Nwamarah Uche
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS AND THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER: RE
EXAMINING THE LEGALITY OF THE USE OF FORCE IN
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Nwamarah Uche
Faculty of Law
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND JURISPRUDENCE
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS AND THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER: RE
EXAMINING THE LEGALITY OF THE USE OF FORCE IN HUMAN RIGHTS
ENFORCEMENT
ATTOH NONSO ROBERT
REG NO: PG/LLM/O4/ 38392
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Weabmaster’s name
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DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND JURISPRUDENCE
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS AND THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER: RE-
HUMAN RIGHTS
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, ENUGU CAMPUS
SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF LAW
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND JURISPRUDENCE
TOPIC:
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS AND THE UNITED NATIONS
CHARTER: RE-EXAMINING THE LEGALITY OF THE USE OF
FORCE IN HUMAN RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT
BEING
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF LAW,
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, ENUGU CAMPUS IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF
MASTER OF LAWS DEGREE
(LL.M)
BY
ATTOH NONSO ROBERT
REG NO: PG/LLM/O4/ 38392
APRIL 2013
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, ENUGU CAMPUS
SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF LAW
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND JURISPRUDENCE
TOPIC:
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS AND THE UNITED NATIONS
CHARTER: RE-EXAMINING THE LEGALITY OF THE USE OF
FORCE IN HUMAN RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT
BEING
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF LAW,
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, ENUGU CAMPUS IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF
MASTER OF LAWS DEGREE
(LL.M)
BY
ATTOH NONSO ROBERT
REG NO: PG/LLM/O4/ 38392
SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR B. OBINNA OKERE
APRIL 2013
CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that this research work was carried out by Attoh, Nonso Robert, a
postgraduate student in the Department of International Law and Jurisprudence with
registration number PG/LL.M/04/38392, for the award of Master of Laws degree. This work
is the original work and has not been submitted in part or in full for the award of any degree
in this or any other institution.
................................................
Attoh, Nonso Robert
.................................................
Professor B. Obinna Okere
................................................
Professor Ifeoma Enemo
DVC/Supervising Dean
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My gratitude first extends to my creator who made it possible to still complete this
dissertation despite very tremendous challenges.
I am most particularly grateful to my erudite and very polished supervisor, Professor B.O
Okere who had provided the motivation and passion for international law. His intellectual
sagacity and very clear grasp of issues in this area and in all aspects of international law
drove me to explore new vista in the vexed debate on humanitarian intervention.
His encouragement during the period of health crisis and challenges cannot be overlooked
and am most grateful that I passed through his tutelage and supervision.
The entire staff of the Faculty of law both academic and non-academic contributed in no
small way in ensuring that this work was completed. The camaraderie, support and willing
sharing of burdens, I cannot repay but I continually remember with joy.
And to my father, Mr Vincent Attoh, for his belief in his son and words of encouragement,
my mother, Mrs Lenah Attoh, who was always there in the toughest moment, praying and
sacrificing- I owe you a debt that only eternity can suffice to repay.
To my loving sisters, Chinwe Eboh, Edith Attoh, Victoria Yusuff, Vivian Omekam and
Elizabeth Ifeajuna, your love and support was like an elixir that kept me alive and going.
And Maurice Attoh, I am glad you willingly stood behind me.
Attoh Nonso Robert
April 2013.
ABSTRACT
“…if humanitarian intervention is, indeed, an unacceptable assault on sovereignty, how
should we respond to a Rwanda, to a Srebrenica – to gross and systematic violations of
human rights that affect every precept of our common humanity?” - Kofi Annan.
