Compliant Rebels: Rebel Groups and International Law in World Politics (Problems of International Politics)

Seventeen Million People Have Died In Civil Wars And Rebel Violence Has Disrupted The Lives Of Millions More. In A Fascinating Contribution To The Active Literature On Civil Wars, This Book Finds That Some Contemporary Rebel Groups Actually Comply With International Law Amid The Brutality Of Civil Conflicts Around The World. Rather Than Celebrating The Existence Of Compliant Rebels, The Author Traces The Cause Of This Phenomenon And Argues That Compliant Rebels Emerge When Rebel Groups Seek Legitimacy In The Eyes Of Domestic And International Audiences That Care About Humanitarian Consequences And Human Rights. By Examining Rebel Groups' Different Behaviors Such As Civilian Killing, Child Soldiering, And Allowing Access To Detention Centers, Compliant Rebels Offers Key Messages And Policy Lessons About Engaging Rebel Groups With An Eye Toward Reducing Civilian Suffering In War Zones-- Part I. Puzzle Of Compliant Rebels. Introduction -- Background -- A Theory Of Rebel Compliance -- Part Ii. Evidence Of Compliant Rebels. From Theory To Evidence -- Civilian Killing -- Child Soldiering -- Access To Detention Centers -- Part Iii. Implications Of Compliant Rebels. Repertoires Of Rebel Compliance -- Conclusion. Hyeran Jo, Department Of Political Science, Texas A & M University. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 296-317) And Index. "Seventeen million people have died in civil wars and rebel violence has disrupted the lives of millions more. In a fascinating contribution to the active literature on civil wars, this book finds that some contemporary rebel groups actually comply with international law amid the brutality of civil conflicts around the world. Rather than celebrating the existence of compliant rebels, the author traces the cause of this phenomenon and argues that compliant rebels emerge when rebel groups seek legitimacy in the eyes of domestic and international audiences that care about humanitarian consequences and human rights. By examining rebel groups' different behaviors such as civilian killing, child soldiering, and allowing access to detention centers, Compliant Rebels offers key messages and policy lessons about engaging rebel groups with an eye toward reducing civilian suffering in war zones"-- Page 4 of cover Cover 1 Half-title page 3 Series page 4 Title page 5 Copyright page 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Tables and Illustrations 10 Acknowledgments 13 Rebel Group Abbreviations 16 Legal Instruments 24 Part I Puzzle of Compliant Rebels 25 1 Introduction 27 2 Background 60 3 A Theory of Rebel Compliance 76 Part II Evidence of Compliant Rebels 105 4 From Theory to Evidence 107 5 Civilian Killing 137 6 Child Soldiering 170 7 Access to Detention Centers 206 Part III Implications of Compliant Rebels 237 8 Repertoires of Rebel Compliance 239 9 Conclusion 261 Appendix 1 Data Appendix 297 Appendix 2 Notes on Data 302 Appendix 3 Rebel Groups and Humanitarian Violations, 1989–2009 306 Appendix 4 Rebel Groups and Legal Commitments 316 Bibliography 320 Index 342 Hyeran Jo analyzes civil wars over the past twenty years and finds that, contrary to conventional wisdom, some rebel groups actually comply with international law. This book examines this phenomenon of compliant rebels and why they exist and emerge all around the world.