In the current 21st century where humans have reached the zenith of
scientific temperament by the advent of technology, we are still unable to let
go of our barbarian nature. The human race and its supposedly glorified history
have been a witness to uncountable wars which have left in their wake some
almost irreparable damage to man and nature. The two World wars fought between a
few power-hungry nations have left almost half the world in poverty.
Realising the horrific effects of this evil leading to the rubble of a city, a
disabled human, a malnourished child and a bloody land, the nations had come
together for the replacement of the League of Nations to formulate the current
United Nations Organisation. Despite an organisation equipped with its special
organs working towards world peace and security, the reality is far from its
requirement. In almost all parts of the world, there are raising tensions among
different nations.
May it be the Afghanistan acquisition or the Indo-Pak and
Indo-China tensions or the rifts in the Middle East or the growing need to
showcase power in North Korea, global peace has acquired the shape of a delicate
glass which upon one trigger can shatter the apparent "world order".
And shatter it did when on 24th February 2022, Russia invaded its neighbouring
country of Ukraine on the pretext of a special military operation amid the
historical tensions between the nations since the year 2014. They say Rome was
not built in a day but it was surely destroyed in one. So was the state of
Ukraine which was converted from one of the most beautiful countries in the
world to a war zone with unrecognizable cities and human dwellings.
The war
which triggered and initiated one of the largest refugee crises that the
continent of Europe has ever witnessed since the Second World War led to the
displacement of almost 8.1 billion people from their homes and their native
country of Ukraine.
The most significant event in the current century has come as a blow to the
already suffering world economies and markets as a result of the global pandemic
covid-19. The timeline of the said event though in process for decades was never
conceived to be put in motion. A war which was never meant to begin in the first
place is still very must active at the current time and is leaving its stained
mark on the international arena and the glaring disability of the United Nations
to control the same.
Historical Background:
A former member of the Soviet Union, Ukraine has remained under the constant
threat of Russia's overbearing control over its affairs right since its
disintegration in the year 1991. Both countries maintained diplomatic ties with
each other after the said disintegration from the Soviets. The beginning of
rivalry started when Ukraine consented to be a signatory to the Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty wherein it agreed to dismantle all the nuclear weapons
which were left in the country as a result of being a former member of the USSR.
In return for such consent, Russia and the other countries namely UK and U.S.A
agreed to uphold and respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine as a country
through the Budapest Memorandum. In the year 1999, Russia by signing the Charter
for European Security reaffirmed the freedom of the participating states to
choose or change the security arrangements and their treaties or alliances with
the other states as a matter of their right.
The regional security threats of Europe led to several countries forming the
Eastern Bloc of the former Soviet Union to join NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation). There is no proof regarding Russia's claim of the Western powers
having pledged to contain the expansion of this treaty and not expand it in the
eastern regions and hence has been a subject of dispute for the countries.
The fall began when Ukraine and Georgia expressed their will to join NATO in the
year 2008 at the Bucharest Summit. Their membership request was eventually
declined by the NATO countries especially the Western European Nations owing to
their concerns regarding aggravating Russia. Russia voiced its opposition to the
NATO countries' affirmative claim of the said countries becoming its members in
the possible future and issued an imperative statement threatening to take every
possible action to avoid such admittance.
November 2013 marked a turning point in the politics of Ukraine when there were
widespread armed protests in its capital of Kyiv against their President Viktor
Yanukovych for his decision of rejecting an association agreement with the EU
(European Union) on account of the pressure exerted by Russia.
In February of 2014, their President flee their country owing to these protests
for his culmination as a consequence of the growing pro-EU and Pro-Russian
unrest in the parts of Ukraine, predominantly the eastern and southern areas of
the country. In March 2014 the Russian troops took control of the Crimean
Parliament and other strategic infrastructure and positions in the area on the
pretext of protecting the rights and voice of the Russians in the area and the
south-east part of Ukraine.
The formal annexation of Crimea by Russia was done by a disputed referendum
where the Crimeans had supposedly voted to join the said country. The crisis led
to the formation of two further separatist states namely the Donetsk and Luhansk
People's Republics which according to Ukraine and NATO were backed by the
Russian military, though Russia denied any such involvement. This increased the
tension between the two countries leading to constant shelling and violence at
the border.
