Responsibility Of Protection For Civilians - 1119 Words

Responsibility to protect (R2P) is a less than straightforward policy which states that nations are obligated to protect their citizens from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing; further, the international community has permission to act to help other nations when governments are incapable or neglectful of protecting their citizens. I was first introduced to the R2P doctrine in SISU 280 International Organizations and it relates daily to the work I do at Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC). CIVICs mission is to improve protection for civilians caught in conflicts around the world. CIVIC staff advise international organizations, governments, militaries, and armed non-state actors to adopt†¦show more content†¦Yet the Obama Administration seems reticent to act in defense of Syrians under R2P. When making the case for airstrikes, he has stressed the need to enforce the worldwide ban on the use and production of chemical weapons. â€Å"When there’s a breach this brazen of a norm this important, and the international community is paralyzed and frozen and doesn’t act, then that norm begins to unravel,† Obama warned in a news conference at the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg (â€Å"Remarks by President Obama in a Press Conference at the G20†). While the Syrian conflict has metastasized and garnered further international attention, the United States has not rallied the international community to help civilians. Of course, as my International Organizations instructor mentioned, R2P is not the only tool the administration has to address gross human rights violations. International officials say their policy is to work aggressively to stop such crimes, though not necessarily through the prism of R2P. Asked about the doctrine at her July confirmation hearing to be ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power said it is â€Å"less important, I think, than U.S. practice and U.S. policy, which is that when civilians are being murdered by their governments or by non-state actors, it’s incumbent on us to look to