Syrian rebels violate protected status of Pinoy peacekeepers

MANILA, Philippines - A group of lawyers advocating international legal norms in Asia and the Philippines on Friday said Syrian rebels who have surrounded Filipino soldiers who are part of the United Nations peacekeepers in the Golan Heights violate the military personnel's protected status under international law.

 

"UN peacekeepers have been deployed not to take part in hostilities as combatants but to maintain international peace and security under the UN Charter,” lawyer Romel Bagares, Center for International Law executive director, said.

 

“They therefore remain protected as civilian non-combatants and are not to be targeted nor taken as prisoners of war by any of the parties to the hostilities," he added.

 

Bagares appealed to the Syrian rebels to respect the Geneva Conventions granting protected status to UN peacekeepers.

 

He noted that the rebels may be prosecuted for war crimes if they insist on ignoring the distinction between peacekeepers and combatants.

 

Bagares said three rebel commanders in Sudan are now being prosecuted before the International Criminal Court for leading an attack on African Union peacekeepers in Darfur.

 

“All persons who are neither members of the armed forces of a party to the conflict are entitled to protection against direct attack unless and for such time as they take a direct part in hostilities," he said.

 

Intentionally directing attacks against a peacekeeping mission is a crime under the Rome Statute, which created the world's first permanent international criminal tribunal.

 

Bagares said it is clear that the Filipino soldiers had been deployed  under the color and authority of the UN and are readily distinguishable from combatants in the conflict for that reason.

 

He added that the Filipino peacekeepers have a recognized right to self-defense under international law and may use force to protect themselves from any attack.