Chapter

"Direct participation in hostilities" and 21st century armed conflict

Michael N. Schmitt

Krisensicherung und humanitärer Schutz = Crisis management and humanitarian protection : Festschrift für Dieter Fleck

Berlin : Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag, 2004

p. 505-530

English

The author considers current understandings under IHL of “direct participation in hostilities”, and the concept’s relevance in the context of contemporary conflict. The author suggests that the current practices of warfare tests the applicability of twentieth century interpretations of direct participation. To this end, he examines five challenges to the concept’s formulation: the nature of modern combat; the increasing “civilianization” of the military; the problem of armed civilians and the use of human shields; counterterrorist operations; and computer network attacks. For instance, it is no longer helpful in the modern combat context to use “proximity to the battlefield” to help ascertain direct participation. Given such changes in the nature of combat, the author argues that a narrow interpretation of the phrase “direct participation in hostilities” increases the risk to the civilian population, creates confusion, and limits protections available to combatants who suffer at the hands of those said not to be participating directly. As an alternative approach the author suggests a simple assessment of whether the individual is an “integral facet of the uninterrupted process of defeating the enemy”. [Summary by students at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law (IHRP)]

• Krisensicherung und humanitärer Schutz = Crisis management and humanitarian protection : Festschrift für Dieter Fleck / Horst Fischer, Ulrike Froissart, Wolff Heintschel von Heinegg, Christian Raap (Hrsg.)