Private security companies sign code of conduct to respect human rights in war zones

[sabra]

Source: AP

GENEVA (AP) - Major private security companies have signed a code of conduct pledging to respect human rights and the rule of law in conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

DynCorp International, G4S and Xe Services are among the firms signing the code Tuesday in the Swiss city of Geneva. North Carolina-based Xe Services was formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide.

The code developed by industry and government representatives requires companies to ensure their employees "take all necessary steps to avoid the use of force."

It also forbids mistreatment of detainees, sexual exploitation and forced labor.

Read more: http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D9JCHI100

[thereismore]

1. Wow, that's reassuring. Blackwater says it will abide by new industry rules. nt

[47of74]

4. If you believe that....

...I have the following items for sale...

[thereismore]

12. It was tongue-in-cheek. But yeah, the murderous industry is "self-regulating". I wonder why. nt

[Crowman1979]

2. Well that's about seven years too late!

:mad:

[ixion]

3. Which means, effectively... wait for it...

Nothing at all.

[jwirr]

5. Does anyone believe them?

[GoldenOldie]

6. Call them what they truly are MERCENARIES!

Giving them a name such as "security," doesn't wash away the innocent blood they shed for simply for power and greed.

[47of74]

14. If anyone does, please kindly refer to Reply #4

[ladywnch]

7. well, if all these professional, honorable heroes have signed

a code of conduct all the problems are solved! whew! what a relief. because we KNOW that all they needed was some direction...... (if you have to TELL someone to behave humanely odds are they are incapable of it)

see, everything has a SIMPLE solution.

[KansDem]

8. What brought this on?

And does anyone really believe they will abide by this code?

[bemildred]

9. Trust me.

[mudplanet]

10. Death to all mercenaries. Period.

[ezmerelda39]

11. Sounds like

a STAY OUT OF JAIL FREE PASS to me.

[herbm]

13. What a joke. At least signing admits the need.

[ngant17]

15. The Geneva and Hague Conventions were/are being violated

by US military, including:
* destruction of undefended targets (violating Article 25 of the Second Hague Convention of 1899)
* excessive and indiscriminate attacks on civilians (violating Article 51 of the 1st Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949)
* excessive military force (violating Article 57 of the 1st Protocol to the Geneva Conventions
* death by bombing is a form of extrajudicial execution (violating Article 6 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1967)
* failure to warn the authorities before bombardments (violating Article 26 of the Second Hague Convention of 1899)
* failure to compensate for unjustified attacks on persons and property (violating Article 3 of the Fourth Hague Convention of 1907).
* funding war mercenaries (violating Article 5 of the International Convention Against the Recruitment, Use, Financing, and Training of Mercenaries of 1993)
* allowing mercenaries to engage in combat (violating Article 3 of the Convention on Mercenaries of 1993).
* failure to provide battlefield officers with appropriate legal advice (violating Article 82 to the 1st Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1977)
* failure of commanding officers to report battlefield offenses to their superiors (violating Article 87(1) of the 1st Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949)
* failure of commanding officers to discipline or prosecute subordinates who commit war crimes on the battlefield (violating Article 87(3) of the 1st Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949)
* failure of commanding officer to ensure that subordinates understand Geneva Convention obligations (violating Article 87(2) of the 1st Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949)
* failure to prosecute commanding officers for not stopping battlefield offenses (violating Article 86 of the 1st Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949).

What good is some pledge by the private military and security companies (PMSCs) when the US armed forces are not even going to honor long-established protocols against war crimes, and they are in fact rampantly disregarding these conventions?

[bobthedrummer]

16. 21st century feudalism has no code of conduct in this New American Century

:argh: