Burundi
Practice Relating to Rule 45. Causing Serious Damage to the Natural Environment
Burundi’s Regulations on International Humanitarian Law (2007) states: “It is prohibited to use means or methods of war which cause … widespread, long-term and serious damage to the natural environment.”
The Regulations also states: “This protection [of the natural environment as a civilian object] endeavours to avoid that war causes widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment which may compromise the health and survival of the population.”
Burundi’s Law on Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes (2003) states:
[The following are] considered as war crimes:
…
B. Other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in international armed conflicts, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts:
…
d) launching a deliberate attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause … widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated.
Burundi’s Regulations on International Humanitarian Law (2007) states that “utilizing environmental modification techniques” constitutes a “grave breach” of IHL.
The Regulations also states that “the use of environmental modification techniques for military purposes or any other hostile purpose” is prohibited.