DISEC
Private Military Contractors
Trinidad and Tobago
George Khamis
Forest Hills Eastern
The utilization of PMCs or Private Military Contractors is an essential and crucial topic that must be addressed. In the past, the use of PMCs inflicted many violations and infringements on human rights and encroached on the self-determination of people. In previous committees, the United Nations confronted the use of PMCs, and in 1989 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution. The resolution consisted of an International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing, and Training of Mercenaries. This convention was a necessary step forward in addressing the growing problem of PMCs. This convention instituted that the recruitment, financing, training, and use of mercenaries to be denounced and any actions to defile the convention would be treated as a transgression. Trinidad and Tobago supports this treaty and encourages the UN to create more implications and restrictions on the forming or use of PMCs.
As a nation that represents CARICOM, Trinidad and Tobago is strongly against the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self‑determination. Furthermore, throughout the Caribbean commercial and non-militarized PMCs caused and escalated crimes, and coupled with the inability of law enforcement to contain the spread of the PMCs, insecurities felt by the CARICOM citizens have worsened. The Working Group, established by goal 16 of the 1989 resolution, observed that mercenaries, private military, and security companies can destabilize a country by violent means, affect local populations and render it helpless and ineffective. The Working Group documented violations instigated by mercenaries and private military contractors and their documentation amounted to executions, forced disappearances, abductions, arbitrary detention, and sexual violence. Trinidad and Tobago strongly urges the further use of programs like goal 16 to eradicate all forms of mercenaries and the power of PMC’s.
Trinidad and Tobago further urges the use of a governance system to establish regulations and guidelines to limit and ultimately eradicate mercenaries and PMCs. Being apart of an organization that promotes the free will and self-determination of all people, CARICOM, Trinidad and Tobago encourages The UN to delve deeper into the detrimental effects of PMCs and mercenaries. Lastly, Trinidad and Tobago insists that the UN enlist the help of NGOs to supplement the new resolution to abolish mercenaries and hinder PMCs, so the rights, liberties, and freedom of the people is not only protected but established in a secure community so they can thrive without the threat of crime.
- George Khamis
