International Humanitarian Law

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• What is War?
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What is War?

War can be defined in a variety of ways.

War: "strife usually between nations conducted by force; state of open hostility and suspension of ordinary international law prevalent during such strife" (Oxford Concise Dictionary)

International Humanitarian Law divides the definition of war into two categories- international armed conflict and non-international armed conflict.

International armed conflict is characterized as war between two or more States, where there is a clear border dividing these States.

Non-international armed conflict happens between opposing groups within a single country.

Both of these types of conflict are considered war in international law, and both are governed by the rules of international humanitarian law.

War can also be defined by personal experience:

Mahesh, Sri Lanka - "The war affects us directly and indirectly . . . whatever we do, wherever we go, it is with us. We cannot escape from its reach. Like a rubber ball pushed under water, it will surface again and again".

A woman's perspective - "War is destruction . . . our children are lost . . . our husbands gone . . .we have nothing . . .our houses destroyed . . . what more can I describe?"

Posted February 1, 2008