-1Committee: Disarmament

and International Security Council Topic Area A: Consensus on Private Military Contractors Country: The Republic of Singapore Delegate: Nicole Fuls The Republic of Singapore believes that Private Military Contractors (PMCs) and the use of mercenaries in a states security program has been long ignored by the United Nations. Much unconcluded debate has led to an unclear placement of mercenaries and PMCs within state warfare as well as a blurred definition of a mercenary. This can create a number of issues within human rights, international law, and national security. Mercenaries have been used since the ancient Greeks and throughout history, it has shown to only improve a countrys militia. During debate, Singapore would like all states to keep in mind the benefits of mercenary workers as well as the consequences. The Republic of Singapore recognizes that Private Military Contractors (PMCs) increase national security and bring revenue to that states economy2. Mercenaries also provide military training, advisement, and logistics which are valuable aspects in the maintenance of a stabilized defense force. As military tactics and weapons become more advanced, outside help allows a militia to adapt to these technological developments and plan for the future2. For these reasons, Singapore believes recruitment and use of mercenaries can be a crucial support system for any existing armed forces. Acknowledging that the United States has perhaps one of the largest contractor in the world, and having considered that the U.S. has one of the most powerful armies, Singapore sees that PMCs can have great rewards5. Blackwater has only enhanced the United States military position5. This proves that PMCs are beneficial to a states military and Singapore predicts that PMCs can also assist in creating a more authoritative and prominent defense force. However, the Republic of Singapore is mindful that armed employees of PMCs are not protected by the rules of war under the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions. Singapore believes that mercenaries should be protected by rules of war since they do not answer to military control. Understanding that mercenaries are neither defined as noncombatants nor soldiers, they have a vague role in international law1. The Republic of Singapore sees it necessary to create some kind of protection standards for people who fall into this category. Although armed, they are not equipped with weapons like those used during war and therefore cannot justly defend themselves1. Mercenaries work for the military in which they are stationed, but are not actually in the military1. Therefore they are not soldiers and can be classified as a working civilian. Mercenaries can also be used for peacekeeping measures. For example, soldiers from the French Foreign Legion were part of a 2002 peacekeeping mission in Kabul, Afghanistan4. The mercenaries cleared a village from explosives, securing the civilians from any volatile explosives. In Darfur as well as other parts of Africa, mercenaries have offered a temporary respite from violence3. However these mercenaries were only hired for a short amount of time and once the withdrew, violence erupted once again. Logically, longer-term contracts could create longer-term security, and at a fraction of the cost of a U.N. mission3. U.N Peacekeeping Forces are not effective enough. Mercenary activity has shown to be a more efficient peacekeeping force through Africa and Sierra Leone4. The Republic of Singapore is motivated to pass a resolution in which mercenaries

are protected under the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions, and in which mercenaries are permitted to act as peacekeepers in warring regions. There is a surplus in mercenaries and there will be no problem finding some to undertake peacekeeping roles. Hiring mercenaries instead of using the U.N Peacekeeping Forces is a much cheaper route, allowing more money to be used towards other key issues facing DISEC.

Works Cited "A/RES/44/34. International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries." Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World. Web. 06 Dec. 2009. http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/44/a44r034.htm.
1

Avant, Debroah. "E-Notes: Private Military Companies and the Future of War - FPRI." Foreign Policy Research Institute - FPRI. Apr. 2006. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. http://www.fpri.org/enotes/200604.military.avant.privatemilitarycompanies.html.
2

Boot, Max. "Send in the mercenaries: Darfur needs someone to stop the bloodshed, not more empty U.N. promises. -." Council on Foreign Relations. 31 May 2006. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. http://www.cfr.org/publication/10798/send_in_the_mercenaries.html.
3

Harris, William. "HowStuffWorks "Why are mercenaries used?"" Howstuffworks "Science" Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/mercenary2.htm>.
4

"Xe -." SourceWatch. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. <http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php? title=Blackwater_USA>.

5