Invasion: Clara Barton International Humanitarian Law Competition

 By: Andrew Klein, Communications Volunteer          

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“A few weeks after Country A crossed the border into Country B, an international mission, including the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, was sent to the region to evaluate and report on the crisis. The situation in northeast Country B is undeniably grim. However, the worst may be yet to come.

More than 2 million people live in northeast Country B. Since fighting began, over 215,000 people have been driven from their homes. While roughly half of these internally displaced people (IDPs) have returned, more than 100,000 people remained displaced, including tens of thousands of women and children” 

Country A believes strongly their actions are justified because Country B’s northern provinces have been hiding places for rebels who kill and maim in their effort to overthrow Country A’s government. Country B sees this as an oil-rich land grab with limited evidence of the accusation about the rebels. (A fictional account derived from reporting on real events)”

https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law

What really is justified under the law? What happens to all the displaced people? Whose responsibility is it to keep the utilities working, food available, and law and order in place? Who pays for this? Is this a humanitarian crisis? If so, will others in the region help? 

Many questions and many reference documents from conventions, treaties, and law. Diplomats and lawyers will be needed. Aid and assistance will be of paramount importance to the hundreds of thousands seeking to survive.

How is this resolved?

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members, and staff worldwide, and was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering.

International humanitarian law (IHL), also referred to as the laws of armed conflict, is the law that regulates the conduct of war. It is a branch of international law which seeks to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting persons who are not participating in hostilities, and by restricting and regulating the means and methods of warfare available to combatants.

 

International humanitarian law, like the Red Cross and Red Crescent, is inspired by considerations of humanity and the mitigation of human suffering. It comprises a set of rules, established by treaty or custom, that seeks to protect persons and property/objects that are, or may be, affected by armed conflict, and limits the rights of parties to a conflict to use methods and means of warfare of their choice. 

Sources of international law include international agreements – the Geneva Conventions, customary international law, general principles of nations, and case law. It defines the conduct and responsibilities of belligerent nations, neutral nations, and individuals engaged in warfare, in relation to each other and to protected persons, usually meaning non-combatants. It is designed to balance humanitarian concerns and military necessity, and subjects warfare to the rule of law by limiting its destructive effect and mitigating human suffering.

As in almost any disagreement, each side – or multiple sides – has their own perspective, rationale, and reasoning which justifies, to them, what they did or did not do – or why what others did is not right. It is not hard to imagine the above scenario is viewed very differently by all the direct and indirect parties to these events. Often, the United Nations or similar international bodies gather representatives of the parties in conflict, allowing debate and legal considerations to be aired. These are complex, emotional, and politicized gatherings. And while almost all parties subscribe to the rule of law, interpretation of events and the law produce vigorous, even boisterous, discussions.

The American Red Cross, in partnership with the Clara Barton Competition Corporation and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), organizes and sponsors a competition to continue the spirit of Clara Barton’s work – the founder of the American Red Cross.

Some participants of the Clara Barton IHL Competition

The Clara Barton International Humanitarian Law Competition is a simulation-based, experiential legal competition designed to expose rising professionals to the practice of IHL and to real-world challenges facing IHL practitioners during armed conflict. The Clara Barton IHL Competition is open to students currently pursuing Juris Doctor (J.D.), Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), or Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees at law schools in North, Central, and South America, as well as students attending United States and Canadian military academies and institutions. The 2021 Competition was held remotely during the weekends of  March 13-14, and March 20.

Final Round of the Competition

The Competition tests participants’ knowledge of international humanitarian law and public international law, as well as their ability to present, advocate for, and defend legal positions. This year, four teams made it to the verbal, debate-style face-off semi-finals. These were American University, the US Military Academy, the University of Buenos Aires, and the Loyola School of Law. The University of Buenos Aires was judged the champion. There are essay competitions that also brought some law schools, college undergraduates, and smart high schoolers into the international law discussions around topics of Child Soldiers and Girl’s Education.

The University of Buenos Aires team after finding out they won!

It is a challenging world out there and this competition is a chance to see and hear from the scholars who are likely to be part of the future of war and peace, justice, and the rule of law.

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International Committee of the Red Cross: https://www.icrc.org/

The 2021 Competition Clara Barton International Humanitarian Law Competition: https://www.clarabartoncompetition.org/

World Refugee Day - Community Outreach on a Global Scale

Written by: Reed Mszar, volunteer

On June 9 in Silver Spring, MD and on June 13 in Arlington, VA a group of American Red Cross volunteers from the National Capital Region partnered with regional organizations, including the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Lutheran Social Services (LSS). Together, they took part in recognizing World Refugee Day, internationally recognized on June 20. In honor of the thousands of immigrants who have made the United States their home, a third event will be held on June 26 in Washington D.C.

