Mechanisms for Dispute Resolution in International Law
📌 International law provides two main mechanisms for resolving disputes between states: peaceful means and resort to force (coercive measures).
🚫 Coercive measures can range from non-war actions like retorsion, economic blockade, embargo, and intervention to armed conflict (war).
📜 Armed conflict procedures are governed by International Military Law, specifically the Hague Conventions (1899, 1907) and Geneva Conventions (1949) and their protocols.

Peaceful Dispute Settlement Methods
🌐 Peaceful methods are emphasized by the UN Charter (Article 2(3)) and detailed in Article 33, divided into non-legal (Alternative Dispute Resolution - ADR) and legal (judicial/arbitral) paths.
🤝 Non-legal ADR methods include negotiation, mediation, conciliation, inquiry (investigation), and utilizing services of international organizations like the UN or ASEAN.
🏛️ Legal methods involve recourse to international tribunals such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), or the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

Details on Legal Mechanisms
⚖️ The ICJ handles disputes between UN member states (based on the 1945 UN Charter); international organizations can seek advisory opinions.
🧑‍⚖️ The ICC (established by the Rome Statute 1998) has jurisdiction primarily over individuals charged with international crimes, unlike the ICJ which handles state disputes.
🚢 ITLOS specializes in disputes related to the law of the sea, established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

Coercive Measures (Non-Peaceful Means)
🚫 Retorsion involves uncivil actions taken in response to uncivil acts, ranging from withdrawing ambassadors to diplomatic severance (e.g., Panama and Colombia).
💥 Embargo, blockade, and intervention are designed to coerce a state into compliance; the US embargo on Cuba and the past US military embargo on Indonesia (1999-2005) are cited examples.
🛡️ Any use of force, even in armed conflict, must adhere to international norms, particularly regarding the protection of combatants (POWs), civilians, medical personnel, and journalists, as dictated by the Geneva Conventions.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ States should prioritize peaceful means (negotiation, mediation) first, as practiced frequently by countries like Indonesia, due to flexibility and preference.
➡️ If non-legal ADR fails, the legal path through international courts (ICJ, ICC, ITLOS) becomes the next recourse, contingent on the parties' agreement or jurisdiction.
➡️ International Humanitarian Law (Hague/Geneva Conventions) strictly regulates the conduct of war, focusing on limiting means and methods of conflict and protecting conflict victims.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Dec 06, 2025, 05:14 UTC