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The Surprising History of the Human Shield: How Gandhi Inspired This Strategy of Resistance
The concept of human shield was first proposed by India's founding father Gandhi as a non-violent means of resisting oppression when facing powerful forces. The use of civilians as a tactic to protect legitimate military objectives in wars, conflicts, and political struggles has a long and controversial history.
Legal Background
Forcing protected persons to act as human shields is considered a war crime under the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their 1977 Additional Protocols. Law professor Eliav Lieblich once pointed out: "Armed groups bear some responsibility for the harm caused to civilians under their control. However, it is incorrect to think that this can exempt the other party from responsibility." Law professor Adil Ahmad Haque refuted He expressed the view of the US Department of Defense that even civilians forced to make this choice still enjoy legal and moral protection.
"Even innocent civilians should be spared unnecessary and excessive harm."
Examples from the 20th Century
World War I
According to Article 23 of the 1907 Hague Convention, a belligerent may not compel citizens of the enemy's nationality to take part in war against its own country. This means that, in war, forcing civilians to perform military actions is prohibited.
Italian invasion of Ethiopia
During the second significant Ethiopian war, Italian forces systematically bombed medical facilities to combat the Ethiopian state. Italy accuses Ethiopia of using hospitals as bases for concealed weapons.
Arab RevoltDuring the British Mandate of Palestine, British troops often used captured Arab civilians as human shields to prevent further attacks by rebels.
The post-Cold War world
Gulf War
After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Saddam Hussein's government detained hundreds of Western citizens as human shields, intending to intimidate countries involved in the military operation. In a report submitted to the UN Security Council, the US government condemned Iraq for deliberately deploying military weapons in residential areas to protect civilians.
Israel-Palestinian conflict
In many of the conflicts between Israel and Hamas, both sides have been accused of using civilians as human shields. Human rights groups have repeatedly investigated and pointed out that the IDF used Palestinians as shields during operations in an attempt to reduce the consequences of the attacks.
Continuation of the 21st century
In contemporary conflicts, such as the Taliban in Pakistan, the Syrian insurgency and the current conflict in Yemen, there are numerous cases of armed groups and government forces using civilians as human shields, raising ethical and legal questions. Heated discussion.
Gandhi's influence
Gandhi’s strategy of resistance, focused on not responding to violence with violence, inspired countless others who followed. The concept of human shield is not only a strategy in war, but also a support and protection for the vulnerable. How Gandhi's policy of nonviolent resistance, which has historically been proposed, can be reinterpreted in modern conflicts is a question worth pondering.
In this modern society full of complex moral choices, how should we view the use of human shields?