It is safe to say that the World Refugee Day events were an emotional and rewarding experience, not only for the refugees in attendance, but also for the volunteers who helped facilitate the activities. One of the special opportunities provided at the Washington Suburban Resettlement Center in Silver Spring included free Skype phone calls. This allowed refugees to contact family members in their home countries. Red Cross volunteers also distributed useful information and giveaways during the events, including first aid kits. Further material was provided about the Restoring Family Links program, a Red Cross mission aimed toward helping thousands of refugees around the world locate loved ones separated by disaster or war. Contact information was collected for those who demonstrated need for or expressed interest in the program to allow a caseworker to follow up with them. Several brave refugees took advantage of an open mic opportunity that was provided to candidly speak about their past experiences including reasons for coming to America.

It is events like these that are extremely powerful in the way they bring the entire community together to help others. Rebecca Callahan, a Public Affairs Liaison for the Red Cross in the National Capital Region, touched on this issue after speaking with several of the refugees. Ms. Callahan said, “Two refugees I spoke with, one from Haiti and another from Honduras, have been here for nearly 3 years and are both finally beginning to feel like first generation Americans.” Some obstacles refugees often face include learning to call 9-1-1 in an emergency, how to pay for food and transportation and how to operate a computer – skills many Americans often take for granted.

It was remarkable to experience the range of emotions in the room, from pain to determination and hope. Ms. Callahan described her experiences at these events by saying, “It is extremely humbling speaking with people who have been in refugee camps bordering on chaos and in constant hunger, danger and excruciating pain.” Callahan, who has an extensive history helping those in need and easing the transition to citizenship for many refugees, notes that the opportunity she has had volunteering with the Red Cross has given clarity to her life. With the help of the volunteers at the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region and other relief organizations, we can ease the pain for those seeking a new and safer life. 

Rules of War

International Humanitarian Law and Why It Matters

By Tezeta Tesfay, Volunteer Raid Cross Facilitator

As I transition into my senior year of college I have begun placing a greater emphasis on how I envision my future career while becoming more aware of the opportunities that exist to help guide me towards the right direction. After years of exploring my potential niche, I finally discovered that my passion lies in humanitarian work and international affairs. It's for this reason that I found myself eager to express my interest in volunteering with the American Red Cross for their 2014 Raid Cross event.

I first learned about Raid Cross from an email sent through the Howard University Career Center. The message briefly mentioned how the American Red Cross was looking for volunteers to participate during an event at Cardozo High School called Raid Cross 2014, a program designed to educate high school students about International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Instantly, I believed that I could benefit educationally and personally due to my belief in how essential it is to educate young people about current international events and the efforts of organizations like the Red Cross, who play a strong role in helping to remedy some of the devastating effects of war on individuals globally.

Recently, I became informed that many years ago, members of my own family had been held as prisoners of war.  My father had been a prisoner of war when the country of Eritrea went into war with Ethiopia for ownership over a particular region of land. Tensions were high in Ethiopia and as a result many young men, including my father, felt it necessary to take it upon themselves to establish new forms of leadership. Their act of defiance against their own government eventually led to my father’s capture. He was eventually released after my mother pled with military officials to whom she had family ties. When I think over the events that affected my own parents, I cannot help but to feel personally connected to all of the individuals who face similar experiences; and thus, I am compelled to contribute in any way that I can towards bringing awareness of International Humanitarian Law.

Prior to my involvement with Raid Cross, my knowledge of IHL had been very limited. After participating in the event I am proud to say that I am now able to confidently reiterate the basics of IHL. Like most people, my ability to learn such extensive material is actually limited by the traditional class room setting. Raid Cross however, is so dynamic in that it is designed to provide students an educational experience through interactive activities that are crafted with the purpose of truly impacting one's learning ability. During this event I took on the role of a prison guard who “raids” the students and then “interrogates” them as prisoners of war. I found that presenting the information in this manner allowed the students to have fun while critically analyzing how actual prisoners of war may feel in such a predicament. To my surprise, the students were able to use their imaginations in order to actually embody the role of prisoners of war. The circumstances they were able to create for themselves while role playing were not only rewarding but a heart warming personal experience as well.

While the day consisted of fun-filled challenging activities, my favorite portion of Raid Cross was in fact the debriefing moment in which the students are given an opportunity to discuss their thoughts and opinions regarding the previous post. It was at this moment I truly realized how intelligent and bright the students were. Even when their comments may have seemed to go against popular opinion, the students were still able to defiantly express their own positions confidently while maintaining an open mind; and because they were able to do this, I myself became more aware of the differences in perspectives dealing with some of the controversies regarding the policies of IHL.

Raid Cross 2014 was without question the best volunteer activity I have ever participated in. The facilitators were great, I was able to meet other students from Howard University, I met other Red Cross volunteers who gave me great career advice, the students were engaging and fun to be around, and the program overall opened me up to new ideas and information. I am really glad I played a role in this event, and I would encourage anyone else who may have an opportunity to participate to do so. 

Living Like a Refugee

The Global Refugee Simulation and Conference

By Dana Ayers, Volunteer Contributor 

A few weeks ago I learned that the Red Cross was creating the largest refugee simulation in history in Bull Run park in Virginia. I knew I had to go check it out. 

I was aware that Red Cross strives to educate civilians about international humanitarian law (IHL) through efforts like Raid Cross, so to hear about a full-scale exercise to hammer these issues home was intriguing. 

