Traditional Rules of Warfare in Armed Conflict Situation in NE State of Manipur

Abstract

No human being on this earth is interested in war and armed conflict; however, men-made war and armed conflict continue to exist. The article focuses on international humanitarian laws inter alia the traditional humanitarian principles and rules applied and followed by warring combatants during the war and armed conflict in the ancient times in Manipur. It also discusses the customary combat rules and practices which were strictly complied with more particularly by the ancestors of the region. One of the objectives for revisiting the old customary humanitarian rules is to reveal the relative significance of the aged-old traditional combatant rules and also to find out the ways to overcome the issue and challenges being faced in application of international humanitarian law in such a trouble-torn region  of India. The author dwells upon the implications of international humanitarian law with special reference to application of traditional customary rules of warfare in the armed conflict situation in the region.