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World Affairs
Mahesh

07/03/22 16:04 PM IST

Humanitarian corridors

In News
  • The United Nations considers humanitarian corridors to be one of several possible forms of a temporary pause of armed conflict.
Details 
  • They are demilitarized zones, in a specific area and for a specific time — and both sides of an armed conflict agree to them.
  • Via these corridors, either food and medical aid can be brought to areas of conflict, or civilians can be evacuated.
  • The corridors are necessary when cities are under siege and the population is cut off from basic food supplies, electricity and water.
  • In cases where a humanitarian catastrophe unfolds because the international law of war is being violated — for example through large-scale bombing of civilian targets — humanitarian corridors can provide crucial relief.
  • In most cases, humanitarian corridors are negotiated by the United Nations.
  • Sometimes they’re also set up by local groups. Since all sides need to agree to set up the corridors, there is a risk of military or political abuse.
  • For example, the corridors can be used to smuggle weapons and fuel into besieged cities.
  • On the other hand, they can also be used by UN observers, NGOs and journalists to gain access to contested areas where war crimes are being committed.
  • Access to humanitarian corridors is determined by the parties to the conflict.
  • It’s usually limited to neutral actors, the UN or aid organizations such as the Red Cross.
  • They also determine the length of time, the area and which means of transport — trucks, buses or planes — are allowed to use the corridor.
  • In rare cases, humanitarian corridors are only organized by one of the parties to the conflict.
  • This happened with the American airlift after the Berlin blockade by the Soviet Union in 1948-1949.

About Corridors 
  • Humanitarian corridors have been put in place since the mid-20th century.
  • For example, during the so-called Kindertransport from 1938 to 1939, Jewish children were evacuated to the United Kingdom from areas under Nazi control.
  • Humanitarian corridors were also created during the 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo, Bosnia and the 2018 evacuation of Ghouta, Syria.

Source- Indian Express

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