The fall and fall of international law: A Chronicle from Covid to Palestine
Published on: 1 December 2023, 01:28 pm
The Covid pandemic and vaccine nationalism, Russo–Ukraine war, and the latest flare up between Israel and Palestine are dire symptoms of a failing international order which needs to be restored urgently, writes Raushan Tara Jaswal.
—
AS a child, the idea of the United Nations, international law and international relations— all with the common goal of world peace— was fascinating to me.
Introduction to these concepts left an indelible imprint on my mind, fortified later by the writings of Khaled Hosseini, the Afghanistan and Syrian crises during my high school years, and the Rohingya crisis during my law school years.
These incidents motivated me to work in conflict-ridden situations, advocating for human rights, especially at the grassroots. As people tried to dissuade me from this ideal, I became more determined.
However, in the aftermath of a few recent incidents, the disillusionment with the efficacy of international law and organisations has grown more profound. These instances have ranged from the Covid pandemic, the Taliban gaining legitimacy in Afghanistan, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and recently, the massacre of thousands of innocents in the Gaza Strip (Palestine).
“Introduction to international law left an indelible imprint on my mind as a child, fortified later by the writings of Khaled Hosseini, the Afghanistan and Syrian crises during my high school years, and the Rohingya crisis during my law school years.
The abject apathy of the international community is a jarring experience for a young, aspiring believer of international law and its apparent normative force, and the recent incidents are indicative of the demise of the importance of international law.
Lacking enforcement mechanisms, international law and institutions are at a moment of reckoning, especially in their inability to maintain global order and peace considering quantifiable 'kerfuffles' worldwide.