Explained: What is a ceasefire and when do nations announce it?
Russia unleashed a devastating attack on Ukraine since February 24, shelling cities and closing in on Kiev, the capital. This has caused a mass outflow of refugees. However, after a series of talks between Ukraine and Russia in Western Belarus, a ceasefire was announced on March 8 beginning 12:30 PM IST. Russia's ambassador Vassily Nebenzia has reportedly told the UN Security Council that the country would provide humanitarian corridors to evacuate residents from Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy, and Mariupol.
A ceasefire or truce is a brief halt in a war in which each side agrees to cease offensive acts against the other. In simple words, a ceasefire is an agreement between two sides to put an end to the fighting in order to talk about peace. According to the United Nations, a ceasefire or total cessation of armed hostilities is governed by the same broad rules as an armistice.
The concept existed at least as early as the Middle Ages, when it was referred to as a “truce of God”. Ceasefires can be announced as a humanitarian gesture, a preliminary gesture, that is, prior to a political agreement, or a definitive one, that is, with the goal of ending a conflict. Ceasefires can be announced as part of a formal treaty or as part of an informal agreement between opposing troops
What geographical boundaries are to be maintained in a ceasefire?
The United Nations Peacemaker website, an online mediation support tool developed by the Mediation Support Unit (MSU) in the Policy and Mediation Division of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), says, ‘Ceasefire agreements are usually based on geographical markers around which the respective parties' commitments are anchored.’ These geographical markers may include the following: Lines from which or to which forces are required to withdraw or deploy; assembly points or districts or regions within which forces are required to be confined; de-militarised zones on either side of lines of disengagement or confinement, or elsewhere and the position of monitors.
What is the time table to be followed in a ceasefire?
Time is of major importance in a ceasefire agreement. The parties in question must communicate the particular time of activity and define what is and is not allowed. It is extremely important to indicate whether and when disarmament or decommissioning will occur, as well as how it will happen.
What is meant by verification in a ceasefire?
One of the most essential aspects of the ceasefire is the seizure of arms. According to the UN peacemaker website, "A verification system would generally be called into effect in reference to certifying disarmament, destruction of ordinance, or verifying a mutually agreed reduction, etc. The purpose of a verification team is to provide a mutually agreeable neutral instrument of verification where the parties would be unwilling to allow their enemy to perform that task."
Who takes care of ceasefire violation complaints?
A ceasefire agreement should provide for the investigation and determination of allegations of non-compliance. In this case, the agency in charge of investigating complaints will play an active investigative role and will be forced to establish a conclusion regarding the claimed breach. A complaints system must be equipped with the resources and authority to investigate any complaint. The agreement should state whether the findings should be made public or not.