Opinio Juris » Blog Archive » Colombia Admits Soldier Used Red Cross Symbol in Hostage Rescue

Colombia Admits Soldier Used Red Cross Symbol in Hostage Rescue

by Julian Ku

It looks like Duncan’s analysis of the potential problem in the Betancourt hostage rescure was on target. Bloomberg reports:

A Colombia soldier wore a Red Cross emblem during the rescue of 15 hostages earlier this month, President Alvaro Uribe said.

Uribe, who apologized for the use of the symbol, said the move wasn’t sanctioned by the government and the soldier did it because he feared for his life.

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July 16th, 2008 - 3:24 PM EDT | Trackback Link |

http://opiniojuris.org/2008/07/16/colombia-admits-soldier-used-red-cross-symbol-in-hostage-rescue/

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Well, fear for one’s life does not sound like a sufficient excuse. Next time FARC will think twice before NOT shooting at people wearing protective signs. Good job in enforcing IHL, colombians.

7.17.2008
at 3:21 am EST passer-by
Better a single soldier’s intentional disregard for the logo than an entire nation’s. That is, of course, assuming Colombia is being honest about this, which isn’t precisely an unchallenged assumption.

7.17.2008
at 11:01 am EST M. Gross

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Colombia Admits Soldier Used Red Cross Symbol in Hostage Rescue

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