This is the official trailer of the game which will hit the stores on October 25th. They have also created a website that goes with the video game.
Some things that popped up about this game that I thought were very interesting is that the players will be tasked with protecting UN principals……. Now that is funny, and very cool. This video game company should send a free copy to the UN Working Group, because I am sure they would love to play. lol –Matt
I wanted to do a quick criticism of the UNWG’s latest press release about US PSC’s in Afghanistan. Why would they criticize US oversight of PSC’s, and yet not take a critical look or even mention the UN’s use of PSC’s in Afghanistan?
UN experts call for stronger oversight of US private security contractors in Afghanistan and I would like to hear what the UN has as a means of accountability over a PSC like IDG Security? What if one of those guards committed a criminal act–what would the UN do with that individual? How about the vetting? Do they know that every guard is former Gurkha or has a clean background? How about the other contracted and sub-contracted companies the UN uses?
The other thing I was curious about is what happens to a contracted company the UN uses that violates their ‘code of conduct’ called the UN Global Compact? Do they prosecute the individuals in a UN tribunal, or do they just fire them and ‘hope’ that the home country is able to do something with them? Pfffft. Where’s the ‘teeth’, as they say?
It would seem to me that the UN is doing the exact same things as the US in terms of using PSC’s, but continues to only point fingers at others. I would classify that as ‘hypocritical’, don’t you think? By the way, if UNWG is curious at all, they should contact UN staff in Afghanistan and ask them about the ‘other’ companies they are using. Just so they can have all the information they need to make a report about the ‘UN’s use of PSC’s in war zones’.-Matt
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GENEVA (19 October 2010) – The UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries welcomed as “a step in the right direction” a recent report by the US Senate Committee on Armed Services into the role and oversight of US private security contractors in Afghanistan. “However, more should be done to address the problems raised in that inquiry,” said the Chairperson of the expert body, Alexander Nikitin. “In particular, there should be stronger oversight of US private security contractors in Afghanistan and elsewhere.”
“The findings of the US Senate report are consistent with those of the Working Group following its visit to Afghanistan* in April 2009,” said Mr. Nikitin, noting that the study shows the many problems raised by the absence of adequate oversight over the private military and security companies contracted by the US Government in Afghanistan.
“Because of the lack of effective vetting procedures, in particular, some of these companies employed individuals who may have been involved in human rights abuses in the past and continued to be involved in human rights violations while employed by these companies,” he said.
The Working Group noted during its visit to Afghanistan that former armed elements, whether considered to be warlords or anti-Government elements, were not effectively prevented from registering as employees of officially licensed private security companies.
Given the lack of systematic and effective vetting and training procedures, and the absence of adequate sanctions in case of violations, the UN expert body had recommended that Governments contracting private security companies in Afghanistan establish adequate oversight and accountability mechanisms.
Later that year, during the Group’s visit to the United States in July, it also recommended that the US Government establish a more vigorous vetting procedure before awarding contracts. “The problems faced in Afghanistan illustrate once again the importance of and the pressing need for a strong system of regulation and oversight of private military and security companies.” said Mr. Nikitin.
“The matters discussed in the US Senate report are too important to be left to self-regulation of companies,” the Group’s Chairperson stressed. “While voluntary codes of conduct for private contractors are welcome, they are not sufficient to ensure that States regulate and monitor the activities of the companies they contract to carry out State functions, and establish accountability mechanisms to address human rights violations.”
A draft text for a new convention on the regulation of private military and security companies was presented by the expert body to the Human Rights Council last month.The Council decided to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group to consider the possibility of elaborating an international framework on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of the activities of private military and security companies, taking into account the principles and provisions for a new legally binding instrument proposed by the Working Group on mercenaries.
“The self-regulatory codes of conduct of the security industry have failed in the past ten years to establish effective accountability,” said Mr. Nikitin. “In this regard, we hope that all States, including the United States where many private military and security companies are established, will seriously consider participating in the process initiated by the Human Rights Council aimed at setting up an international regulatory framework for private military and security companies.”
