The Geneva Convention and the Role of the Chaplain
Introduction to Chaplaincy Ministry Instructor: 201240 Fall 2012 CHPL 500-B03 LUO
The Geneva Convention was a series of treaties signed (1864-1949) in Geneva, Switzerland. These treaties were supposed to define humane treatment of soldiers and civilians in wartime. The first convention, signed by 16 nations, covered the protection of sick and wounded soldiers and medical personnel and facilities. Conventions held in later years extended (1906) the first to naval warfare and covered (1929) the treatment of prisoners of war. During World War II, particularly the conduct of Germany and Japan for their brutal and inhuman treatment of people, four conventions were adopted in 1949.
After reading the Geneva Convention articles concerning the Prisoner of War (POW) guidelines and operations it creates a picture of the prisoners obeying the rules and chaplains is there ministering to the captured soldiers providing them with religious services. But throughout history it has been to be a different picture. The 1991 war between the United States and Iraq is a good example. It's a good thing that there were no report of POW’s because it would wishful thinking that Iraq would honor the Geneva Convention Articles.
According to Article 33 of Geneva Convention concerning chaplains as POW's, when a chaplain is held captured in a POW camp by the Detaining Power they are not consider to be a POW but there to assist the prisoner of war. The Geneva Convention rules, it is valuable for a chaplain to understand that the participating nations believed chaplains were to be afforded specific rights that insured the protection of religious activities, even in a prisoner of war camp. Chapters IV and V specifically deal with the role of
The Geneva Convention was a series of treaties signed (1864-1949) in Geneva, Switzerland. These treaties were supposed to define humane treatment of soldiers and civilians in wartime. The first convention, signed by 16 nations, covered the protection of sick and wounded soldiers and medical personnel and facilities. Conventions held in later years extended (1906) the first to naval warfare and covered (1929) the treatment of prisoners of war. During World War II, particularly the conduct of Germany and Japan for their brutal and inhuman treatment of people, four conventions were adopted in 1949.
After reading the Geneva Convention articles concerning the Prisoner of War (POW) guidelines and operations it creates a picture of the prisoners obeying the rules and chaplains is there ministering to the captured soldiers providing them with religious services. But throughout history it has been to be a different picture. The 1991 war between the United States and Iraq is a good example. It's a good thing that there were no report of POW’s because it would wishful thinking that Iraq would honor the Geneva Convention Articles.
According to Article 33 of Geneva Convention concerning chaplains as POW's, when a chaplain is held captured in a POW camp by the Detaining Power they are not consider to be a POW but there to assist the prisoner of war. The Geneva Convention rules, it is valuable for a chaplain to understand that the participating nations believed chaplains were to be afforded specific rights that insured the protection of religious activities, even in a prisoner of war camp. Chapters IV and V specifically deal with the role of