International humanitarian law has a brief but eventful history. It was not until the second half of the nineteenth century that nations agreed on international rules to avoid needless suffering in wars-rules they bound themselves to observe in a Convention.

Since then, the changing character of armed conflict and the destructive potential of modern weapons have made necessary many revisions and extensions of humanitarian law in long and patient negotiations.

This Fact Sheet traces the evolution of international humanitarian law and outlines its present- day scope and

L'histoire du droit international humanitaire est brève mais riche en événements. Il a fallu attendre la seconde partie du XIXe siècle pour que les nations se mettent d'accord sur des règles internationales visant à éviter des souffrances inutiles en temps de guerre -règles qu'elles se sont engagées à observer dans le cadre d'une convention.

Depuis lors, en raison des changements survenus dans la nature des conflits armés et dans le potentiel de destruction des armes modernes, il a fallu à de nombreuses reprises modifier et développer

UNDRO 91/1021

INDONESIA - EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO.1
20 JUNE 1991

1. A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED NEAR THE NORTH COAST OF SULAWESI ISLAND, ABOUT 250 KM WEST OF MANADO TOWN AT 05:18 GMT ON 20 JUNE 1991.

2. MAGNITUDE COMPUTED AT 7.1 ON RICHTER SCALE. PRELIMINARY HYPOCENTER'S LATITUDE 1.2 DEGREES NORTH, LONGITUDE 122.8 DEGREES EAST, ORIGIN TIME 05:18:52.1 UTC, DEPTH NORMAL.

3. NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES RECEIVED AT THIS TIME. UNDRO LIAISING WITH UNDRO/UNDP REPRESENTATIVE IN JAKARTA AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS.

UNDRO 91/1010
USSR - GEORGIAN SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC
EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 1
17 JUNE 91
1. EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 6.3 ON RICHTER SCALE OCCURRED IN GEORGIAN SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC ON 15 JUNE AT OO.59 HRS. LOCATION IS IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA AS THE EARTHQUAKE OF APRIL 91.

2. RED CROSS FIRST ASSESSMENT OF CASUALTIES AND DAMAGE INDICATES 10 TO 15 VILLAGES SERIOUSLY AFFECTED: 7 DEAD, 62 INJURED AND 15,000 TO 25,000 MADE HOMELESS. 455 TENTS, 3,000 BLANKETS AND ONE WHO EMERGENCY HEALTH KIT DISTRIBUTED.

UNDRO 91/0981
AFGHANISTAN FLOODS IN JAWZJAN PROVINCE
UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 1
11 JUNE 1991

1. FLOODS HIT NORTHERN PROVINCE OF JAWZJAN BORDERING USSR END MAY. INITIAL UN ASSESSMENT INDICATES NO LOSS OF LIFE. ESTIMATED 1,000 HOMELESS PERSONS IN WORST AFFECTED VILLAGES OF ARABJAR, CHAKUSH, JABASH KHURT, LAB-E-JAR, QURDA ARIQ, SULTUQ KHORT, AQCHA AND QARA BOYEN. LOSS OF LIVESTOCK AND CROPS BEING INVESTIGATED. FIGHTING IN AQCHA AND INACCESSIBILITY DISTRUPTED CONTINUATION OF ASSESSMENT. UN TEAM FROM TERMEZ, USSR, WILL USE BOAT TO REACH FLOODED AREAS.