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The historical foundations of humanitarian action

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2010

Jean Guillermand
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Extract

After nearly 130 years of existence, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement continues to play a unique and important role in the field of human relations.

Its origin may be traced to the impression made on Henry Dunant, a chance witness at the scene, by the disastrous lack of medical care at the battle of Solferino in 1859 and the compassionate response aroused in the people of Lombardy by the plight of the wounded. The Movement has since gained importance and expanded to such a degree that it is now an irreplaceable institution made up of dedicated people all over the world.

Type
History of Humanitarian Ideas
Information
International Review of the Red Cross (1961 - 1997) , Volume 34 , Issue 298 , February 1994 , pp. 42 - 55
Copyright
Copyright © International Committee of the Red Cross 1994

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References

* The scope of this article may appear somewhat confined, since only the root causes and motivations most common to the countries which gave the Red Cross its initial form and content have been taken into account. This choice must obviously not be construed as reflecting a judgement upon (and even less a dismissal of) ways of thinking to be found in other parts of the world which, while remaining true to their own philosophies and beliefs, have accepted and adopted the Movement's principles in a truly universal community of spirit.

1 γαπήσεις τν πλησίον σου ς σεαυτόν.

2 γαπτε τοὺς χϑροὺς ὑμῶν, καλς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῡσιν ὑμς,

3 “Et proelio operabitur filius pacis, cui nee litigaie conveniet?”, De corona, 11, 1.Google Scholar

4 “Tenemus, ecce, arma et non resistimus, quia mori quam occidere satis malumus, et innocentes interire, quam noxii vivere praeoptamus”, Passio Acaunensium martyrum, 9.Google Scholar

5 “Justa bella solent definiri quae ulciscuntur injurias”, Quaestionum in Heptateuchum, VI, 10.Google Scholar

6 “Esto ergo etiam bellando pacificus, ut eos quos expugnas, ad pacis utilitatem vincendo perducas”, Epistola CLXXXIX, 6.Google Scholar

7 “At vero christi milites securi praeliantur praelio Domini sui, nequaquam metuentes aut de hostium caede peccatum, aut de sua nece periculum: quandoquidem mors pro Christo vel ferenda, vel inferenda, et nihil habeat criminis, et plurimum gloriae mereatur: Hinc quippe Christo, inde Christus acquiritur”, De laude novae militiae, III, 4.Google Scholar

8 “Respondeo dicendum quod ad hoc aliquod bellum sit justum, tria requiruntur.

Primo quidem, auctoritas principis, sujus mandate bellum est gerendum…

Secundo, requiritur justa causa: ut scilicet illi qui impugnantur propter aliquam culpam impugnationem mereantur (…).

Tertio, requiritur ut sit intentio bellantium recta: qua scilicet intenditur vel ut bonum ptomoveatur, vel ut malum vitetur”, Summa Theologica, Secunda Secundae. Quaestio 40.Google Scholar

9 “Tertius canon: Parta victoria et confecto bello, oportet moderate et cum modestia Christiana victoria uti et oportet victorem existimare se judicem sedere inter duas Respublicas - alteram, quae laesa est, alteram quae injuriam fecitut, non tanquam accusator, sed tanquam judex, sententiam ferat, qua satisfied quidem possit Reipublicae laesae, sed quantum fieri potent, cum minima calamitate et malo Reipublicae nocentis, castigatis nocentibus quantum licuerit”, De jure belli. 60 Google Scholar. Tres belligerandi canones.

10 “Innocentes sunt quasi naturali jure pueri, mulieres, et quicumque non valent arma sumere”, Disputatio XIII. De caritate, VII, 10.Google Scholar

11

12 “Mais en l'obéissance que nous avons enseignée estre deué aux superieurs, il y doibt avoir tousjours une exception, ou plustost une reigle qui est à garder devant toutes choses. C'est, que telle obeissance ne nous destourne point de l'obeissance de celuy, soubz la volonté duquel il est raisonnable que tous les desirs des Roys se contiennent: et que tous leurs commandements cedent à son ordonnance, et que toute leur haultesse soit humiliée et abaissée soubz sa majesté (…).

Je scay bien quel dangier peut venir d'une telle Constance que je la requierz icy (…). Mais puisque cest edit a esté prononcé par le celeste herault S. Pierre, qu'il fault plustost obeir à Dieu que aux hommes (Actes, 4), nous avons à nous consoler de ceste cogitation, que vrayement nous rendons lors à Dieu telle obeissance qu'il la demande, quand nous souffrons plustost toutes choses, que declinions de sa saincte parolle.”

13 “E infatti, qual è l'intento sociale? ridurre colla forza all'ordine. Dunque in primo luogo, tutto ciò che non può far resistenza, non deve distruggersi: ed ecco tolta la devastazione inutile delle case, la strage confusa di vecchi, donne, fanciulli, eccessi di barbara guerra: se pure alcuni di costoro non avessero individualmente meritata tal pena (…).

Perfino il soldato al momento che, rendendo le armi, si dichiara risoluto a cessar dalle offese, diviene fra popoli umani oggetto di commiserazione e, se cedea per dovere et non per codardia, ancor di rispetto (…).

La stessa legge di evitare un male non necessario vieta tra le nazioni l'uso di certi mezzi di sterminio, dei quali l'arte non potrebbe arrestare o maneggiare gli effetti a norma degl'intenti suoi, drizzandone il danno precisamente colà d'onde parte la resistenza. Propagare il contagio, avvelenar le acque et simili altre invenzioni mortifere sono mezzi che non discemeranno tempo da tempo, né armato da inerme”, Lib. VI, Cap. IV, Doveri internazionali nello stato ostile.

14 “Islam and international humanitarian law”, International Review of the Red Cross, No. 215, 03–04 1980, pp. 59–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

15 Le Coran, Traduction et Commentaires, 2 volumes, Paris, 1985, vol. I.Google Scholar

16

17

18

19 Achour, Yadh ben, op. cit., p. 69.Google Scholar

* The bibliography related to the present article will appear at the end of Part II, to be published in March–April 1994.