CONCEPT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT IN THEORY AND PRACTICE

Diplomska naloga obravnava temeljna izhodišča koncepta odgovornosti zaščititi, njegov nastanek in razvoj, vsebinske vidike ter primer uporabe koncepta v praksi. Koncept odgovornosti zaščititi izhaja iz pojmovanja suverenosti kot odgovornosti in določa, da temeljno načelo mednarodnega prava o državni suverenosti vsebuje tudi odgovornost držav, da zaščitijo svoje prebivalstvo pred genocidom, vojnimi hudodelstvi, etničnim čiščenjem in hudodelstvi zoper človečnost. Koncept je utemeljen na treh med seboj povezanih in enakovrednih stebrih. Prvi steber zajema primarno odgovornost držav zaščititi svoje prebivalstvo pred navedenimi grozodejstvi, kar obsega preprečevanje teh zločinov, vključno z njihovim spodbujanjem, s primernimi in potrebnimi sredstvi. Drugi steber poudarja zavezanost mednarodne skupnosti pomagati državam pri izpolnjevanju te odgovornosti. Mednarodna pomoč zajema tri glavne oblike, in sicer spodbujanje, gradnjo zmogljivosti in pomoč državam pri zaščiti njihovega prebivalstva. Prednostna naloga in temelj odgovornosti zaščititi je preprečevanje grozodejstev v okviru prvega in drugega stebra. Kljub temu se lahko zgodi, da države niti z mednarodno pomočjo ne preprečijo najhujših kršitev človekovih pravic, zato je v teh primerih potrebno ukrepanje mednarodne skupnosti. Slednje omogoča tretji steber, ki zajema odgovornost mednarodne skupnosti zaščititi prebivalstvo pred temi grozodejstvi v primeru da države očitno ne izvajajo zahtevane odgovornosti iz prvega stebra. Ker se OZN močno zavzema za dialog in mirno reševanje konfliktov je koncept odgovornosti zaščititi zasnovan predvsem na uporabi širokega spektra miroljubnih sredstev, na katerih temelji preprečevanje grozodejstev. In tudi če slednje ni uspešno, odziv mednarodne skupnosti v okviru tretjega stebra ni nujno vojaške narave, saj so najprej predvidena miroljubna sredstva, in šele če ta ne zadostujejo, pridejo na vrsto prisilni ukrepi, ki vključujejo neoborožene sankcije in uporabo sile kot skrajnega ukrepa, ki jo mora vedno odobriti Varnostni svet OZN. O mednarodnopravnem statusu koncepta kot celote še ne moremo govoriti, kljub temu pa je koncept že močno usidran v obstoječih okvirih mednarodnega prava in lahko govorimo vsaj o mednarodnem pravu in statu nascendi.The present thesis explores a concept of the responsibility to protect, its formation and development, as well as substantive aspects of the concept and its use in practice. The concept of the responsibility to protect derives from the notion of sovereignty as responsibility and provides that fundamental principle of international law on state sovereignty also includes the responsibility of states to protect their populations against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The concept is based on three interrelated and equivalent pillars. The first pillar sets out the primary responsibility of State to protect its population from atrocity crimes, which includes the prevention of such crimes and their incitement, through appropriate and necessary means. The second pillar emphasizes the commitment of the international community to assist States in fulfilling their primary responsibility to protect. The three main forms of international assistance under second pillar are encouragement, capacity-building and protection assistance. Priority and the foundation of the responsibility to protect is the prevention of atrocity crimes, based on the first and second pillar. Nevertheless, there are times when prevention fails and a timely and decisive response by the international community is required. This provides the third pillar which sets out the responsibility of Member States to respond collectively in a timely and decisive manner when a State is manifestly failing to provide such protection. As the United Nations emphasizes a dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts, the concept primarily focuses on the usage of a wide range of peaceful means. Therefore in situations when prevention fails, the response of the international community under the third pillar is first aimed in addressing situations with the appropriate peaceful means. When a State does not respond to diplomatic and other peaceful means the international community can take coercive measures, including unarmed sanctions and the use of force as a last resort, which must always be authorised by the UN Security Council. Although the concept is still best understood as a political commitment, it is important to recognize that emerging trends may see the evolution of a legal duty to respond decisevely to atrocity crimes