The International Committee of the Red Cross is calling for greater compliance with the rules of war by states and armed groups around the world. As the ICRC marks the 60th anniversary of the four Geneva Conventions on August 12, the Swiss humanitarian agency warns that many of the laws signed in 1949 to protect civilians and other vulnerable people caught in war are not being respected. The Conventions set out rules governing the conduct of international wars. But since 1949, these wars have increasingly given way to civil conflicts and few of the rules in the Conventions apply to them.
国际红十字会呼吁世界各国以及武装团体更多遵守有关战争法律的规范。星期三在国际红十字会庆祝日内瓦公约签订60周年之际，这个瑞士人道组织警告说，许多在1949年签订，意在保护平民和战俘的法律并没有被遵守。日内瓦公约为国际战争行为设定规范。但是从1949年以来，越来越多战争演变成平民冲突，只有少数的公约条款能够加以规范。
International Committee of the Red Cross President Jakob Kellenberger, says the Geneva Conventions are still relevant. But he agrees that far too many of the laws of war are being violated.
红十字会国际委员会主席克伦贝格尔说，日内瓦公约依然重要，但是他也认为有太多战争法规已经遭到违背。
Although Kellenberger says Red Cross delegates in the field regularly witness violations ranging from the mass displacement of civilians to indiscriminate attacks and ill treatment of civilians, he notes it is not the norm.
克伦贝格尔说，红十字会工作人员经常目睹伤害平民的行为，从大量民众流离失所到对平民没有区别的攻击和恶劣对待，但是他强调这些都不是正常情况。
"I would simply like to say it would be quite a wrong impression if one were to think that the violations are the rule and the respect of the law is the exception," Kellenberger said.
他说，“我想说的是，如果有人认为，违反战争法律是正常的，遵守法律才是特殊例外，这是一个错误的印象。”
Kellenberger says Red Cross delegates intervene in conflicts all over the world and they are instrumental in improving conditions of detention and preventing the forcible return of displaced people to their homes.
克伦贝格尔说，红十字会工作人员对世界各地的冲突进行干预，他们在改善关押条件以及防止流离失所的民众被强迫返回家园方面，发挥重要的作用。
He says more and more armed conflicts are taking place in civilian areas, not in separate battlefields. This not only increases the risk to civilians, he says, but it makes it more difficult to distinguish between combatants and civilians.
克伦贝格尔还说，越来越多的武装冲突发生在平民地区，而不是独立的战场上。这不只增加了平民的风险，也让人很难区分出战斗人员和一般百姓。
Kellenberger says it is vitally important that this distinction be made because a growing number of civilians are being deliberately targeted due to their supposed involvement in hostilities.
克伦贝格尔说，这种区分格外重要，因为有越来越多的平民由于被假设为敌方而成为攻击目标。
"If you are interpreting this concept too widely, far too many civilians become lawful targets," Kellenberger said. "So if you want to maximize the protection of civilians, it is very important to have a very clear and narrow definition of direct participation of hostilities."
他说，“如果你把这样的假设设定太广，有许多平民百姓就成为合法的攻击目标。所以如果要增加对平民的保护，我们就需要对参与战争的敌对双方有一个清楚而明确的界定。”
Kellenberger says he does not think that respect for international humanitarian law has weakened globally. But he acknowledges that in some respects the Geneva Conventions have been undermined since the terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001.
克伦贝格尔说，他不认为全世界减少了对国际人道法律的尊重。但是他承认，自从2001年美国遭到恐怖攻击后，在某些方面，日内瓦公约已经遭到削弱。
Analysts say the relevance of international humanitarian law is supported by the findings of a recent opinion poll that surveyed 4,000 people across eight war-torn countries. The survey indicates that while people believe the Geneva Conventions are important and should be respected, rules of war should be better enforced.
分析人士说，对于国际人道法律执行情况的评估，是依据最近在8个饱受战争蹂躏的国家里对4000名民众所做的民调作出的。民调结果显示，人们相信日内瓦公约很重要，需要遵守，有关战争的法律也需要进一步强化。 |