The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination was established in 2005 by the Commission on Human Rights. It is composed of five independent experts serving in their personal capacities:, Mr. Alexander Nikitin (Chairperson-Rapporteur – Russian Federation), Ms. Amada Benavides de Pérez (Colombia), Mr. José Luis Gómez del Prado (Spain), Ms. Najat al-Hajjaji (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) and Ms. Faiza Patel (Pakistan).
Link to press release here.
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Participant Information
IDG Security Pte Ltd.
• Participant since 2008/03/06
• Status Active
• Country Singapore
• Organization Type SME
• Ownership Private Company
• Sector General Industrials
• Letter of Commitment UN_Global_compact_Feb_08.pdf
• Website http://www.idg-security.com
Next Communication on Progress
IDG Security Pte Ltd. is required to communicate on progress by 2011/03/06.
Link to UN Global Compact website here.
Hey, I heard Eric Cartman might crash this party? lol (I had to….. sorry)
Back on topic. What I think the responsible thing for this group to do, is actually bring in folks from the companies to give some balance to the conversation. I also think that if the UN wants to truly be honest during this discussion, they best bring up the fact that the UN is using the services of private military companies. I have documented that several times on this blog, and I just wanted to make sure that before these folks get all worked up about the negative, that they take a responsible look at the positive as well.
I think it is also time for these folks to have a conversation with guys who actually do care about Africa, and not just these disaster capitalist aid groups who call themselves ‘the saviors of the dark continent’. pfffft. Guys like Eeben, who have put blood, sweat and tears into that continent, and have put action to words for years, are the folks the UN should be talking too. Or the UN can keep screwing the pooch in places like the Congo, and think they are doing something humane?
For the record, I never got an invitation to the party. If you guys do decide to send some invitations, I promise to bring the chips and dip. –Matt
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UN and Africa to discuss mercenaries and private military and security companies
25 February 2010
GENEVA – Representatives of some 25 from African States will meet on 3 and 4 March in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries* to discuss the presence and activities of mercenaries and private military and security companies (PMSCs) on the continent.
“This regional consultation in Africa is of particular importance given that the region is becoming a key market for the security industry”, said Shaista Shameem, who currently heads the Working Group. “However, PMSCs have remained largely unregulated, insufficiently monitored and rarely held accountable for the international crimes and human rights abuses they have committed.”
This meeting is the fourth of a series of five regional consultations which will end with the consultation with the Western European and Others Group in Geneva in April 2010. “This mandate was created in 1987 in a context in which the right of peoples to self-determination in Africa was often threatened by mercenary activities”, said Ms. Shameem.
State representatives will exchange good practices and lessons learned on the monitoring and regulation of the activities of private military and security companies and in particular on the adoption of a possible draft convention regulating their activities.
First, I am glad they had a good time. Word has it, they met up at Hooters after the press conference for hotwings and beers, and then they threw a party at the hotel. lol
But seriously, it seems the typical mumbo jumbo was discussed, and nothing to radically new. The one comment that kind of got me was the idea that there ‘was very little information accessible to the public on the scope and type of contracts’. Oh really? Obviously the UNWG doesn’t read Feral Jundi or Combat Operator or Eeben’s blog or Tim’s blog, because if they did, they would know that there is plenty of information available. Or what about all the stories over the years that David Isenberg has written, or the numerous books written about the subject, or the countless forums that discuss the day to day activities of the various contracts and companies? There is plenty of information out there, and all the public has to do is get their Google Fu on. Oh, and I forgot to mention FedBizOps, an excellent source of contract info.
On the really cool side of things, the best quote in this whole thing is this one:
There is also a trend towards “an extensive privatization of the war,” she said, but added that the US Government has assured the UN experts that it does not relinquish its State authority of the legitimate use of force.
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