CONSTANT BOMBING ISOLATES COMMUNITIES
The destruction of essential infrastructure by explosive weapons has exacerbated needs in areas far from medical facilities that are dependent on transport systems, and where resources are often centralized in a single shop. Anna-marie Robertson and Anne Delorme.
Two years after the escalation of the war in Ukraine, more than 25 per cent of the country's territory has been bombed — causing some communities to be effectively isolated. What does this mean for the civilian population?
The urbanization of warfare and systematic use of explosive weapons in populated areas have become an increasingly common trend in modern-day armed conflicts. Ukraine is no exception. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) estimates that more than 90 per cent of the 29,330 civilian casualties recorded in the country have been killed or injured because of explosive weapons. And Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) reports that 95 per cent of civilian casualties in Ukraine have occurred in populated areas.
The effect of explosive weapons is often associated with large urban centres, which are densely populated and contain extensive networks and infrastructure. However, smaller towns, villages and cities also face specific direct and indirect effects when explosive weapons are used in these populated areas.
In some hard-to-reach areas in Ukraine closer to the front lines — such as Kharkiv and Donetsk Oblasts in the east, or Mykolaiv and Kherson Oblasts in the south — the frequency of bombings and the extent of contamination by explosive remnants of war have isolated communities from the rest of the world, exacerbating humanitarian needs.
In addition to the disastrous effects on civilian lives, the constant shelling and bombing of smaller towns and villages and the extensive
risk of explosive ordnance contamination have limited humanitarian access and created a feeling of “invisible threats” within communities, forcing civilians to reduce or interrupt their movements, to stop cultivating their land, or to cease their social, economic or professional activities.
Similarly, the destruction of essential infrastructure by explosive weapons has exacerbated needs in areas far from medical facilities that are dependent on transport systems, and where resources are often centralized in a single shop. In parts of the country under constant attack, civilians have no electricity, gas or water, limited mobile data and internet access, and are dependent on generators to meet their basic needs. Food and non-food items are also in limited supply.
In those populated areas close to the front lines, most of the inhabitants have been evacuated or have fled the fighting. However, not everyone has been able to leave and seek refuge elsewhere. For example, a large number of older people and people with disabilities have remained despite the relentless air strikes, either because they were reluctant to leave or
because they were unable to do so.
More than two years since the invasion, it has become vital that the urgent needs of civilians in such difficult contexts be addressed. As a leader on the international stage, how can Canada help?
Canada has been a strong advocate for the protection of civilians in conflict settings. From the Ottawa Treaty to the Oslo Convention, it has spearheaded the adoption of new international norms and played a pivotal role in opposing the use of indiscriminate means of warfare. And in November 2022, after a three-year diplomatic process, it endorsed the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA).
The Political Declaration on EWIPA sets out important, specific humanitarian commitments. It addresses the restriction on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and the review, development or improvement of military policies and practices. It also underlines the importance of providing adequate humanitarian assistance to affected populations and communities, considering the complex
challenges associated with contexts where explosive weapons are being used. But much remains to be done to effectively operationalize its provisions.
Canada must ensure full compliance with and respect for international humanitarian law and should, among other things, revise or develop new policies and practices to establish clear limits on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas to avoid civilian harm, recognizing that there is a direct relationship between the use of explosive weapons and the risk of harm posed to civilians and civilian objects.
Canada should also use all diplomatic means at its disposal to guarantee rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access to affected areas.
On the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, and at a time when explosive weapons have direct and indirect effects on people and communities, which will continue to evolve, it is more important than ever.