Wishing to associate the National Societies and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with the follow-up to the International Conference for the Protection of War Victims (August-September 1993) and with preparations for the meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts to be held in January 1995, the ICRC convened a consultative meeting in Geneva on 12 and 13 September 1994 to which legal advisers and experts in humanitarian law from several National Societies and from the Federation were invited. This meeting was also in line with Resolution 2 of the October 1993 Council of Delegates, which urgently requested “the National Societies, the ICRC and the Federation to do everything possible, through their own action and by mobilizing governments, to ensure that the Final Declaration of the International Conference for the Protection of War Victims is followed up by tangible steps which lead to a substantial improvement in the situation of the victims…”.

The Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 provide that medical personnel and equipment shall in general be identified by the distinctive emblem of the red cross or red crescent. The Second Geneva Convention, applicable to the victims of conflict at sea, specifies that the exterior surfaces of hospital ships and smaller craft used for medical purposes shall be white and recommends that the parties to the conflict use “the most modern methods” to facilitate identification of medical transports at sea (Art. 43). It is also recommended that medical aircraft should be clearly marked with both the distinctive emblem and their national colours on their lower, upper and lateral surfaces. They should moreover be provided with “any other markings or means of identification” agreed upon between the belligerents from the outbreak or during the course of hostilities (First Convention, Art. 36, and Second Convention, Art. 39).

Officers, soldiers, medical personnel and the inhabitants of areas near and far from the theatre of war — these are the categories of people whom writers should address to explain, in the language best suited to each, the basic humanitarian ideas and sentiments which it is so urgent to impress on their minds and hearts.

(Bulletin international des Sociétés de secours aux militaires blessés. No. 1, October 1869.)

The general objective of this Symposium, which was held in April 1993 in Montreux, was to collect the necessary facts and ideas to coordinate future action by bodies that are interested in improving the situation of mine victims and in taking preventive action. More specifically, the aims of the Symposium were to gain as accurate a picture as possible of the actual use of mines and the consequences thereof; to analyse the mechanisms and means currently available to limit this use and to alleviate the suffering of victims, as well as to identify any lacunae in this respect; to decide on the best remedial action; to establish a strategy for coordinating the work of different bodies involved in such action; and to write a report which could be used as a reference for future measures.

The Swedish Red Cross initiative to organize a workshop to exchange experience on vulnerability and capacity assessment in Europe and discuss the feasibility of conducting the assessment in a consistent manner was sparked by the report of the Working Group on the Implementation of the Strategic Work Plan for Europe (formed at the Fourth European Regional Conference in The Hague, in May 1992), which recommends that the European National Societies proceed with identifying vulnerable groups in their respective countries and initiate a discussion on future cooperation on vulnerability and capacity assessment.

The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 had shown just how difficult it was to ensure respect for international law during actual fighting. Mutual accusations of violations of the Geneva Convention, or more generally of the customary laws of war, showed that neither the scope of humanitarian law nor the dissemination of its principles had been sufficient to avert excesses by the combatants. The protection of medical services and of the wounded should remain independent of the conduct of hostilities. But violations of the law of war, whether real or imagined, inevitably undermine the implementation of the Convention. Public opinion (quickly aroused), the press (always keen on shoring up the spirit of resistance), and governments themselves never miss an opportunity to highlight or exaggerate criminal acts committed by the adversary and to make a blanket condemnation of all enemy combatants.

In accordance with the Final Declaration of the International Conference for the Protection of War Victims (August-September 1993), the Swiss Confederation will convene a meeting of governmental experts from 23 to 27 January 1995 for the purpose of drawing up a report on specific measures designed to promote compliance with and respect for international humanitarian law. The report will be submitted to the 26th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which will decide on the action to be taken to implement its recommendations.

One of the recommendations of the April 1993 Symposium was the convening of a meeting of military experts in order to study the military use of antipersonnel mines and possible alternatives.

Concerned about the terrible toll of land-mine injuries around the world, six organizations issued a call in October 1992 for an international ban on the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of antipersonnel mines. Other organizations have taken up the call, and the campaign is already having a big impact. One result of the pressure will be the convening, pursuant to a request by France, of a review conference on the 1980 Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects. This renewed interest in controlling indiscriminate and excessively injurious weapons should not be confined to mines but should extend to other classes of modern antipersonnel weapons as well.

According to UNHCR figures, in 1970 there were 2.5 million refugees in the world. In 1980, the figure was 11 million. By the early 1990s, the alarming spread of civil wars was prompting an average of 10,000 people a day to flee across an international border. In 1993, the estimated number of refugees had risen to 18.2 million. In addition there were at least 24 million people who been forcibly displaced within their own countries (UNHCR, 1993:1). In 1994, the situation has deteriorated further, particularly in Africa. In the past few weeks, well over a million refugees have fled the fighting in Rwanda.

Institutions — like individuals — have a memory. They are rooted in it and draw strength from it to weather the vagaries of vogue and sentiment. To a large extent the historical consciousness is the source of the standards set for the present and for the future.

Yet time does take its toll, first dimming the memory of past events, then shrouding them in the mists of oblivion.

In its Final Declaration of 1 September 1993, the International Conference for the Protection of War Victims inter alia urged all States to make every effort to:

“Consider or reconsider, in order to enhance the universal character of international humanitarian law, becoming party or confirming their succession, where appropriate, to the relevant treaties concluded since the adoption of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, in particular:

—the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts of 8 June 1977 (Protocol I);

—the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts of 8 June 1977 (Protocol II);

—the 1980 Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons and its three Protocols;

—The 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict”.

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.

The Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) has provided all facilities for the care and maintenance of Vietnamese Boat People (VBP) since the first landing on 4 May 1975 of 47 VBP, on a small island off the northeast coast of the Malay Peninsula. Since then, over a continuous period of 19 years more than 250,000 VBP have landed in Malaysia and all of them except about 6,500 have either been resettled in third countries or have been repatriated to Viet Nam. The remaining 6,500 are housed in two camps, located at Sungai Besi and Cheras, each a few kilometres outside the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Dealing with a question of this breadth may seem an impossible task. Furthermore, it would certainly not be intelligent to claim to have found the solution to the problem of peace and humanity. The first mark of intelligence is precisely knowing one's limits, and it is clear that we can only try to guess at potential answers to such a vast question; to do this we would need to look at the past so as better to understand the future.