Blocking Humanitarian Assistance: A Crime Against Humanity?
John D. Kraemer, Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya, and Lawrence O. Gostin. "Blocking humanitarian assistance: a crime against humanity?." Lancet 372 (2008): 1203-1205
3 Pages Posted: 13 Aug 2012
Date Written: August 12, 2012
Abstract
Governments have the duty to respect, protect, and fulfill the right to health. During humanitarian emergencies, governments continue to have these duties. When large numbers of people are in grave risk of death or irreparable harm during humanitarian emergencies, governments have an obligation to mitigate that risk or, if they lack the resources, to allow and facilitate assistance from the international community. To block international assistance, as Burma did after Cyclone Nargis, can constitute a crime against humanity under international law.
Keywords: right to health, international law, crime against humanity
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation