The Responsibility to Protect: The Time Is Now

Abstract

This essay examines the theory of responsibility to protect, particularly as it clashes and melds with the concept of state sovereignty. The shift in focus takes center stage and highlights the progression of the premise that states everywhere are responsible for ensuring that mass atrocities against civilians do not occur, and culpable if they do.

Understanding the dynamics of pursuing reconcilitation and peacebuilding in intractable intergroup conflict situations using multi-track diplomacy: A case study of Somalia's diaspora in Denmark

“…It acknowledges that the protection and well-being of citizens is first of all the responsibility of their government. It is only when, for whatever reason, the latter does not or cannot effectively perform this role or meet up anymore with its obligations to its people, is the international community allowed to step in and offer protection, especially to vulnerable people (Woodward, 2012). Again, this should be done only in cases of serious human rights violations from either the government or rival groups especially when failure to do so leaves people exposed to death or highly dehumanising treatments.…”

“…Though nice-sounding and bearing much hope, the R2P is the subject of controversies and debates ranging from concerns that it is a carefully designed ticket by powerful states to ease their way into others' domains to pursue their interest without hindrance from international laws which impos a strict respect of the independence and sovereignty of all states (Woodward, 2012;Mohamed, 2012). Laws of this nature stopped states, especially powerful ones, from making such interventions unauthorised or uninvited.…”