21 November 2019
SUBMITTED TO: Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC)
FROM: Colombia
SUBJECT: Private Military Contractors
DELEGATE: Jyothika Vijay, Troy High School
The pros and cons of Private Military Contractors are guaranteed to raise much debate, however it’s vital to keep both sides in mind as legislation is written and resolutions made. The UN itself has successfully used these Contractors, and due to the benefits brought from this, there is no way reducing the numbers of these Contractors will be successful. However, it must be acknowledged that crimes being made by Contractors are something that must be changed if peace is to be made.
Colombians are said to “comprise a disproportionate percentage of the world’s PMC”. This can be largely attributed to the violence of the region and conflicts that lend themselves to a demand for protection. This need for military action has been acknowledged several ways by the Colombian government. One rather controversial way was to allow citizens to defend themselves against a rebel group in Colombia, and in this case, “defense” meant allowing them to form military groups to fight the rebels. The reasoning behind this being that it would be better to encourage them to fight than the alternative, which is that Colombians would turn to drugs and gangs for protection or possibly the rebel groups themselves. This indicates that PMCs are formed due to a need for protection, and are rather successful at fulfilling this need. Legislation to restrict the actions of these groups should encourage enforcing the laws through overseeing committees run by the UN. Encouraging the UN to fund and train PMCs of its own to help aid countries in conflict would provide a direct entry point for increased aid and peacemaking. This complex issue requires truly creative and original thinking on the parts of the Delegates, and Colombia looks forward to the unique resolutions that will be forged in committee.
https://limacharlienews.com/south-america/Colombian-private-military-contractors/
- Jyothika Vijay
