Political Dimension

What are the forms of external intervention in conflicts?

A state has the right to make laws on its territory, and other states must respect this right. The UN charter is very clear on this subject. A state or the international community may choose to disregard a state’s sovereignty and intervene in its affairs for various reasons. These interventions can take several forms, ranging from diplomacy to humanitarian aid and even armed intervention.

Diplomatic Interventions

Diplomacy is one of the many measures a state can take to intervene in another state. Virtually every state has embassies or consulates in other countries. Embassy staff members are

appointed by their government to serve as representatives to the government of that country in which the embassy is located.

Diplomacy

Through diplomacy, ambassadors can intervene in the affairs of another country by expressing the position of their government on a given situation or policy. It is up to diplomats to find ways of ending disputes that are in the best interests of the parties involved.

China and Tibet

The conflict between China and Tibet is one is an example of using diplomacy to find solutions. In 1951, China invaded Tibet. Ever since the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s political and spiritual leader has pursued a campaign to raise global awareness of the suffering of his people.

When tensions or conflicts are resolved through diplomacy, treaties can be negotiated by ambassadors and then signed by the head of state. The ground on which the embassy and its diplomats are found enjoy diplomatic

immunity. This means the host country cedes a part of its territory to a foreign country for its embassy.

The host country may not enter this territory without the foreign country’s permission. As a result, when an embassy grants the right of asylum to an opponent of the local regime, it interferes with policies of the host country. On the other hand states have the right to expel ambassadors from the territory.

UN Interventions

The most important institution that monitors international conflicts is the UN. That is because it has 192 members of states, virtually every country on the planet. It ensures that the principles of collective security are respected. The UN may intervene in various ways in zones of tension and conflict. It first employs diplomacy. The UN can impose economic sanctions or deploy Peacekeepers.

Military Intervention

It is the UN that must give its consent for any external military intervention.

The reasons that might warrant a country’s military intervention in a zone of tension or conflict are not clearly defined. It all depends on the opinion of the international community and the level of influence exerted by the country or countries that want to intervene in the affairs of another state.

Since the UN Security Council heads all military related decisions, the state or states that wish to lead a military intervention in another country try to have their actions ratified by this authority.

Quite often, states justify their interventions in foreign countries by invoking protection of the local population, but sometimes their real intensions are hard to determine. NATO interventions are almost always approved.

The Security Council is comprised of 15 members of which 5 are permanent members: France, China, Russia, the UK and the U.S. To be accepted decisions must receive at least 9 affirmative votes including votes from all 5 permanent members; however only unanimous votes will have full legal value.

Upon the request of the international community, the UN can mandate one or more states to conduct a military intervention in a country if the government fails to ensure the protection of its citizens. In such cases the UN invokes the “responsibility to protect” AKA humanitarian interference.

The International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a UN created institution that began activities in 2002. It is a permanent court whose role is to judge the crimes committed in a state that is either unable or unwilling to judge them itself. ICC judges come from the 106 countries that recognize its authority. China, Israel, Russia and the U.S. do not recognize the ICC.

As of May 2009 there were 4 ongoing investigations involving: Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and the Sudan.