The Responsibility to protect principle in shaping international military intervention: the case of Syria

Abstract

The study looked at the responsibility to protect (R2P) principle in shaping international military intervention with particular reference to Syria. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology and a case study research design. Three key respondents were drawn from the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the basis of their previous experiences in various United Nations peace keeping missions. The findings of the study indicated that the R2P was important as it was saving lives of Syrian civilians who continue to die as a result of the protracted conflict. The study further established that the causes of the Syrian conflict were motivated by social, economic, political and religious factors. Self-interests of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members in the Syrian conflict were one of the major reasons why both humanitarian and military interventions under R2P have failed. The divisions among the Permanent Members of the UNSC has resulted in the selective application of the R2P norm at the expense of fostering peace in Syria. The study recommended that there was greater need for the United Nations to urgently invoke military intervention under the R2P in order to end the mass atrocities in Syria. Furthermore, there is need to reform the UNSC as its current structure clearly places disproportionate amount of power and influence over the actions of the international community in the hands of a few powerful nations.