human-rights-first-reports-private-security-contractors-at-war-2008-ending-the-culture-of-impunity-117-pp

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Culture Of Impunity ◽  
Security Contractors

scholarly journals Human rights violations committed by private military and security companies: an international law analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 753-766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elzbieta Karska
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Private Security ◽  
International Community ◽  
Human Rights Violations ◽  
Real Problem ◽  
Security Industry ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Private Security Industry ◽  
International Conventions ◽  
Security Companies

Abstract: This paper is devoted to the growing phenomenon of the private military and security industry with respect to human rights obligations. In the first part, it will analyze the concept of a private security company, which is not clear in national regulations and has few relevant provisions in international conventions. The second part will contain a short description of examples of human rights violations committed by private military and security companies, or with their participation, during service delivery or other forms of activity. The third part of this paper discusses possible methods of responsibility enforcement, with respect to the transnational character of many private security companies involved in human rights violations worldwide. One of the most important elements of the discussion in international community should focus on binding international instrument, preferably a convention, which would be able to establish at least very elementary rules for states and international organizations, responsible for using private military and security companies. The international community has witnessed a lot of initiatives from non-governmental entities, also model laws and self-regulations of the private security industry, but still the real problem has not even been reduced. The number of human rights violations has grown. Keywords: Human rights. Private security companies. Liability.

Shadow Soldiering

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya Mynster Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Global South ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Scholarly Work ◽  
Global Security ◽  
The Public ◽  
Everyday Practices ◽  
Security Companies ◽  
Security Contractors

Contemporary warfare depends on private security contractors from countries in the Global South. In Sierra Leone, this dependency has produced emerging markets for private military and security companies (PMSCs) seeking to recruit cheap, military-experienced labor. This article explores how demobilized militia and soldiers in Sierra Leone negotiate categorical divides to make themselves employable for private security contracting in Iraq. Based on 19 months of fieldwork tracing militia soldiers as they move between shift ing security constellations, the article introduces the notion of “shadow soldiering” to explain the entanglements of public-private spheres and the blurring of boundaries between the visible and invisible that characterize these constellations. While scholarly work on PMSCs has increasingly highlighted the public-private interconnectedness, the article contributes an ethnographically informed perspective on how security contractors on the ground interpret such entanglements and how global security dynamics intersects with the local, everyday practices and processes that facilitate the supply of contractors.

Overseas Uighur jihadists threaten Chinese interests

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Terrorist Attack ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Direct Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Human Rights Abuses ◽  
Intelligence Sharing ◽  
Militant Groups

Subject Uighur jihadis. Significance Human rights abuses in Xinjiang have driven thousands of Uighurs overseas, where a small number have joined militant groups. Historically, China has proved able to contain the threat by relying on assistance from cooperative neighbours, such as Pakistan. It is now being forced to consider a more direct role. Impacts Beijing looks certain to become more active in law enforcement cooperation, intelligence sharing and use of private security firms. China is reluctant to deploy troops overseas, but this cannot be ruled out if there is a major terrorist attack. Human rights abuses in Xinjiang will complicate China’s efforts to cooperate with other countries on counterterrorism. Little can be done to prevent small, crude attacks on Chinese assets elsewhere by tiny groups of people.

scholarly journals South African Private Security Contractors Active in Armed Conflicts: Citizenship, Prosecution and the Right to Work

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Shannon Bosch ◽  
Marelie Maritz
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
South African ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Armed Conflicts ◽  
Humanitarian Law ◽  
The South ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Right ◽  
Security Contractors

South Africa has adopted two pieces of legislation since 1998 aimed at restricting one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy: the private security industry. Not only is this legislation completely unique, but it appears wholly at odds with international opinion. In this article we place private security contractors (PSCs) under the microscope of international law, exploring the role they play in armed conflicts, and the status afforded them by international humanitarian law (IHL). We address the issue of prohibited mercenarism, questioning whether PSCs should be categorised as mercenaries. We then shift our focus to the South African legislation and discuss the ambit of its application as compared with international law obligations to outlaw mercenaries. We discuss the likelihood of successful prosecution of PSCs, and the potential penalties that PSCs might face in terms of the South African legislation. Lastly we consider the constitutional challenges which might emerge as this legislation, and a proposed amendment to the South African Citizenship Act threaten the constitutionally protected rights of South African PSCs to practise a profession and enjoy citizenship.

Certifying Private Security Companies: Effectively Ensuring the Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights?

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-77
Author(s):  
Sorcha MACLEOD ◽  
Rebecca DEWINTER-SCHMITT
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Corporate Responsibility ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Private Security ◽  
Management Standards ◽  
Private Security Companies ◽  
Norm Compliance ◽  
Security Companies

AbstractThe key purpose of this article is to critically assess the extent to which auditing and certification to quality assurance and risk management standards containing human rights-related requirements are an adequate and effective means of ensuring that private security companies internalize their responsibility to respect human rights. Based on participant observation, interviews and publicly accessible data, it concludes that in the absence of the adoption of specific assurance measures in the certification and oversight processes, the constructivist ‘tipping point’ resulting in the internalization of the corporate responsibility to respect may not be attained when there is inadequate norm compliance or, worse yet, norm regression.

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