Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide, Second Edition Second Edition | Página 41

Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide
d. “Other Actors” are often key to conflict resolution and prevention of its escalation, and in
establishing an overall environment in which civilians are protected. An important objective is to
prevent them from becoming victims, dissuade them from joining or supporting perpetrators, and
influence them to act positively regarding PoC. Some can have extremely significant positive or
negative roles; these include actors that enable perpetrators with funding, weapons, or political
support. Other important actors may include those that support vulnerable civilians or members of
the national and international media.
e. “Other Actor” Critical Factors.
(1) The center of gravity for other actors, including some partners, could be their perceived
self-interest. This will affect the extent to which other actors will attempt to remain neutral or
support other parties.
(2) Critical capabilities for other actors will vary widely, depending upon whether they are
inclined towards being bystanders, positive actors, or negative actors. One general critical
capability will be following a decision-making process that supports pursuit of the actors’ self-
interest or goals. Other actors must also retain the ability to act accordingly, which includes
obtaining internal consensus and maintaining the latitude to do so. This may imply a critical
capability to avoid antagonizing other parties. For some actors, a critical capability may be to side
with the perceived winners in a conflict situation.
(3) For other actors, critical requirements may relate to perceived political, organizational,
economic, territorial, or cultural motivations, as well as the desire to maintain security against a
variety of potential threats. Some actors may be more concerned about other issues besides the
protection of civilians, which could cause them to oppose the military force on other grounds.
(4) A major critical vulnerability is likely to include their susceptibility to external pressure.
Internal and external actors alike may be intimidated by adversaries or influenced by the threat of
retaliation. This could cause them to support perpetrators, or dissuade them from supporting or
cooperating with intervening military forces. Conversely, appropriate influence may motivate
them to support PoC efforts.
f. It is important to realize that the actors are not necessarily fixed in a category and may
simultaneously fall in more than one. For example, a particular group may be both the victim of
violent acts against civilians as well as the perpetrator of violence against civilians from other
groups. Despite the fact that the host-state government may have consented to the presence of an
international mission, some of its subordinate forces may in fact be adversaries that threaten
civilians or otherwise oppose the military force. To the extent possible, military units and their
partners should influence the range of disparate actors to behave positively, prevent their becoming
victims, and dissuade them from becoming adversaries or negative actors.
Task Challenges
The main difficulty in understanding the actors is identifying and comprehending a diverse
array of entities whose characteristics may not be clearly defined. For example, a particular actor
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