Since the signing of the UN Charter human rights have assumed a position of great
importance in international relations with the adoption of so many international conventions
legally recognizing the rights set out under the Conventions and treaties. Coterminous with
this growing status of human right was the emergence of dictatorial governments bent on
denying those rights to their subjects. This situation led to a revival of the debate on the
legality of humanitarian intervention in another sovereign state for the purpose of enforcing
compliance and respect for human rights. The Arab spring provided an opportunity to test the
effectiveness of the world’s resolve and mechanisms for ensuring compliance with human
rights obligations. From Tunisia, to Egypt to Libya and currently to Syria, dictatorial
governments came up against protests from their citizens and many reacted violently leading
to international reactions from the community of states and the United Nations. Despite the
seeming agreement on the “responsibility to protect” doctrine adopted in the World Summit
Outcome Document and the apparent moral and ethical imperatives to protect the vulnerable,
the issues surrounding intervention remain conflicting and unresolved. This has been most
illustrated by the cases of Darfur and Syria. The controversy concerning humanitarian
interventions revolves around its legality in view of the concept of state sovereignty and the
principle of non- interference in the domestic affairs of states as codified in the United
Nations Charter, as well as the Charter rules on the use of force. In this work we examine the
current state of these debates and seek to contribute to the question of the legality of
humanitarian intervention from the United Nations Charter and Security Council precedents,
as well as proffer solutions to the vexed question posed by Kofi Annan on how to respond to
gross violation of human rights that affect the precepts of our common humanity. Divided
into seven chapters, the first chapter is a general introduction, while chapter two examines the
meaning of humanitarian intervention adopted in the work as well as its history. Chapter
three examines the use of force in international law while chapter four examines
humanitarian intervention in the light of sovereignty and human rights protection. Chapter
five is a case study of humanitarian interventions in the post cold war era in an attempt to
discover whether customary international law rule has been established in this area. Chapter
six examines the new concept of “responsibility to protect” while chapter seven concludes the
work and sets out our recommendations.
Nonso Attoh
2013.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page.............................................................................................................. i
Certification.......................................................................................................... ii
Dedication............................................................................................................. iii
Acknowledgements............................................................................................... iv
Abstract................................................................................................................. iv
Table of Contents.................................................................................................. v
Table of Cases....................................................................................................... viii
Table of Statutes................................................................................................... ix
Table of Abbreviations.......................................................................................... xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Research.............................................................................. 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem.................................................................................. 3
1.3 Research Questions........................................................................................... 4
1.4 Objectives of the Study..................................................................................... 4
1.5 Scope of the Study.............................................................................................. 6
1.6 Literature Review................................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER TWO: HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
2.1 Definition and meaning of humanitarian intervention.......................................... 26
2.2 Historical Development of Principles of Humanitarian Intervention................... 41
2.3 Theoretical Foundation of the Debate on Legality of Intervention....................... 56
2.3.1 Natural Law............................................................................................................ 56
2.3.2 Positivism................................................................................................................. 61
2.4 Criteria for Determining a Justifiable Intervention................................................. 63
CHAPTER THREE: SOVEREIGNTY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN
INTERVENTION
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Meaning of sovereignty................................................................................................. 74
3.3 Historical Evolution of the concept of sovereignty...................................................... 80
3.4 Jurisdiction................................................................................................................... 89
3.4.1 Concept of Domestic Jurisdiction............................................................................. 90
3.5 Non-intervention.......................................................................................................... 93
3.6 Human Rights and Sovereignty.................................................................................... 97
3.7 Sovereignty and Humanitarian Intervention.............................................................. 100
CHAPTER FOUR: HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION AND THE USE OF FORCE
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 104
4.2 History of the Rules on the Use of Force in International Law............................... 105
4.2 United Nations Charter Rules on the Use of Force...................................................... 108
4.3 Analysis of article 2(4) UN Charter.............................................................................. 111
4.3.1 Threat or Use of Force................................................................................................ 112
4.3.2 “Territorial Integrity and Political Independence of State....................................... 113
4.3.3 Scope of the Prohibition in article 2(4)...................................................................... 114
4.4 Exceptions to the Use of Force Under the United Nations Charter................................ 118
4..4.1 Article 51- Self Defence ............................................................................................ 118
4.4.1.1 Anticipatory Self Defence ........................................................................................ 124
4.4.1.2 Pre-Emptive Self Defence ........................................................................................ 127
4.4.2 Collective Self Defence ........................................................................................... 128
4.4.3 Use of Force under Chapter VII of the United Nation Charter..................................... 131
4.5 Humanitarian Intervention and the Use of Force............................................................ 133
CHAPTER FIVE: HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION CASE STUDIES
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Customary International law........................................................................................... 143
5.2.1 Material Element ....................................................................................................... 143
5.2.2 Psychological Element .............................................................................................. 147
5.3 Case Studies.................................................................................................................... 148
