Topic: Reducing the use of Indiscriminate Weapons in Conflict
Country: France
Delegate Name: Kathleen Stattelman
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All France position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
It is considered by customary international humanitarian law that military objectives only can be legally targeted by parties to a conflict. Therefore, indiscriminate weapons, instruments defined as being incapable of distinguishing between civilian and military targets, are inherently illegal worldwide. Yet, modern conflicts often constitute combat between state and non-state actors. This creates a gray area in the legality of weapons that could have devastating effects on civilian livelihood and the overarching prosperity of a nation.
The use of indiscriminate weapons in international conflict is an issue that France is dedicated to in deliberating a solution that will make for universally cohesive understanding, and thus expedite peace and civilian safety. Indiscriminate weapons have created grave mass destruction to places in times of war. France recognizes that this matter is one humanitarian importance, as currently, civilians in warring nations such as Syria and Sudan, are being killed. The underlying objective is to protect these people from such weapons.
In doing so, France believes the first matter is to eliminate the ‘gray area’ that makes the use of certain indiscriminate weapons possibly legal. Given that disputes between state and non-state actors constitute for many of the conflicts in our world, there needs to be laws that addresses the use of these weapons regardless of the classification of the conflict, or law that is inclusive of a range of types of conflict. The use of indiscriminate weapons should not be protected by loopholes and discontinuity within international law. France urges the UN to address the separate contexts of conflict and work to create comprehensive prohibition for the use of indiscriminate weapons that are not currently prohibited by a treaty. To do this, we must first have our world leaders come together and agree on a workable definition for indiscriminate weapons. Given the use of such instruments is popular among all actors in conflict, equal effort must presented in eliminating them from all directions. This could be done by eliminating their physical presence, reducing the manufacturing, and stemming their flow. As soon as conflict breaks out, the availability of these weapons should be addressed immediately, the acquisition on parts of all parties of such weapons should be reduced, or eliminated. The sale or trade of such weapons should be addressed by national authority as well and international. By these means, France hopes that the effects of war will have a greatly reduced effect on non-combatants as well as reduce the severity of socio-economic detriments created from the effects of conflict. France looks to the support of all members of NATO and the European union on this subject and hopes that a resolution can be created to mend these issues.
