An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2020 www.dfmagazine.ie 8 | BY MAEBH BUTLER, IRISH RED CROSS DEFENCE FORCES TO HOST INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN L AW COMPETITION O n 28th March 2020, the Irish Red Cross, in collaboration with the Defence Forces, will hold the Corn Adomnáin at Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin. The competition has previously been held at Griffith College, Dublin; Queen's University Belfast; University College Dublin; and the Criminal Courts of Justice. Now in its sixth year, the Corn Adomnáin is an annual interna- tional humanitarian law (IHL) competition organised by the Irish Red Cross. The competition will see a number of students from legal backgrounds represent their university or institution in a series of challenging scenarios, including role play, a moot court, and video simulations, that will require the competitors to make decisions under pressure while keeping within the confinements of IHL. Simply put, IHL is the law of war, and stems largely from the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols, as well as customary international law and treaties. Last year's commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions included an Irish Red Cross event at the Mansion House, Dublin, in October, at which an invigorating panel discussion was opened by President Michael D Higgins, who gave a thought-provoking analysis of the current state of affairs. The panel, comprising Michiel Hofman of Médecins Sans Fron- tières (MSF), Col Jerry Lane (Director of the Defence Forces Legal Service), and Dr Helen Durham of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), spoke at length about the challenges facing the international community in ensuring respect for IHL in a world where conflict is rapidly changing. Issues highlighted included new technology used in conflict, the increase in urban and protracted conflicts, and the impact of 'anti-terrorist' legis- lation on the humanitarian sector. On the back of this discussion, the theme of Corn Adomnáin 2020 will be modern warfare. As the international community confronts such challenges, the Corn Adomnáin acts as an impor- tant space for students to explore IHL and to understand how the law works in reality, and its constant need to adapt with society. While one may not immediately associate Ireland with IHL, it is worth noting that the Irish people have a long and proud his- tory regarding the promotion of law in conflict. The Corn Adom- náin derives its name from the Cáin Adomnáin, also known as the Law of Innocents, a treaty promulgated in Birr, Co Offaly, in 697AD. The aim of the Cáin Adomnáin was to protect church property and those deemed to be 'innocent', namely women, children and clerics, during conflict. The law was one of the first to seek protection for non-combatants in war and is evidence of the Irish people's longstanding humanitarian efforts. The 2018 edition of the Corn Adomnáin took place in Queen's University Belfast, which added another layer of relevance to the competition as it allowed students from both sides of the border to engage with IHL in a city that represents a significant part of Ireland's relationship with conflict. This year's location, Cathal Brugha Bks, will add another inter- esting thread to the competition as participants will be engag- ing with IHL issues within a military environment - no doubt bringing IHL out of the classroom and into reality. The unique nature of the Corn Adomnáin not only allows for students to test and hone their skills but also allows the Irish Red Cross the opportunity to promote the work of the movement. One of the aims of the competition is to promote and encour- age respect for IHL and to show the challenges associated with this. In this respect, the location of this year's competition is an- other nod to the importance of ensuring respect for IHL within armed forces, as it gives competitors an opportunity to really

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