As I started learning more about the simulations, it became clear that this was a massive undertaking. More than 500 people were expected to attend the 6+ hour event (it ended up being more like 13+ hours for some of the committed volunteers). Students, volunteers, Red Cross personnel, Marines, Special Forces, humanitarian NGOs, local industry - all were involved to support this.

The purpose? To simulate what it's like in real life for those who are forced to leave their homes due to conflict. One Red Cross volunteer, Sue, explained that the simulation would expose participants to every aspect of humanitarian law and refugee crises. "Maybe they are doctors, or lawyers, or ditch-diggers - but they've all lost something," she explained, referring to the reality of displaced populations. 

The base camp was already set up when I arrived, but no refugees had yet made it through their journey to the camp. The "refugees" were brought by bus from DC and dropped off in waves at the park. They were given back stories, with details such as how many were in their family, what ethnicity and religion they were, and why they were fleeing their country. The country in conflict was referred to as "Quinta" in the scenario, while the country across the border - which held the refugee camp - was referred to as "Renimar."

The back story of the citizens from Quinta included the fact that many of them would be discriminated against for their gender, ethnicity, or religion. Some were given 5 pound flour sack "babies" to carry along the journey, while others would "have" new babies inside the camp. Some would lose family members along the way, others would lose possessions while being robbed by rebel forces on the border. All would lose some part of their dignity - represented by two red coins - before the day was over. It was all based on true realities of conflict and displacement. 

I decided to leave the camp and trek out into the woods to follow one of the waves of refugees on their journey. Once they arrived, the wave had to go through simulated minefields - complete with trip wire and smoke bombs, not to mention live gunfire going off at the Bull Run shooting range next door for added realism. The group then worked their way through a disorienting forested area, which is where I caught up to them. They were lost, and it was raining. This, again, added to the realism of the simulation.

Eventually, they found their path and about 15 minutes later, finally reached a set of vendor stalls selling food and other items. The refugees began to barter for goods to keep them going. It was there that they were approached by fake members of the media, who asked them to tell their stories. Again, a realistic experience for these wearing, displaced citizens.

I asked one of the vendors - a local college student - about her experience so far. She told me she had learned so much already that day, and she noted that the nasty weather made her all the more empathetic to those who really go through this type of crisis. 

Shortly after leaving the vendors, the wave of refugees I was following was seized upon by rebel forces in Quinta. A group of volunteers - led by real-life Special Forces personnel - began yelling at the group and brandishing weapons. The group was told to form a line and give up their money, food, and, at times, their dignity - a reminder of the horrors that refugees actually face when trying to escape. 

I asked one of the active-duty Marines helping with the simulation why he got involved. "I did a humanitarian mission in '05 and I've been deployed to Third World countries. I just wanted to see a different side of this and facilitate the Red Cross putting the participants through the exercise," he explained. His team's efforts definitely made the simulation more memorable for the participants!

After the rebels eventually let the group go, the refugees finally made it to the border of Renimar. But, here again, they were roughly approached - this time by border patrol soldiers who were speaking a foreign language. The simulation used French-speaking international students and volunteers in military uniforms to create realism. There was even a border patrol K9 played by real-life Iraq war-deployed military dog "Junior."

At the border, the refugees were harassed, questioned for IDs, yelled at in a language they didn't understand, and often separated from their families and detained while their intentions were questioned. Here, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stepped in - as they would in real life - to ensure everyone complied with the Geneva Conventions. As I stood in line behind the group attempting to make it through, I overheard the participants assuring each other of things they had learned. "Remember, they can only touch you on the shoulders..." Clearly, this event was hammering home some humanitarian law education. 

Once the refugees finally made it through the border, they entered the open field where the camp was waiting. There, they were to go through the real life steps of joining a camp. First, they were to head to the registration tent where they were questioned again on their background. From there they could receive medical attention at the first aid tent, receive food rations at the market, receive supplies to build their own tent, and report missing family members to the "restoring family links" office.

I started asking some of the participants inside the camp about why they did this simulation. One local George Washington University student told me she was going to Jordan this summer to work with refugees from Syria. The simulation was a way for her to better understand what they've gone through. 

Another student I encountered, Juliette, is a peace and conflict resolution major at American University. "This was everything I thought it would be, which is good and bad," she told me. She went on to explain that how the displacement experience is such a big journey. "Crossing the border was so dangerous in itself, but here it's still dangerous," she said, referring to the camp and how pandemic diseases could easily break out in a group so large, all living in close quarters. 

I learned that at the end of the day, the participants would be able to talk about their experiences with IHL experts, Red Cross staff, and mental health experts - as well as discuss things such as the ethics of covering news in a conflict zone. All very important, considering several of the participants will likely end up in careers focused on humanitarian assistance. 

Beside those who have interest in future work, there were also participants who are already working in teh field who took part in the simulation because they will soon deploy to real life conflict zones. Some merely found out about the simulation through their Friends' Facebook pages and came just to check things out. Regardless of why they showed up, there's no doubt that everyone walked away from the day with a deeper appreciation of the plight of displaced citizens and the need for humanitarian aid. I know I did.