Though the Minsk agreement was an effort to initiate negotiation between the
parties it was unsuccessful at establishing any diplomatic relations between the
countries. In the years 2016 and 2017, NATO and USA deployed armies in Eastern
Europe to establish their position in the continent and to safeguard its members
from possible Russian aggression. In March 2018 the USA not only sold the first
lethal weaponry to Ukraine but also allowed Ukraine to become a member of NATO.
The U.S. intelligence through their data and observations of the Russian force
build-up and movement in 2021 October presupposed the Russian attack on Ukraine.
The said observation of the intelligence was given public and Ukraine access by
the Biden government's decision to reduce the constraints on sharing information
and the said observations regarding the military deployment at the borders. In
December of the same year, the Russian foreign ministry's call to the United
States and NATO to stop any military activity and expansion of NATO toward
Russia by giving membership to Ukraine was rejected by NATO and the U.S.A. with
a threat of economic sanctions on any aggression by Russia.
By the year's end, almost a hundred military troops were deployed to the two
countries borders, the largest one since the Cold War. Putin's order to his
troops for movement to Donetsk and Luhansk resulted in many sanctions on the
Russian regions and the Nord Stream two gas pipelines by the U.S.A. Despite the
glaring pieces of evidence of a possible invasion, the Ukrainian officials
delayed the allotment and mobilization of their forces on the presumption of the
deployment being a power game on the part of Russia.
On 24th February 2022 Russia shocked the entire world by launching a
full-fledged air, land and sea attack on Ukraine- its major cities and military
assets, authorised by their President Vladimir Putin to denazify and
demilitarise Ukraine and stop the alleged genocide of Russians in the attacked
country.
Reason Behind The Invasion: A Russian Perspective:
Geopolitical Reasons:
- NATO can be seen as the protagonist of the war from the Russian perspective. The group of 30 countries with the dominant member being the U.S.A., the arch-rival of Russia is the root cause behind the invasion. The admittance of Ukraine as a member antagonised an already agitated Russia.
- The Russian President viewed this step as an effort to expand the alliance's footprints in Europe which according to the invader is a threat to its security owing to the collective defence policy of the group.
- The invader is of the perspective that Ukraine's admittance is an effort to take back Crimea with the support of the other members of the alliance. Further President Putin is of the view that by the admittance of Ukraine in NATO the alliance has ignored the situation where in the event of Ukraine initiating military operation against the country is the country supposed to go to war against the entire Bloc forming NATO.
- Russia has also shared a draft document to back their claims of the legal security guarantee given by the NATO members as of 27th May 1997 by the guarantee of not deploying any military forces and weaponry on territories in Europe except the ones sanctioned under the draft. Further, the draft also guarantees constriction of any efforts to further expand NATO including the question of Ukraine's membership.
- It is upon the violation and non-compliance of these grounds that Russia in the interest of its territorial integrity and security is forced to take the route of violence.
Economic Reasons:
- Ukraine in recent times had emerged as a country equipped with recent
technology, large markets and a significant industrial output. Given the
said economic advances Russia had sought Ukraine to sign the Eurasian
Economic Community (EAEC) to promote free trade among the countries in the year 2015.
- Refusal of signing the same had further provoked Russia.
International Laws Violated:
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the violation of several
International treaties and agreements which can be studied under the following
heads:
- The United Nations Charter:
- Article 2(4) of the Charter prohibits its members from the use of any
force threatening or violating the territorial integrity or the political
independence of a state. The justification for the exertion of force by
Russia under Article 51 of the Charter is baseless. Article 51 states that
the contents of the charter will not disable the inherent right of an
individual or collective act of self-defence in the situation of an armed attack against a member of the UN.
The requirement justifying the use of force is absent in the current case as
Ukraine did no such act which will classify as an armed attack on Russia. Even
in the presence of the attack on Russia in the territories of Donetsk and
Luhansk, the force will not be justified as the said territories are not members
of the UN. Moreover, they are not qualified as states under international law,
an important prerequisite for state recognition.
- The doctrine of "Jus ad bellum" which dates back to the times of St.
Thomas Aquinas in the 1200s allows the nations the right to war only on the
conditions of self-defence, Article 51 and legal deployment of troops on request. The said
three criteria have not been met by Russia. The expansion of the alliance might
be undiplomatic but was not a direct act of aggression against Russia. Hence
this legally justifies the act of Ukraine as a country to defend itself and
invite help from its diplomatic partners to wade its territorial integrity and
independence.
