Introduction

The principles governing the use of force are fundamental to peacekeeping forces and are one of the characteristics that distinguish peacekeeping from enforcement operations. Although the UN Charter does not specifically provide for peacekeeping operations, their establishment and development is now based upon a number of fundamental principles, adherence to which may well determine the success of a peacekeeping mission. One of these, the prohibition on the use of force, other than in self-defence, is an essential characteristic of traditional peacekeeping operations and is based on practical and doctrinal considerations. Despite these, both the Brahimi Report and the report on the events that led to the fall of Srebrenica question the traditional response of UN forces to the use of force, each advocating the formulation of a more robust doctrine. The UN Secretary-General's report on ‘threats and challenges’ has referred to the characterisation of peacekeeping missions in terms of ‘Chapter VI’ or ‘Chapter VII’ operations as somewhat misleading. It acknowledges that there is a distinction between operations in which a robust use of force is integral to the mission and those that involve more ‘traditional peacekeeping’ in which there is a reasonable expectation that force may not be used. However, in peacekeeping cases – as much as in peace enforcement – it is now the usual practice to adopt a Chapter VII mandate (even if this is not always welcomed by troop contributors).