Humanitarian Intervention
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Humanitarian intervention is by definition a threat or use of force across state borders aimed at preventing or ending widespread and grave violations of the fundamental human rights of individuals other than its own citizens, without the permission with on whose territory force is applied. The fact that humanitarian intervention uses force in one way or another to accomplish its goals results in it having many similarities to military operations which have goals other than humanitarian relief. However, over the course of history, there are certain characteristics that seem to occur and reoccur in instances of humanitarian intervention.
Due to the fact that most humanitarian efforts are initiated to stop the oppression of one group by another within a states border, it seems as though most humanitarian interventions have begun with or involved an outside country attempting to aid members of the oppressed group. This could be in the form of aid for refugees fleeing into their country or an attempt to bring about an internal uprising. This was the case with Vietnam organizing Cambodian refugees into a guerilla movement that could overthrow the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia as well as in Uganda as opposition groups fought against the Ugandan army. The thought here is that if internal uprisings can bring justice, then the humanitarian intervention is somewhat indirect. The country that brought it about can avoid accusations of things such as breaking international law or infringing on a states right to be sovereign. While talking about the rights of the Ugandan people, Nyerere demonstrated this point when he said, "No other government or anyone else in the world has the right to overthrow Amin's regime. That is a matter of principleBut Amin's regime is a brutal one, and the people of Uganda have that right...