U.N.: Mercenary Industry Poses Problems for Latin America

[Judi Lynn]

U.N.: Mercenary Industry Poses Problems for Latin America
by Cyril Mychalejko
April 27, 2007

The United Nations quietly released a report in March exposing an array of human rights abuses associated with a growing mercenary industry that is recruiting large numbers from Latin American countries.

"We have observed that in some cases the employees of private military and security companies enjoy an immunity which can easily become impunity, implying that some States may contract these companies in order to avoid direct legal responsibilities," said Jose Luis Gomez del Prado, Chairperson-Rapporteur of the U.N. Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries, in a statement before the Human Rights Council.

The alleged human rights abuses are not just against civilians from the countries in which they operate, but also against their own employees. These "soldiers of misfortune" are often recruited from vulnerable populations in developing countries, such as Honduras and Ecuador, countries the U.N. group visited last year to conduct investigations. The massive unemployment, low wages, fragile governments and the history of violent conflicts in these countries make their populations an ideal labor pool. In addition, the report expresses worry about the "phenomenon" of Latin American government outsourcing domestic security and military functions to the private sector and the use of such operations to "protect" oil and mining companies.
(snip)

Tree, who has been monitoring this "out of control" industry for years in its role in the "War on Drugs" in Latin America, said that the lack of regulations and oversight is due to the fact that it's been under the radar for years and just coming to light because of the Iraq War. It's estimated that there may be as many as 50,000 mercenaries working in Iraq -- making it the second largest force in the so-called "coalition of the willing." Many of them may end up fighting alongside U.S. soldiers in combat situations.

More:
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=20&ItemID=12686

[Joanne98]

1. All the mercs should be brought up on war crime charges....

I don't care if they are coming from poor countries.

[yurbud]

2. there is a pretty good treaty banning use of mercenaries. We didn't sign it.

[Peace Patriot]

3. And Blackwater wants to base it in San Diego.

Convenient to Mexico and points south.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/19/1349211

[Peace Patriot]

4. Oh, God!

"Adam Isacson, Director of Programs at the Center for International Policy, worries about the stories that haven't come to light yet. He mentioned a report translated on his website about Colombians working in Iraq for a subsidiary of Blackwater USA who had their return tickets taken away from them when they complained that they would only get paid $1,000 a month after being promised $4,000. They were essentially held hostage.

"'It was almost slavery," said Isacson. "Lord knows how many more cases there are.'

"Tree, of the Institute for Policy Studies, said that there are other consequences that we might not see for years. One of the most worrying is that these people may take this training and use it for violent criminal activities. An example of this is the story of the 'Zetas', a group of Mexican paramilitary commandoes trained by U.S. special-forces to fight drug gangs. Many members of this group now work for the notorious Gulf Cartel, which is believed to supply large amounts of cocaine to the U.S."

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=20&ItemID=12686

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The article goes on and on like this, with alarming fact after alarming fact, and warning after warning. It sends ice daggers through your heart--for democracy in Latin America, for democracy here.

What hath the Bush Junta wrought?