Please wait while my tweets loadSupport Our Work
CIVIC is the only organization solely focused on civilians in armed conflict.
Field Blog
Making Amends | Making Amends Campaign |
|
An unprecedented campaign to change the conduct of war. We believe:
What do amends look like in practice? How can I learn more about this campaign and amends? The Making Amends Campaign is a global coalition of organizations that care deeply about civilians in war and believe civilian suffering can be minimized. We believe their losses must be addressed by the warring parties themselves.
What is the problem?
Alia has always lived on Baghdad's Haifa Street, in the center of the city, with her five brothers and one sister. She is married and has two sons. She describes her days before 2003 as "a good life"—before fighting began between the American-led coalition, the Iraqi military, and then competing militias. On Nov. 21, 2006, almost everything changed in an instant. Alia and her brother and sister were driving to visit family members in northern Iraq. She sat in the front passenger seat as her brother drove. Ahead of them, cars had stopped to allow an American convoy to pass. Her brother pulled into the median to bypass a stalled bus. American forces responded by firing at their car. No warning shots were fired, the first shot pierced the windshield, striking Alia in the eye. Though she was bleeding heavily, the American's did nothing to help. A fellow Iraqi drove her to a hospital. Without his help, she would have died. As she recovered, she sought to file a claim for compensation with the Americans. "I sat with the Americans, and I explained everything to them—a man and a woman, both Americans—and they were giving certain people compensation," she said. "I used to go for a whole week, every day from the morning until the end of the day, and I would meet Americans there, but was told I was not eligible." Some people received compensation if they had been forced to leave their homes, or if firing had destroyed their cars, she said. But she says she was told, "You're not going to get anything." VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/civicworldwide#p/u/0/IMTnwFkMxvE Civilians always suffer when their communities become conflict zones. Yet warring parties have no obligation to provide people like Alia with recognition or assistance. Warring parties can just walk away. It's time for change. What is our solution?
Armed conflict causes harm to civilians. Civilians lose lives, limbs, loved ones, and property. It's an age-old problem that requires a solution.
"Making amends" is the practice of warring parties providing recognition and help to civilians harmed during combat. Amends may take the form of monetary payments, rebuilding, livelihood assistance programs, or other dignifying gestures unique to each conflict. (They are not a remedy for war crimes, which involves mechanisms for reparations.) Over the last century, the international community has put limits on rampant civilian carnage. Protections are built into the laws of war, including the principle that the innocent civilians should not be harmed. But when these protections fail and civilians are nonetheless harmed, warring parties have no formal responsibility to help. They aren't even required to keep a record of casualties. This is a gap in the rules that govern war. And it has significant repercussions. The failure to recognize civilian losses can promote more violence, and also affects poverty, women's rights, children's wellbeing, reconstruction, and reconciliation. It thereby affects global security itself. The Making Amends Campaign is a call to all warring parties to help the civilians they harm in armed conflict. It seeks to set a new standard where none currently exists. What do amends look like in practice?
Although there is no requirement to do so, several warring parties have implemented programs designed to help the civilians accidentally harmed by their combat operations. For example... The United States offers compensation and long-term livelihood assistance to civilian survivors of U.S. combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the Philippines, national legislation is being considered to provide compensation for "civilians caught in the crossfire between rebels and the military." Most states contributing combat troops to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan offer cash payments, medical, livelihood, or rebuilding assistance for losses suffered by civilians during combat operations. The African Union Mission in Somalia recently offered $7,600 to local traders for camels its troops accidentally killed in Mogadishu. In the Republic of Georgia, the government is making an effort to provide housing to civilians displaced during the August 2008 clash with Russia. How can I learn more about this campaign and amends?
If your organization is interested in joining the Making Amends Campaign, please contact Scott Paul at scott@civicworldwide.org We are looking for organizations that work on armed conflict, civilian harm, humanitarian aid, government policy with regard to any of those topics, and global governance. Of particular importance are organizations working in conflict zones and those from the global South. As signatories to the Making Amends campaign, your organization may wish to commit deeply to the cause including by participating in meetings, putting forth ideas, and taking on tasks within home countries. For other organizations with greater limitations, it will simply mean being a supporter of the principle with little time or resource commitment. No matter how you can participate, we welcome your feedback and engagement.
|
