Mizzima
On 22 March, the Acting President of the Government of National Unity mandated the Ministry of Defense and all defense and security forces to uphold military ethics and announced a soldier’s code of conduct for all troops.
The announcement is as follows:
Military Code of Conduct for People’s Defense Forces
All People’s Defense Forces shall respect and apply International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL). Violators shall be charged in accordance with existing laws. All commanders are responsible for ensuring that these rules are respected, through monitoring and enforcement.
Soldier’s Rules
- Shall use only necessary force and cause minimum damages when conducting operations.
- Shall protect and respect civilians. Shall spare civilian and civilian objects who are not affiliated with armed conflict, and public properties, buildings and places.
- Shall respect religious and cultural objects and heritages.
- Shall not violate the law of armed conflict or International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Any violation shall be reported to the responsible commander as soon as possible.
- Commanders shall lead by example and command subordinates fairly and without discrimination.
- Shall respect orders and duties given by different chains of command.
- Comrades should cooperate with the spirit of comradeship.
- Shall not discriminate based on race, religion, sex, gender, or belief.
- Shall not use drugs prohibited by existing laws.
- Shall not get involved in any social affairs.
Targeting (Warfare)
- Shall attack only military targets. (A military target contributes to the enemy’s military action by its nature, location, purpose or use and its destruction, capture or neutralization must offer the attacking party a definite military advantage.)
- Shall not threaten and target civilians.
- Shall not target civilian objects, such as schools, hospitals, places of worship, cultural monuments and gathering places where civilians gather.
- Shall not target ambulances, health-care centers, first-aid workers, health-care workers, members of social relief organisations.
- Shall take all feasible precautions to avoid, and in any event minimise, civilian casualties and damage to civilian objects.
- Civilian casualties and damage to civilian objects shall not be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage being gained.
- Shall not use prohibited weapons and engage in unlawful methods of war.
Detention
1.Shall not torture and kill those who lay down their arms and surrender, and not commit cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishments against detainees.
- Shall treat those who lay down their arms and surrender, and detainees with humanity and dignity according to IHI. and human rights law. Shall provide them with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter and medical attention.
- Shall allow detainees to contact family members.
- Shall separate men and women when detained and children from adults, except when families are kept together.
- Shall ensure detainees have the right to information about the reasons for their detention and the right to legal assistance where this is feasible.
- Shall allow impartial humanitarian organisations to visit places of detention.
- Shall not commit summary executions.
- Shall respect the bodies of those who die in detention. Shall keep their records.
Treatment of Civilians
(A civilian is a person who is not an enemy fighter and does not directly take part in the fighting.)
- Shall treat civilians humanely with respect.
- Shall not murder, disrespect, assault, bully, torture and disturb civilians.
- Shall not physically, mentally and sexually assault any civilian.
- Shall pay if civilian facilities/property were used in case of an emergency, depending on the period of usage.
- Shall not force civilians to be labourers and porters.
- Shall not take civilians as hostages or use them as human shields.
- Shall provide assistance and special protection to children, people with disabilities, women, the elderly or any other vulnerable group.
- Shall provide medical care to those wounded and sick as a result of armed conflict.
- Shall allow impartial humanitarian organisations to aid civilian populations affected by armed conflict.
- Shall not detain civilians arbitrarily or by illegal means.
- Shall not forcibly displace civilians unless this is necessary for their own safety or imperative for operational reasons.
Treatment of Women, LGBTIQ and Children
- Shall refrain from sexual ill-treatment, humiliation, sexual exploitation, violence and abuse against women, LGBTIQ and children.
- Shall not barter goods and services in exchange for sexual profits.
- Shall refrain from asking to exchange sexual favours for help.
- Shall not commit six grave violations against acks against schools or hospitals, denial of humanitarian access for children.
- Shall not recruit children under 18 years old, use them to commit acts of violence or other activities that put them at risk.
