Statement by Robert Tickner, IFRC Representative and CEO of the Australian Red Cross, in the IHL panel event during the 121st Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, in Geneva
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies very much welcomes this discussion at this event as part of this Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
We believe that parliamentarians have a strong and ongoing role to play in introducing, promoting and defending international humanitarian law in our world which is sadly still so affected by conflict.
As you all know the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement has been associated with the development of international humanitarian law from its beginning. It was the founder of the Red Cross, Henri Dunant, who gave the world the gift of two powerful ideas which has endured through time.
Arising from the human carnage he saw on the battlefield of Solferino in 1859 he proposed the concept of international agreements between nations which would create the laws of war. So, for the first time in human history a substantive international agreement was created some five years later in the form of the first Geneva Convention.
It is the International Committee of the Red Cross (the ICRC) which is stands as the guardian of the Geneva Conventions. Everyone in this room will have been impressed by the extensive presentation on the importance of observing international humanitarian law which Vice President Christine Beerli of the ICRC has delivered today. Her descriptions of IHL in practice every day in conflict zones around the world were very moving and important.
But Henri Dunant also gave the world another critical and related idea. It was the need to form voluntary relief associations of people in individual countries who would provide assistance to the dying and wounded and particularly to civilians affected by the conflict.
Indeed it was this inspirational thought which is now reflected in the 186 National Societies which are members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the International Federation of National Societies for which I am speaking today.
Among the National Societies most recently admitted to membership of the IFRC were the MDA in Israel and the Palestine Red Crescent Society. This in itself speaks wonderfully of the humanitarian ideals of our Movement.
My friends, in each of your countries there is a red cross or red crescent society which works in support of the leading role in this IHL field of the ICRC. Each one uses its national society role as identified by international law and also by each country's national law. In doing so it also links to the IFRC's role in specific areas of IHL, especially as this relates to the way National Societies work as auxiliaries to their countries’ public authorities in the humanitarian field.
I want to acknowledge at the outset the inspirational work of so very many national societies in their work with Governments and particularly parliamentarians in promoting international humanitarian law.
On a personal level I have a very strong personal interest in this work now being the CEO of Australian Red Cross but formerly had the honour of sitting as a parliamentarian and also as the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in the Australian Government from 1990 to 1996.
I therefore know from my own direct experience about the critical role of parliamentarians in promoting international humanitarian law. You are the ones who can help create new humanitarian laws and influence Government, and who are also leaders in your communities.
Many of you who are in the Opposition today will become part of the Government of tomorrow and many backbench members will become the Ministers of tomorrow. For these reasons as well it is important that the IFRC and its members engage with you at home as well as here at the IPU.
All of you know that Red Cross and Red Crescent is impartial and neutral and while independent of Government we want to work with you to advance our humanitarian work.
Having acknowledged the work of so many national societies in this area around the world I want to offer this panel discussion some practical and concrete examples of what is possible by way of engagement of parliamentarians with the Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies, using as an example the work of Australian Red Cross in support of international humanitarian law. In undertaking that work we collaborate closely with the ICRC and our International Federation.
Approximately ten years ago the ICRC and the IPU produced a Handbook for Parliamentarians on International Humanitarian Law. I would strongly encourage the IPU and the ICRC to consider a update of this publication.
However in the interim and with the permission of both those esteemed organisations the Australian Red Cross has produced an updated handbook for Australian parliamentarians and is working with Pacific Red Cross Societies to support them creating similar publications for their own parliamentarians.
In Australia the handbook was launched by a group established within the parliament which we call the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Red Cross and there are similar groupings in a number of the state and territory parliaments in Australia.
In the Australian parliament we have convenors of this group who are representatives of all the major parties represented in the parliament and they work in a cross party way to support the work of Red Cross in the parliament and the community.
In launching the handbook they signed a joint letter and sent it to every Australian parliamentarian stressing the importance of the publication.
A copy of this publication is on the Australian Red Cross web site and indeed for those of you are interested additional copies have also being made available to you in this room.
It is the kind of publication which we are keen to bring to the whole world.
Parliamentarians and Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies can work together to promote specific initiatives in International Humanitarian law and we did so earlier this year to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
In Australia this involved motions of support for the importance of the Conventions and their observance being unanimously passed by the national parliament and by every state and territory parliament in Australia. I hope you agree was a remarkable achievement for the parliaments. The resolutions also recognised the important work of the ICRC and Australian Red Cross in the community.
A ceremony was also held at the front of the Australian Parliament where the Attorney General and Shadow Attorney General supported by representatives of all parties received a bound copy of the Geneva Conventions for deposit in the Parliamentary Library.
As you would be aware a Third Protocol has been added to the Geneva Conventions to recognise the Red Crystal as an additional protective emblem in time of conflict. The need for domestic legislation to give effect to this protocol offered Red Cross in Australia another important opportunity and responsibility to work with parliamentarians to ensure the passage of the necessary legislation.
Every Australian Parliamentarian received a personal written briefing from us in the Red Cross on the content of the legislation, and we were delighted when it was ultimately passed unanimously by the Parliament.
For members of parliament to play a stronger and leading role in international humanitarian law they have to be supported with information and so the Australian Red Cross ensures that every Australian MP (including in State and Territory Parliaments) receives a regular IHL newsletter exploring contemporary issues in IHL.
International Humanitarian law is of course not static and needs to evolve to meet emerging concerns of the global community and indeed the international Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has often been at the forefront of urging the adoption of higher standards through its work in humanitarian diplomacy.
We saw good examples of this in the creation of the International Criminal Court and in the recent international response to the emerging problem of cluster munitions which so damage civilian populations.
In both these issues Australian Red Cross worked with Australian Parliamentarians to encourage Australian Government support for these initiatives and in both cases our work has been highly successful.
In relation to the most recent one Australian Red Cross produced a special edition of our International Humanitarian Law publication on Cluster Munitions which was distributed to every member of the Australian Parliament.
The Australian Red Cross also supports the work of the ICRC in working with the Australian Defence Force and other agencies to educate soldiers and members of Peace Keeping Forces about the International Humanitarian Law principles which regulate their work.
I have given these examples of the work of Australian Red Cross to give you some insight into what is potentially possible in other countries and in other parliaments.
In my experience most people enter public life and their national parliaments wanting to build a better world.
International Humanitarian law and the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is profoundly dedicated to this goal of a better world, and the opportunities for us to work together between Parliaments and National Societies are considerable.
We look forward to working with you on this important subject, even more effectively as we build our auxiliary relationship with your parliaments.