Abstract

The characters of wars are changing. It has evolved from controlling territories as described by Clausewitz to the maintenance of law and order and defence of the community, frequently against threats from their government or other citizens. In such a situation, “humanitarian interventions” have become the new way of violating the sovereignty of other countries. Theoretically, such military actions are a last-ditch attempt to give mankind some breathing room. It is one of the few exceptions to the art. 2(7) of the UN Charter, which prevents intervention into the domestic affairs of other countries. However, there are no international law or conventions which decides what comprise “humanitarian behaviour”. Such interventions have been UN sanctioned, decision of the sovereign countries and coalition of nations. The sovereign decision of the countries can be categorised into five types, which includes: when the powerful countries have intervened in support of the target government, when the interventions happen in a neutral manner to the target government, when the intervening forces are against the target government, when the countries impose crippling economic sanctions on others from their domestic legislatures, intervention through cyber operations. Cyber intervention and intervention through economic means are new forms of intervention. However, almost all these forms of humanitarian interventions have increased human rights violations. So, it has become an international necessity to determine what constitute, “humanitarian” in international law, and appropriate changes has to be bought to the international organisation so that the voices of the Global South are heard and such organisations shouldn’t become the political playground of some countries.

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