5cjxburmr

has the right to commence his or her duties. 555 Where the Detaining Power refuses to approve aPOW elected by fellow POWs, it must inform the Protecting Power of the reason for suchrefusal. 5569.24.3 Duties of POW Representatives. The POW Representatives are entrusted withrepresenting the POWs before the military authorities, the Protecting Powers, the ICRC, and anyother organization that may assist them. 557 POW Representatives shall further the physical,spiritual, and intellectual well-being of POWs. 558The POW Representative’s general duties imply that the POW Representatives willundertake a variety of activities to ensure that POWs receive proper treatment by the DetainingPower and to advance their welfare, even activities that are not specified in the GPW asconstituting their duties.9.24.3.1 POW Representatives and Mutual Assistance Among POWs. Inparticular, where the POWs decide to organize among themselves a system of mutual assistance,this organization will be within the province of the POW Representative, in addition to thespecial duties entrusted to him or her by other provisions of the GPW. 5599.24.3.2 Other Specific Duties. In addition to the general duties that the GPWimposes on the POW Representative, the GPW also imposes specific duties on POWRepresentatives in three areas: (1) relief activities; (2) relations between the POWs and theauthorities; and (3) verification that the guarantees provided under GPW are respected. 560The POW Representative’s duties in relation to relief activities include:• assisting in the transport of the POWs’ community property and luggage in cases oftransfers of POWs; 561555 GPW art. 79 (“Every representative elected must be approved by the Detaining Power before he has the right tocommence his duties.”).556 GPW art. 79 (“Where the Detaining Power refuses to approve a prisoner of war elected by his fellow prisonersof war, it must inform the Protecting Power of the reason for such refusal.”).557 GPW art. 80 (“In all places where there are prisoners of war, except in those where there are officers, theprisoners shall freely elect by secret ballot, every six months, and also in case of vacancies, prisoners’representatives entrusted with representing them before the military authorities, the Protecting Powers, theInternational Committee of the Red Cross and any other organization which may assist them.”).558 GPW art. 80 (“Prisoners’ representatives shall further the physical, spiritual and intellectual wellbeing ofprisoners of war.”).559 GPW art. 80 (“In particular, where the prisoners decide to organize amongst themselves a system of mutualassistance, this organization will be within the province of the prisoners' representative, in addition to the specialduties entrusted to him by other provisions of the present Convention.”).560 See GPW COMMENTARY 397 (“The role of prisoners’ representatives falls under three main headings: reliefactivities, relations with prisoners of war and the authorities, verification that the guarantees provided under theConvention are being respected.”).561 Refer to § 9.29.3.4 (Disposition of Community Property and Remaining Property).587