- Russia's act of providing recognition to the territories of Donetsk and
Luhansk as independent states are violative of the law regarding state secession
and sovereignty in the international arena. International law as a matter of
custom promotes respect among the states for the territorial integrity of the
other states and does not allow the different regions of a state to secede by
declaring their independence from that state.
- The reason for genocide stated by Russia for the invasion is not
justified under the Genocide Convention which defines "genocide" as any
certain or specified actions which are intended to destroy partially or
completely a national, racial, ethical or religious group. There is no
evidence against Ukraine on the commission of any of the specified acts or
specifying its intent to destroy any such group. Even if there was, neither
the UN Charter nor the Genocide Convention legalises the members of the UN to use force to avoid or
remedy such acts of genocide and grievous human abuse.
- The Hague Conventions:
- The Hague Conventions were adopted to contain the methods and means used
during warfare. Certain weapons pose a serious risk to the physical being of
humans and can leave irreparable effects in the wake of their use. The use
of cluster, thermobaric and vacuum bombs by Russia to bomb the cities of Ukraine is
against the said conventions and other humanitarian laws.
- The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons was violated by the
Russian military through the employment of incendiary bombs and phosphorus
munitions. Any proof regarding the use of chemical weapons on the people
defending the territories of Izyum and Mariupol would prove to be a violation of the
convention against the use of chemical weapons.
- The Russian act of bombing UNESCO-recognised cultural sites violates the
Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property. The said bombing on
civilian sites also violates humanitarian laws. To date, almost 53 of the
cultural sites have been destroyed despite the brave efforts of the Ukrainians
to save their cultural artefacts and monuments.
- Russian occupation over the four regions of Ukraine which was done
before the referendums is defined and recognised as a belligerent one under the Hague
Convention of 1899.
- The requirement of the maintenance of public order, and safety with
promotion of compliance of domestic laws of the occupied state or territory
is also not met by Russia.
- The Geneva Conventions:
- Article 3 of the IV Convention of 1949 prohibits inhuman treatment,
especially violence, murder or any kind of cruel treatment and torture
against persons who have taken no active part in the war hostilities. The
Russian disregard for the article was seen by the brutal scenes in the Kyiv
region where the Russian forces left in their wake almost 900 civilian dead
bodies. Bucha
witnessed the largest number of civilian dead bodies with the inhuman sights of
them lying dead on the streets with their bound hands and headshots. Reports
from Chernihiv, Trostyanets and Kherson regions claimed the killing and
torturing of civilians close to 500 in number.
- Article 51 and 52 of the I Protocol Additional of 1977 prohibits
indiscriminate attacks on civilian objects. The blaring violation of the
same was the rubbles of residential, educational and healthcare buildings
including factories. On the 16th of March, the Mariupol theatre witnessed the inhuman
bombing by the Russian forces despite the banner signifying the presence of
civilians specifically children in the theatre.
- Article 27 of the IV Convention of 1949 protects the honour of the women
against any rape, forced prostitution or assault at the time of the attack. The
horrifying violation of the said article was reported by the Ukrainian Ombudsman
with the rape and torture of almost 25 women and girls between the age groups of
14 to 24 years in the basement of houses located in Bucha. The horrific was
extended to the males and boys in Ukraine.
- Article 13 of the III Convention of 1949 prohibits any act which results
in the death or endangers the health of the war prisoners in the custody of
the invader. The Russian violation of the same is based on the claims of
Ukraine stating the shooting and torture of the Ukrainian prisoners of war
by the Russian military.
- Article 49 of the IV Convention of 1949 provides a prohibition against
forcible transfer and deportation of the masses in the occupied territory
(Ukraine) to the territory of the belligerent or invader or the occupying
power (Russia). The witness accounts have reported the forceful deportation
of almost one million Ukrainians to Russia, the majority being women and
children.
- Rome Statute of International Criminal Court:
- Under the said statute a war crime is constituted by any intentional or wilful attack on the civilian population and objects of the occupied territory.
The above-stated digressions by the Russian military do classify under the given
head and are eligible to be tried as the same.
- Russia was a signatory to this statute but withdrew the same in the year
2016. But this does not free it from the jurisdiction of the court by
Ukraine being a signatory or member of the same. The stated fact of
Ukraine's right to bring a legitimate claim to the ICC (International Criminal Court) is backed by
the "Rohingya's genocide" case in Myanmar.
