The International Committee of the Red Cross in internal armed conflicts : is neutrality possible? / Rajeesh Kumar

Includes bibliographical references

1. Introduction -- 1.1. The ICRC: Origin, Mandate and Principles -- 1.2. Changing Nature of War and Its Impacts on Humanitarianism -- 1.3. Methodology -- 1.4. Structure of the Book -- References -- 2. 'Between States and Insurgents': The ICRC in Internal Armed Conflicts -- 2.1. Rules of Internal Armed Conflicts: History and Practice -- 2.2. The ICRC and the Internal Armed Conflicts -- 2.2.1. Early Tears -- 2.2.2. Washington Conference to the End of Second World War -- 2.2.3. The ICRC in Post-Cold War Internal Armed Conflicts -- 2.3. Customary International Law and Internal Armed Conflicts -- 2.4. Conclusion -- References -- 3. The ICRC and the Armed Conflict in Sri Lanka -- 3.1. Armed Conflict in Sri Lanka: An Overview -- 3.2. Regional and International Responses -- 3.3. Eelam War IV and the Humanitarian Catastrophe -- 3.4. The ICRC in the Sri Lankan Armed Conflict -- 3.5. Eelam War IV (2007-2009) and Post-War Relief Operations -- References -- 4. The ICRC in Darfur Conflict, Sudan -- 4.1. Armed Conflict in Darfur -- 4.2. Humanitarian Disaster and International Responses -- 4.3. The ICRC in Darfur Conflict -- References -- 5. Conclusion -- 5.1. Major Findings of the Study -- References

This book critically examines the possible dilution of the neutrality principle of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in internal armed conflicts. It begins with the proposition that the intervention of ICRC in internal armed conflicts led to compromises in neutrality, and questioned the autonomy and independence of the organization. The book also argues that the field operations of the international humanitarian organizations during internal armed conflicts are dependent on the authority exercised by the state in whose territory the conflict persists. The ICRC's involvement in Sri Lanka and Sudan provides empirical support to validate these propositions and arguments. The cases also show that for the ICRC, it is hard to be neutral and impartial in situations of internal armed conflicts and such conflicts present formidable challenges to maintain its organization autonomy as well