5.3.1 Liberia.......................................................................................................................... 149
5.3.2 Iraq................................................................................................................................ 152
5.3.3 Somalia..........................................................................................................................156
5.3.4 Kosovo.......................................................................................................................... 159
5.3.5 Libya............................................................................................................................. 164
5.4 Instances Where Humanitarian Intervention Did Not Happen....................................... 168
5.4.1 Darfur........................................................................................................................... 168
5.4.2 Syria.............................................................................................................................. 171
CHAPTER SIX: THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT
6.1 Introduction............................................................................................................ 177
6.2 Summary of the ICISS report........................................................................................ 181
6.3 Subsequent Legal Developments.................................................................................. 185
6.4 World Summit Version of R2P.................................................................................. 189
6.5 R2P Doctrine in the African Union............................................................................. 193
6.6 Current Legal Status of R2p........................................................................................ 196
6.7 Critique of the R2P Doctrine....................................................................................... 200
6.8 Crucial Role of the Responsibility to Protect in Establishing the Legality of Humanitarian
Intervention
CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 Conclusion.................................................................................................................... 204
7.2 Recommendations........................................................................................................ 215
Bibliography............................................................................................................................... 221
TABLE OF CASES
Anglo-Norwegian Fisheries case (1951) 18 ILR, p. 86...................................... 137
Armed Activities in the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo V
Uganda) Lexis Nexis (2006) 45 I.L.M 271.......................................................... 109
Assylum case, ICJ Rep (1949)............................................................................. 86, 136
Continental Shelf Case (Libya v. Malta) ICJ Rep. 13 (1985)............................. 136
Corfu Channel Case I.C.J. Reports (1949) 44.................................................... 114,
Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (Advisory Opinion) [1996] ICJ Rep. 226 (8
July 1996)............................................................................................................ 105
Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. USA), ICJ Rep
(1986) 14.................................................................................................. 86, 92, 103, 113, 139
Nationality Decrees in Tunis and Morocco, Advisory Opinion, 1923 P.C.I.J.
(ser. B) No. 4............................................................................................. 89
North Sea Continental Shelf cases ICJ Reports, 1969, p. 3; 41 ILR, p. 29............ 137
Oil Platform (Islamic Republic of Iran v United States of America) (Judgement) [2003] ICJ
Rep 161.................................................................................................................. 116
S.S. Lotus P.C.I.J. Rep., Ser. A, No. 10 (1927)...................................................... 138
TABLE OF STATUTES
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
Charter of the Organisation of American States................................................ 122
Constitutive Act of the African Union,
Article.4 (h)........................................................................................................ 148
Covenant of the League of Nations,
Article 15(8).......................................................................................................... 89
Draft Article on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Act 2001
Article. 8............................................................................................................. 108
Draft Declaration on Rights and Duties of States (1949),
Article 1.................................................................................................................84
Article 2................................................................................................................ 84
Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States 1933........................85
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 1949,
Article 5............................................................................................................... 122
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949
Article 51............................................................................................................. 111
United Nations Charter
Article 2(4).............................................................................................................1
Article 2(7)........................................................................................................1, 86
Article 51..............................................................................................................101
Article 52(1).......................................................................................................... 147
Article 25............................................................................................................... 123
Article 27(3)........................................................................................................ 102
Article 42............................................................................................................ 124
Article 103.......................................................................................................... 123
Chapter VI...........................................................................................................101
Preface................................................................................................................. 102
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
Article 53................................................................................................................ 94
Warsaw Pact 1955
Article 4.................................................................................................................. 123
UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTIONS
UNSC Res 1368 (2001)........................................................................................... 113
SCOR Res 290.......................................................................................................... 113
UNSC Res 1373 (2001)............................................................................................ 113
SCOR Res 291......................................................................................................... 113
Security Council Resolution 788 of 19 November, 1992........................................ ..146
Security Council Resolution 794 of December 3 1992............................................. 154
Security Council Resolution 119 (1998).................................................................... 158
Declaration on Principles of International Law Friendly Relations and Co-operation among
States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.......................... ...........91
Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention in the Domestic Affairs of States and the
Protection of their Independence and Sovereignty..................................................... 9
TABLE OF ABBREVIATIONS
GA General Assembly
UN United Nations
UNSC United Nations Security Council
SCOR Security Council Resolution
R2P Responsibility to Protect
ICISS International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
FRY Federal Republic of Yugoslavia