ABSTRACT
The law of war is almost as old as law itself even in ancient times. The danger humanity faces today is the proliferations of Weapons of Mass Destruction [WMD].International Humanitarian Law includes rules established by treaty and customs which are specifically intended to solve humanitarian problems that arise directly or indirectly from international and non-international armed conflicts.
Armed Conflict/Wars continue to cause death, displacement and suffering on a massive scale. This fact puts the international community today under its obligations to act and to regulate the manufacturing or use of these weapons. Apart from the conventional weapons being used in armed conflicts, the use of Nuclear, Biological [Bacteriological] and Chemical [NBC] Weapons is also subject to restrictions under the International Humanitarian Law. While the use of biological and chemical weapons has received some restrictions under the international law, nuclear weapons and their use is still a subject of controversy in recent times.
Although the use of chemical weapons has low probability, it can cause a large scale of casualties among exposed people if it is used. The Syrian war has left an unforgettable scar on mankind; the progression of warfare from chemical weapons has increasingly created stress on the eco-system, human life, properties and the environment. Moreover, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a clear and egregious violation to International Environmental Law and International Humanitarian Law. After the Second World War, several guidelines and regulations have been put in place by different international organizations such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon to limit the usage of these weapons. The aim of this research therefore is to critically examine the development and efficiency of international agreements and protocols regarding the prohibition of the use, manufacturing and stockpiling of chemical weapons as an essential weapon of WMD.
