Humanitarian Intervention and Safety Zones: Iraq, Bosnia and Rwanda

Neither willing to engage in a meaningful way to save targeted civilians in Iraq, Bosnia and Rwanda nor stand entirely aside as massive violations of humanitarian law occurred, states embraced safety zones as a means to 'do something' whilst avoiding being drawn into open warfare.Humanitarian Intervention and Safety Zones: Iraq, Bosnia and Rwandaexplores why and how effectively safety zones were implemented as a way to protect civilians and displace persons in three of the most important conflicts of the 1990s. It shows how states consistently sought to reconcile their political and humanitarian interest, a process which often led to problematic and ambiguous outcomes, and assesses in fascinating detail the difficulties and controversies surrounding the use of such zones, variously called safe havens, safe areas, secure humanitarian areas, andzones humanitaires sures. The book also asks whether or not such zones could serve as precedents for possible future attempts to ensure the safety of civilians in complex humanitarian emergencies.