On an ‘Unvoiced’ Application: Operationalising the Responsibility to Protect in Myanmar
Author
Boll, Sebastian
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2009
Abstract
This thesis examines how the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) can be operationalized in Myanmar. Anchored in the academic debate on humanitarian intervention—including English School perspectives (solidarists and pluralists) as well as realism, constructivism, and the Welsh School—it clarifies R2P’s content, scope, and legal status through analysis of key ICISS and UN documents, and then applies these defined principles to Myanmar to assess feasible pathways for implementation. The analysis concludes that R2P does not yet meet the requirements of a binding legal norm and that there is no majority in the UN Security Council for concerted action on Myanmar. At the same time, many R2P principles are already embedded in international law, enabling an “unvoiced” application outside the Security Council: a combination of carefully targeted sanctions and a substantial increase in development and humanitarian assistance, coupled with intensified dialogue and cooperation among key regional stakeholders (ASEAN, China, India, Japan), international organizations (notably the UN), and Western partners (the U.S. and the EU). Post-cyclone Nargis relief operations are highlighted as an opportunity to initiate these processes and promote change in line with R2P’s aims.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan Responsibility to Protect (R2P) kan operationaliseres i Myanmar. Med udgangspunkt i den akademiske debat om humanitær intervention – herunder engelske skole-perspektiver (solidarister og pluralister) samt realisme, konstruktivisme og Welsh School – afklarer specialet R2P’s begrebsindhold, rækkevidde og retlige status gennem en analyse af centrale ICISS- og FN-dokumenter. Disse principper anvendes derefter på Myanmar for at vurdere, hvilke tiltag der er gennemførlige. Analysen finder, at R2P endnu ikke opfylder kravene til en bindende folkeretlig norm, og at der ikke er flertal i FN’s Sikkerhedsråd for en samlet indsats over for Myanmar. Samtidig påpeges det, at mange R2P-principper allerede er forankret i folkeretten, hvilket muliggør en “uudtalt” anvendelse uden for Sikkerhedsrådet: en kombination af omhyggeligt målrettede sanktioner og en markant forøgelse af udviklings- og nødhjælp, ledsaget af intensiveret dialog og samarbejde med centrale regionale aktører (ASEAN, Kina, Indien, Japan), internationale organisationer (især FN) og vestlige partnere (USA, EU). Hjælpeindsatsen efter cyklonen Nargis fremhæves som en mulighed for at indlede sådanne proceser og fremme forandring i tråd med R2P’s mål.
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