Where is R2P grounded in international law? Anne-Marie Judson A ...

military warfare then the civilian population is still entitled to protection under
international law. This means that all steps necessary will be taken to ensure that the
release of dangerous forces will not affect the surrounding areas populated by
civilians. 287
PRECAUTIONS AND PREVENTION TOOLS
The parties to a conflict must ensure that legal advisors are available when necessary
to advise military commanders at the appropriate level on the application of the
Geneva Conventions and appropriate instruction must be given to all the armed
forces on this subject. 288 Other precautions include providing reliable information to
those who are in charge of military attacks so that objectives do not involve attacking
civilians or civilian objects. Those that are in charge are required to do everything
feasibly possible to ensure that the objective attack is neither near civilians nor civilian
objects. The means and methods of attack must take into consideration avoidance of
incidental loss of life, injury and damage to civilian objects or a combination of these.
Where there is a choice between objectives, the one that causes the least danger to
civilians and their objects should be chosen. 289 These rules apply to ground control as
well as attacks from the sea and air. Parties to the conflict will avoid locating military
objects in densely populated areas, 290 attacking non-defended localities 291 or
extending operations into demilitarized zones. 292
Civil defence organisations are protected under this Convention. This includes their
buildings, materials, and their personnel. They must be ensured respect and be
protected at all times. They must be allowed to carry out their tasks except in cases of
imperative military necessity. 293 In occupied areas or territories civilian civil defence
organisations must receive from the authorities the facilities necessary for the
performance of their tasks. The occupying power must not change the structure or the
287 Article 56.3 page 21
288 Article 82 page 33
289 Chapter iv article 57 (2) page 22
290 Articles 57 2 (b) and c, 57 (5), and 58, page 22
291 Article 59 (1) to 59 &) page 23
292 Article 60 pages 23 to 24
293 Article 62, page 25
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