Section 70p. 70

PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW COMPENDIUM VOLUME II

(a) such personnel and such units are permanently

assigned and exclusively devoted to the performance of

any of the tasks mentioned in Article 61;

(b) if so assigned, such personnel do not perform any

other military duties during the conflict;

(c) such personnel are clearly distinguishable from the

other members of the armed forces by prominently

displaying

the

international

distinctive

sign

of

civil

defence, which shall be as large as appropriate, and such

personnel are provided with the identity card referred to

in Chapter V of Annex I to this Protocol certifying their

status;

(d) such personnel and such units are equipped only with

light individual weapons for the purpose of maintaining

order or for self-defence. The provisions of Article 65,

paragraph 3 shall also apply in this case;

(e) such personnel do not participate directly in hostilities,

and do not commit, or are not used to commit, outside

their civil defence tasks, acts harmful to the adverse Party

(f) such personnel and such units perform their civil

defence tasks only within the national territory of their

Party.

The non-observance of the conditions stated in (e) above

by any member of the armed forces who is bound by the

conditions prescribed in (a) and (b) above is prohibited.

2.

Military

personnel

serving

within

civil

defence

organizations shall, if they fall into the power of an

adverse Party, be prisoners of war. In occupied territory

they

may,

but

only

in

the

interest

of

the

civilian

population of that territory, be employed on civil defence

tasks in so far as the need arises, provided however that, if

such work is dangerous, they volunteer for such tasks.

3. The buildings and major items of equipment and

transports of military units assigned to civil defence

organizations

shall

be

clearly

marked

with

the

international

distinctive

sign

of

civil

defence.

This

distinctive sign shall be as large as appropriate.

4.

The

matériel

and

buildings

of

military

units

permanently assigned to civil defence organizations and

exclusively devoted to the performance of civil defence

tasks shall, if they fall into the hands of an adverse Party,

remain subject to the laws of war. They may not be

diverted from their civil defence purpose so long as they

are required for the performance of civil defence tasks,

except in case of imperative military necessity, unless

previous arrangements have been made for adequate

provision for the needs of the civilian population.

Section II. Relief in Favour of the Civilian Population

Art 68. Field of application

The

provisions

of

this

Section

apply

to the civilian

population

as

defined

in

this

Protocol

and

are

supplementary to Articles 23, 55, 59, 60, 61 and 62 and

other relevant provisions of the Fourth Convention.

Art 69. Basic needs in occupied territories

1. In addition to the duties specified in Article 55 of the

Fourth

Convention

concerning

food

and

medical

supplies, the Occupying Power shall, to the fullest extent

of the means available to it and without any adverse

distinction, also ensure the provision of clothing, bedding,

means of shelter, other supplies essential to the survival

of the civilian population of the occupied territory and

objects necessary for religious worship.

2. Relief actions for the benefit of the civilian population

of occupied territories are governed by Articles 59, 60, 61,

62, 108, 109, 110 and 111 of the Fourth Convention, and by

Article 71 of this Protocol, and shall be implemented

without delay.

Art 70. Relief actions

1. If the civilian population of any territory under the

control of a Party to the conflict, other than occupied

territory, is not adequately provided with the supplies

mentioned

in

Article

69,

relief

actions

which

are

humanitarian and impartial in character and conducted

without any adverse distinction shall be undertaken,

subject to the agreement of the Parties concerned in

such relief actions. Offers of such relief shall not be

regarded as interference in the armed conflict or as

unfriendly acts. In the distribution of relief consignments,

priority shall be given to those persons, such as children,

expectant

mothers,

maternity

cases

and

nursing

mothers, who, under the Fourth Convention or under this

Protocol, are to be accorded privileged treatment or

special protection.

2. The Parties to the conflict and each High Contracting

Party shall allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded

passage

of

all

relief

consignments,

equipment

and

personnel provided in accordance with this Section, even

if such assistance is destined for the civilian population of

the adverse Party.

3. The Parties to the conflict and each High Contracting

Party which allow the passage of relief consignments,

equipment and personnel in accordance with paragraph

2:

(a)

shall

have

the

right

to

prescribe

the

technical

arrangements,

including

search,

under

which

such

passage is permitted;

(b)

may

make

such

permission

conditional

on

the

distribution of this assistance being made under the local

supervision of a Protecting Power;

(c) shall, in no way whatsoever, divert relief consignments

from the purpose for which they are intended nor delay

their forwarding, except in cases of urgent necessity in

the interest of the civilian population concerned.

4.

The

Parties

to

the

conflict

shall

protect

relief

consignments and facilitate their rapid distribution.

5. The Parties to the conflict and each High Contracting

Party concerned shall encourage and facilitate effective

international co-ordination of the relief actions referred to

in paragraph 1.

Art 71. Personnel participating in relief actions

1. Where necessary, relief personnel may form part of the

assistance provided in any relief action, in particular for

the

transportation

and

distribution

of

relief

consignments; the participation of such personnel shall

be subject to the approval of the Party in whose territory

they will carry out their duties.

2. Such personnel shall be respected and protected.

3. Each Party in receipt of relief consignments shall, to the

fullest

extent

practicable,

assist

the

relief personnel

referred to in paragraph 1 in carrying out their relief

mission. Only in case of imperative military necessity may

the activities of the relief personnel be limited or their

movements temporarily restricted.

4. Under no circumstances may relief personnel exceed

the

terms

of

their

mission

under

this

Protocol.

In

particular

they

shall

take

account

of

the

security

requirements of the Party in whose territory they are

carrying out their duties. The mission of any of the

personnel who do not respect these conditions may be

terminated.

Section III. Treatment of Persons in the Power of a Party

to the Conflict

Chapter I. Field of application and protection of persons

and objects

Art 72. Field of application

The provisions of this Section are additional to the rules

concerning

humanitarian

protection

of

civilians

and

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