- International human rights laws:
- By the virtue of both the parties in question being the signatories of the
violated act the acts of Russia violate the following Act:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- The Civil and Political Rights Covenant under International law
- The European Convention on Human Rights, and
- The Convention prohibiting torture and other cruel, degrading and
inhuman punishment or treatment towards humans
The acts committed by the Russian military forces violate the fundamental rights
of life and dignity along with the other rights specified in the above
conventions.
International Court Of Justice:
Vladimir Putin and Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria
Lvova-Belova have been issued arrest warrants to their names, by the
International Criminal Court (ICC) as of last Friday. Putin and Lvova-Belova are
accused of committing the war crimes of "unlawful deportation and transfer of
population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the invader's territory
(Russia)" starting on February 24, 2022, according to a statement made by the
ICC.
By the above analysis, we conclude that Russia in brief has committed the crimes
of war, aggression and genocide. The veto membership of Russia prevents any
action on the part of the Security Council which points towards the failure in
the application of the international laws. An account of the crimes done by
Russia is being taken by the ICC and an independent inquiry commission
associated with the UN. The submission of more than a dozen states to the ICJ
has been made and documented concerning the allegations of genocide laid upon
Russia.
Economic Impact Of The Invasion:
Russia:
- The European Commission has imposed sanctions against Russia and
Belarus restricting and prohibiting bank access and transactions,
participation of the restricted state's companies on EU trading markets and limiting the state's cash
deposits in EU banks. Russian access to crypto-assets has also been limited. The
U.S.A. has imposed sanctions on the Russian Central Bank and banned the import
of their oil. Many companies like Starbucks, Coca-Cola and others have paused
their business for the time being in Russia in response to the invasion.
- The Russian stock market suffered the blows of these sanctions with
a reported fall of about 39%. The Russian currency suffered the same
fate with a record low, the Russians rushed to exchange the rouble. The Russian stock exchanges
witnessed their longest closure in history with a closure of up to a day which
was extended to a week. Borrowing became next to impossible for Russia by the
dumping of their debt funds requiring investment grades as a result of the S&P
Global statement calling the Government credit rating "junk". The imminent fear
of Fitch Rating of Russia defaulting on its debt coupled with a 56% chance of
default on the price of Russia's credit default swaps worsened the credit
situation for the country.
- In its first since the 2014 Crimea annexation the Central Bank of
Russia increased the interest rates to 20% and banned selling of local
securities by foreigners to stabilise the economy. This action was taken to reduce the blaring
risk of the National Wealth Fund disappearing. The next blow came in the form of
divestment by BP (the world's seventh largest oil and Gas Company) the single
largest foreign investor in Russia from Rosneft which made the Russian company a
$25 billion poor. The divestment from the Russian assets by the Norway
Government Pension Fund, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund caused
further loss to the Russian companies and government. The other disinvestments
were done by Shell and Eni, foreign energy companies.
- Russia suffered from the shipment of its containers when the world's
largest shipping company, Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Company suspended the
Russian shipments except for the ones containing the essentials like food. The
worsening economic conditions in the country encouraged the major portion of
their younger tech professionals close to 50,000 to emigrate from the country
which initiated a situation of "brain drain" in the country.
- Cyber-attacks were at an all-time high with hackers from all over
the world trying to disrupt the Russian systems and soft wares. The
glaring effects of the sanctions were visible by the Russian Railway
default on the Swiss Franc bond payment of 268 million dollars. It also
led to the GDP estimate revision by IMF
by 2.5% with the only possible solution being the increase in energy prices for
a short term.
- The sanctions destined to weaken the Russian economy in reality
worked only up to a certain extent in achieving the supposed results.
Russia in answer to the sanctions cut the gas supplies to Europe which
highly depended on it to meet its energy requirements. It established
its position as the largest exporter of wheat in the world. By August
2022, it was back to selling the same amount of oil it had done before
the invasion.
This was possible by shifting the supplies to the willing countries of
the Middle East and Asia. This resulted in an increase in revenue from
$14.6 billion (2021) to $20 billion as a consequence of the increased
price of oil. Russia also benefitted from finding alternative or
new financing and payment options and methods encouraged by the ban on the
previous ones. Despite the budget recording a deficit of 1.45 trillion roubles
as a result of the decline in tax income from fossil fuel exports the country
seemed to fare just fine owing to its condition.
- The country has a difficult path ahead with an estimated cost of
$100 to $200 billion for the reconstruction of the annexed areas. With
the per day cost of the war ranging from $500 million to $1 billion, the
country was reported to have entered recession in November 2022 with a
loss in GDP in the second consecutive quarter.
