Scholar; R. Bats, paper presented at the XIth International Congress of the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War, Edinburgh, 19–23 September 1988, devoted to the implementation of international humanitarian law at the national level, The Military Law and Law of War Review, 1989, pp. 363–365 Google Scholar and Recueils de la Société internationale de droit militaire et de droit de la guerre, XI (1), Brussels, 1989, pp. 363–365 Google Scholar; Belgian report drafted in answer to the questionnaire on the implementation of international humanitarian law, during the same Congress, idem, p. 94. Moreover, a brief review of the first two years of the ICHL is given in the unpublished speech by the former ICHL president, R. Bats, under the title “La mise en oeuvre du droit humanitaire en Belgique”, at the Forum on international humanitarian law organized by the Belgian Red Cross on 8 May 1989 (see note 19 below).

12 Currently Foreign Affairs.

13 Only a summary of ICHL activities is given here. We are, however, preparing a detailed account of the Commission's work.

14 An introductory report by G. Van Gerven and a report on activities in this field by Elens, J. F. are published in The Military Law and Law of War Review, 1988, pp. 247–293 and 347–353 Google Scholar respectively.

15 For this matter, see Remacle, R., op. cit., note 11 above, pp. 105–124 Google Scholar, and the Belgian report drafted in answer to the questionnaire on the implementation of international humanitarian law, at the XIth International Congress of the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War, op. cit., note 1 above, pp. 99–100.Google Scholar

16 On this matter, see Andries, A., “The implementation….”, op. cit., note 1 above, pp. 272–273 Google Scholar; Verhaegen, J., “Le vote du projet de loi belge No. 577 (1962–1963), un enjeu international”, Journal des tribunaux, 1982, pp. 226–230.Google Scholar

17 See Andries, A., “Chronique annuelle de droit pénal militaire (1982)”, Revue de droit pénal et de criminologie, 1983, pp. 906–908.Google Scholar

18 An introductory report by J. Verhaegen and a report on activities in this field by Andries, A. are published in The Military Law and Law of War Review, 1988, pp. 227–238 and 329–341 respectively.Google Scholar

19 See De Wever, L., “Een verjaardag….”, op. cit., note 11 above, p. 167 Google Scholar; Orianne, M., “Celebrer le 8 mai par un geste humanitaire”, Contact (Croix-Rouge de Belgique, Communaute francophone), 1989, No. 3, p. 4 Google Scholar; Andries, A. and Gorlé, F., “Chronique… (1988–1989)”, op. cit., note 6 above, pp. 961–962 Google Scholar; Gorle, F. and Andries, A., “Kroniek… (1988–1989)”, op. cit., note 11 above, p. 657.Google Scholar

20 See in particular, apart from the relevant provisions of the Conventions and the Additional Protocols, Resolution 21 of the Diplomatic Conference that adopted the Additional Protocols. See also Resolution IV of the XXVth International Conference of the Red Cross, adopted in Geneva on 31 October 1986. This Resolution is published in the IRRC, No. 225, 11–12 1986, pp. 344–346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

21 The introductory report by G. Genot and the report on the activities in this field by Van Coppenolle, M. are published in The Military Law and Law of War Review, 1988, pp. 303–322 and 359–363 respectivelyGoogle Scholar

22 See De Wever, L., “Een verjaardag…”, op. cit., note 11 above, pp. 167–169 Google Scholar; Orianne, M., «Célébrer le 8 mai…», op. cit., note 19 above, p. 4.Google Scholar

23 On dissemination in Belgium, see in particular Vandekerckhove, C., “Dissemination of international humanitarian law…”, op. cit., note 5 above, pp. 277–281 Google Scholar; Hullebroeck, G., “The dissemination…”, op. cit., note 5 above, pp. 178–181 Google Scholar; David, E., “Dissemination of international humanitarian law at university level”, IRRC, No. 257, 03–04 1987, pp. 155–167 CrossRefGoogle Scholar; De Wever, L., Het Rode Kruis…, op. cit., note 11 above, pp. 5–8.Google Scholar

24 In this connection the ICHL also examined the measures of implementation that are required by the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, adopted in The Hague on 14 May 1954 and approved in Belgium by Act of 10 August 1960 ( Moniteur belge of 16–17 11 1960).CrossRefGoogle Scholar