Topic: Status of Defense Contractors and Non-National Combatants
Country: New Zealand
Delegate Name: Mary Simon
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All New Zealand position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
It has been very unclear where to draw the line between defense contractors, which are hired mercenaries, and non-nation combatants. The threat of unlawful combatants has grown quite a bit recently. Unlawful combatants are uniformed fighters. Some can are organized; others act as guerillas. Nations are unsure how to treat defense contractor and non-national combatants once captured. Like prisoners of war or unlawful fighters?
New Zealand firmly believes that the use of mercenaries is a terrible and unlawful act. They stand against the use of these hired killers. New Zealand also believes that non-national combatants need to be controlled. They feel that there needs to be regulations and rules about these two types of soldiers. Anything containing information on how to deal with them is unclear, so there is no sure way of handling them.
The current procedures for handling this situation were discussed many years ago at The Third Geneva Convention in 1949. It stated when a defense contractor can lose the title of a prison of war. The terms are written down, but not clearly stated. There was also a International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries that set the guidelines for mercenaries in 1989.
New Zealand proposes that the conditions of defense contractor and non-national combatants be discussed and revised. They should be re-written so that all nations have a clear understanding of regulations. This way there will be certain ways of how to deal with defense contractors and non-nation combatants.
