Non-state Armed Groups and the Humanitarian Law

PRIF Study No. 29 examines the transnational dealing with non-state armed groups based on two in-depth case studies

Despite the existence of the international humanitarian law, civilians still represent the vast majority of victims in armed conflicts. This is particularly the case in asymmetrical conflicts in which non-state armed groups are involved. How could non-state armed groups could be convinced to bind themselves to humanitarian laws? A systematic analysis of the norm acceptance by armed groups is still missing. In order to fill this gap, the book applies insights from norm diffusion literature to armed groups.

 

In PRIF Study No. 29 "Nichtstaatliche Gewaltakteure und das Humanitäre Völkerrecht. SPLM/A und LTTE im Vergleich" Stefanie Herr presents two in-depth case studies on the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) in Sri Lanka and the SPLM/A (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement) in South Sudan. They illustrate that recognition by the international community is an important incentive for armed groups to respect humanitarian norms. These findings contradict common wisdom that the only means of dealing with armed groups is criminalization. The study is based on 58 on-site interviews, some of them conducted with former rebels.

 

This PRIF Study is available at Nomos publishing house.