On 13 December 1985 the Eastern Republic of Uruguay deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has received from the Federal Political Department in Berne a communication informing it that the Canadian Government notified the Swiss Federal Council on May 14, 1965 of the ratification by that State of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, such ratification taking effect on November 14, 1965.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was created on 8 November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council, of which it is a subsidiary body. Its task is to help restore and maintain peace and bring about national reconciliation by trying persons allegedly responsible for acts of genocide and other grave breaches of international humanitarian law committed in Rwanda and Rwandan citizens suspected of committing such acts and violations in the territory of neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994.

In May 1991, Mr. Cornelio Sommaruga, President of the ICRC, spent some time in Greece at the invitation of the Hellenic Red Cross (see IRRC, No. 283, July–August 1991). While there, he was asked by the Jean-Gabriel Eynard Greek-Swiss League to give a lecture in connection with the 700th anniversary of the founding of the Swiss Confederation. The subject of the lecture was “The ICRC's humanitarian mandate as reflected in the light of its activities in Greece and throughout the world”. The President's purpose was to remind his hearers of the work done in Greece by Swiss delegates of the ICRC. who might be regarded as “humanitarian Hellenists”, and. in his words, “to retrace some stages in the journey made by the International Committee of the Red Cross in company with the Hellenes, in order to throw light on certain aspects of the beautiful and difficult mission of the Red Cross”.

Since 20 November 1986 Belgium has been committed to comply not only with the obligations contained in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, but also with those included in the two Additional Protocols of 1977. Everybody in our country must therefore make necessary preparations for pautting into effect the obligations falling within their responsabilities.

Following the decision reached on 28 October by the Twenty-fifth International Conference of the Red Cross to suspend the South African government delegation from participation in its work, the ICRC was requested by the South African authorities to suspend its activities in South Africa and to leave the country at the latest by 30 November. The ICRC delegates based in South Africa therefore made the necessary arrangements to close down the delegation and return to Geneva by that date.

Cuando se creó, el CICR, reconociendo la imprevisibilidad e inevitabilidad de la guerra, tenía la esperanza de poder atenuar sus consecuencias más funestas, gracias a sus actividades humanitarias de protección y de sensibilización con respecto al derecho intemacional humanitario. Todas las actividades de la Institución tienen origen, pues, en la guerra: la asistencia médica y los socorros se prestan en función del número de víctimas, la protección a los prisioneros obra en favor «de las personas detenidas a causa de la situación»; la Agencia Central de Búsquedas intercambia mensajes familiares cuando se interrumpen las comunicaciones, busca a las personas desaparecidas a causa del conflicto, reúne a los familiares separados por los acontecimientos. Las únicas actividades que no responden exclusivamente a necesidades generadas por la guerra son la difusión del derecho y de los principios humanitarios y la cooperación con las Sociedades Nacionales de la Cruz Roja y la Media Luna Roja.

Los días 14 y 15 de noviembre, asistieron, en Kuala-Lumpur (Malasia) a un seminario titulado «Enfoque sobre el CICR y los medios de comunicación» diecinueve periodistas de siete países de Asia (Filipinas, Hong-Kong, India, Indonesia, Malasia, Tailandia y Vietnam), así como representantes del CICR (particularmente los jefes del Departamento de Comunicación y de la División de Prensa, el delegado general adjunto para Asia, los delegados zonales en Yakarta y en Hong-Kong y el jefe de la delegation en Filipinas).

El objetivo de la reunión, organizada por el Departamento de Comunicación del CICR con la cooperación de la Media Luna Roja de Malasia, era dar a conocer mejor la Institución y sus objetivos y, sobre todo, potenciar las relaciones con los periodistas de los países donde el CICR presta servicios, con la idea de formar una red de apoyo entre los medios de comunicación asiáticos.

The concept that man must be protected against the ills of war is not a recent one. It may be likened to a clear spring gushing out from time immemorial, increasing gradually in volume as it surges forth until its swollen waters are borne down upon us today. The sum of efforts that idea has aroused has grown, parallel to the rise of civilization with which it is indissolubly linked.

Dans plusieurs des traités conclus après la guerre mondiale figurent des clauses relatives à la protection des minorités. Cette protection est confiée à la Société des Nations.

On entend par .minorités, les groupements de personnes appartenant à une race, à une religion ou parlant une langue qui diffèrent de celles de la majorité du pays. Mais ces personnes peuvent encore se ranger en deux catégories bien distinctes. Elles peuvent être:

a) ressortissants d'une puissance étrangère;

b) ressortissants du pays.

Cet article se propose d'examiner les mandats qui sont exercés en matière de protection et d'assistance aux réfugiés dans les cas de conflits armés et de troubles intérieurs. Il essaie modestement d'établir des distinctions dans les rôles et les mandats des organes humanitaires, qui souvent se ressemblent et se recoupent, en particulier pour le Mouvement international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge (le Mouvement) et le Haut Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (HCR). Il voudrait également redéfinir l'évolution de leur mandat et en déterminer l'extension. Les principes de l'action humanitaire, fondés sur la pratique passée et présente, ont certes besoin d'être clairement définis, mais il faut laisser jouer la souplesse et le pragmatisme là où n'existe aucun pronostic d'ensemble. La conclusion montrera l'intrdépendance et la complémentarité des organisations humanitaires qui ont à apporter protection et assistance dans les situations où aucun autre organe n'est en mesure d'agir.

The growing and intensified manifestations of religion in politics and vice versa are part of the environment of ICRC operations in Muslim countries and mark especially the interaction with Islamists. Different perceptions held by Muslims are examined, problem areas regarding interaction with the ICRC are analysed and aspects are mentioned which, in the opinion of the author, can help the ICRC improve its activities in Muslim countries. The conclusions of the examination could be relevant in any relationship with conservative movements within other religions.

The fall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has opened the way for considerable debate on the country's future, and the part to be played by women in that future is now being widely analysed and discussed. Much has being written about the fate of women under the Taliban. This short article aims to review the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule, with particular focus on its impact on women to see what lessons could be learned in terms of how to provide the widest and most effective humanitarian assistance despite massive political and logistical constraints. Before continuing, it should be pointed out that prior to Taliban rule the situation of women in Kabul and other large towns (where their access to education and work and their freedom of movement were greater) differed considerably from that of women in rural areas (where the approach towards them was generally more conservative). So when the Taliban took power, their impact varied throughout the country.