The document discusses the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, which holds that sovereign states have a primary responsibility to protect civilians from mass atrocities, but this responsibility shifts to the international community if the state is unable or unwilling to protect its population. It provides examples of conflicts in Burma, Darfur, and Palestine where R2P applies but has not been fully implemented. It calls on individuals and churches to raise awareness of R2P and put political pressure on governments to uphold their responsibility to protect civilians in armed conflicts.

1. Churches, peace and protection for civilians in armed conflict Refugee and Migrant Sunday 2007

2. 1. Churches, peace and protection

3. and giving refuge to those fleeing violence has always been a central concern of the churches. Protecting civilians in armed conflict

4. But as Christians, we ask: What action should be taken to protect human life?

8. 2. Birth of a new Concept

9. In 2001, the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches began to explore these questions, seeking “an ecumenical ethical approach” to the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

10. The International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty also set out to answer these difficult questions in 2001.

11. After consulting with peacemakers, global leaders and parties to conflicts all over the world, the commission published a groundbreaking report entitled:

18. 3. From words to action: implementing the R2P doctrine

19. Unfortunately, just because a new framework for protecting civilians in armed conflict has been adopted by the international community, there is no guarantee it will always be effectively implemented.

20. For example, R2P is applied on a case by case basis. This means that when a violent conflict arises or is about to arise, it must first be identified by the United Nations Security Council, and then the member countries must agree on how best to apply the R2P framework.

21. Age-old international politics and conflicting national interests can easily interfere in this process and can cause the R2P doctrine to be implemented poorly, or not at all.

22. When this happens, it is up to everyday people all over the world , to put pressure on their home government to uphold its responsibility to protect, as a member of the international community.

23. For example, the conflicts in Burma (Myanmar), Darfur and Palestine all engage the responsibility to protect doctrine. Yet the genocidal violence in Darfur, war crimes in Burma, and mass human suffering in Palestine persist, despite international outrage.

27. In all of these cases, it is now up to the people in democratic countries like Australia, to use their voices and their votes to ensure that their government recognizes and acts on its responsibility to protect, and uses its diplomatic and economic relationships to encourage other countries to do the same.

28. 4. What specific action does R2P call for?

32. 4. What can I do as an Australian, and as a member of the Global Christian Community?