Ukraine:
By being the country which is being attacked Ukraine suffered more than just the
humanitarian or property loss. The suspension of the currency markets and the
fixation of the official exchange rate by the National Bank of Ukraine was the
beginning of almost self-imposed economic restrictions to deal with the
invasion. The bank also restricted cash withdrawals to $1, 00,000 per day and
completely prohibited foreign currency withdrawals by the people of the general
public. This came in to make the country economically equipped to sustain the
invasion till the monetary help comes in or otherwise.
Trading on the Ukraine Stock Exchange was officially suspended citing the
emergency. The estimates made by the Bloomberg News Service reported on 10th
April 2022 the sharp decline at the estimated rate of 10% in the annual
performance of the Ukraine economy as a result of the invasion by Russia.
India:
- The current invasion has both direct and indirect impacts on the
Indian economy. It pushed the country's crude oil basket from $80 in
2022-23 to $100 in the period of mere six months since the war broke
out in February 2022. Despite the availability of Russian crude oil
at a discounted price, the country's import bill of oil rose by a
whopping 76% in this fiscal to a value of $90.3 billion, almost
720,403 crores in the Indian rupees according to the reported
data of the Ministry of petroleum and natural gas in India. This resulted in a
hike in the petrol and diesel prices in the country.
- Fertilisers suffered a similar fate when the expected rise in the subsidy bill
ranged from 1.1 lakh crores to 2.3-2.4 lakh crores, as reported by the
Fertiliser Association of India. Though the falling potash prices are supposed
to moderate the bill by 25% in the financial year of 2024. Despite the expected
fall, the bill is still on an average basis twice that in the last five fiscal
years. This increase in the subsidy bill of the government is a result of
maintaining the same price of the fertilizers despite their increase at the
global level owing to the affordability of the same to a majority of the poor
farmers in the country.
- India by the fact of being the second largest importer of the
Russian good have suffered greatly due to a disruption in the supply
chain. The state of the conflict between the countries destabilized
the entire regions disrupting the customary trade routes and
increasing the cost of trading between the countries. This has
affected the availability and price of the good in the country.
- The direct impact of the trade route disrupting supply and
increase in the cost of import of oil coupled with the indirect rise
in the country's subsidy bill led to an Indian consumer price
inflation which is estimated to rise to 6.7% by the end of FY 23
from the last fiscal averages between 4.5 to 5.5 % as stated by the
Reserve Bank of the country. As a result of such inflation and the
driving force to stabilise economic indices, the RBI has hiked the repo rate
almost five times till now which today stands at 6.25%.
- The war also put a stoppage to the various infrastructure
projects carried on by the country in the war-inflicting and
inflicted regions. For example, the country's plan of building a
natural gas pipeline between itself and Russia and increasing
lucrative military contracts with the invader has been put on the
backhand owing to a shift in Russia's priority towards its
requirements.
- The war has also had certain boons for India by increasing its
stand as an emerging world power in global politics with its
successful mission to secure its citizens from the war-inflicted
areas of Ukraine at a time when it was considered almost impossible
by other nations. It has emerged as an effective alternative to
China and a way to control its powers which in the view of the West
can become the next Russia. This has resulted in an influx of FDI in the
country by large corporations who recognise the potential of its growing market.
India has also started trading with Russia using Indian Rupees instead of the
dollar which has proved to be a stepping stone for the country in emerging rupee
as a globally recognised and dealing currency.
Global Impact:
- Impact on poverty and hunger
The World Bank poverty projection based on the $5.50 per day standard rate,
estimates an increase to 19.8% in Ukraine's poverty rate from the 2021 rate of
1.8%. It also warned of the other models of the UN predictions of the rate
further plunging to 30% with the increase in the severity of the war. The bank
quoted the Centre for Global Development when saying that the continued surge in
food prices could result in an additional 40 million people under the poverty
line.
The IMF quoted similar concerns of a possible risk of unrest in the regions of
Central Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa as a result of the lack of
food security in these areas due to a disruption in the trade route of the Black
Sea through which 90% of the trade was carried out by Ukraine. Moreover, the
destruction of the agricultural fields and other requirements in Ukraine which
exported food grains to a vast number of continents like Egypt depend on these
two countries for 90% of their wheat supply, this extreme adds to the possible
situations of global poverty and hunger. The chances of the situation worsening
in Asia are meagre due to the local supply of wheat in the continent the major
being India.
- Impact on energy trade:
Europe as a continent predominantly depends on Russia to fulfil its energy
requirements. This has resulted in the hike in the prices of European natural
gas as a matter of its scarcity, limited terminals for both import and export
and the requirement for natural gas to be transported in a liquefied form. In
the view of the IMF, such dependence would widen the fiscal and trade deficit of
the rest of Europe coupled with a pressure of inflation in the market. The war
promises to change the world as it has been with changes in the traditional
supply chains, the revolution of the payment method and network, and
transformation in the energy trade and the reserve holdings by the countries.
The reluctance to buy Russian oil first increased the prices of Brent crude oil
but later eased it by the act of the U.S.A. releasing a reserve of almost 1
million barrels of oil for six months. In the view of the International Energy
Agency, the war came as a bane to the energy world which was already suffering
and recovering from the deadly pandemic of covid-19.
- Impact on Commodity trade:
The IMF pointed out the consequential nature of the expanding supply chain
disruptions coupled with an increase in the prices of fuels. The said factors
highly affect the global value chain by increasing the delivery time and cost of
production for the manufacturers due to barriers in the availability of the
parts of the product. Although the two countries combined did not contribute to
more than 3% of world exports and 2% of imports the conflict and the sanctions
imposed to curb the same have disrupted maritime and air freight traffic.
Automotive and electronics stand as the most affected industries having to take
the brunt of disrupted routes between Europe and Asia. The war bars the European
car makers from the supply of the key components such as wiring systems which
are manufactured in Ukraine. This has resulted in a disruption of assembly
lines. It has largely affected the food, construction, petrochemical and
transport industries.
- Impact on services and travel:
The World Bank predicts the likeliness of the war to affect the tourism industry
which is recently recovering from the pandemic. The effect of this will be
observed in countries which largely depend on their tourism for their revenues.
- Impact on debt reservicing and finance:
The higher proportions of debt in the developing and emerging markets to the
extent of 40% of the world GDP has made it difficult for the policymakers to not
only recover from the pandemic but also control the war-inflicted inflation.
Business relations and exposure of the developed economies to the sinking
Russian assets have left an everlasting hole in the pockets of these countries
like France, Italy and others.
Suggestions:
- The current crisis highlights the drawbacks of
international law and the failure of the United Nations,
specifically the Security Council of promoting world peace
and security. The international law though backed by
sanctions has failed in its application due to a lack of
proper executory mechanism. Moreover
in my opinion the countries possessing the veto power are the countries with the
most power in global politics and hence the chances of them being aggressors are
far greater than the others.
Hence an absolute power such as a veto to these
countries will always leave the Security Council hand-tied and helpless. Hence I
would suggest an amendment to these veto powers. A few tangible restrictions
should be placed on the practice of such powers and world peace should be the
dominant intent. Any country including a veto power threatening such peace
should be held responsible by the consensus of the General Assembly.
- The global sanctions imposed on Russia have done greater
harm to the ones imposing them and the general world rather
than Russia. Hence I would suggest an alternative to these
sanctions as an encouragement and a mandate to be included
under international law to solve all disputes through
amicable diplomatic negotiations. The failure to do should
then result in well-planned sanctions as an initial
application of the same can further aggravate the invading
country. In such cases, harmony rather than isolation shall
be adopted to make the invader see sense or at least try to.
- Moreover the nations should regard the violation of the
international conventions with more concern and seriousness.
The lack of which will destroy the very essence of the law
in the first place. Hence I would suggest that the decisions
of the International Court Of Justice regarding matters
concerning crimes against humans and violation of human
rights must apply not only to the parties of the suit but to
all members of the United Nations.
Conclusion:
This war and its adversities is a proof of how far we have come as a global
community and individuals. In the era of nuclear weapons and power politics,
humanity no longer exists and the rights which have been acquired through the
blood of humans are now history. The law is no longer an instrument for social
change but a tool to serve the purposes of power-hungry politicians.
The war has marked its first anniversary this 24th February of 2023. One year of
increased violence, destroyed cities, and loss of lives has led nowhere but to a
glaring threat of a third world war. The happening of which will destroy the
planet itself owing to the presence of nuclear weapons and more.
Humans with their advancement have created new ways of their destruction with
the advent of biological wars in the form of pandemics. If we continue down the
same lane then the institution of war will exist but there will be no humans
left to further it or rather fight it.
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Written By: Krithika Mittal
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