BUREAUCRATS AND BRIEFCASES

Academi, or Blackwater, is the largest private military and security company (PMSC) in the world. A controversial organization, to say the least, Academi has been providing fighters and military personnel to the United States of America for more than 20 years, providing help and support to the American military personnel ever since their sojourn in Afghanistan.

The presence of private military companies in international warzones and conflict zones has always been a source of consternation for many, inciting debates and discussions, with various questions being raised about the morality of all, the willingness to sacrifice country for money, and whether these companies should be allowed to operate the way they are.

In a short word: Yes, such companies and organizations are extremely pertinent and under the correct guidance, very useful. PMSCs are controversial, because the area in which they operate is extremely grey. Wars are controversial, and any by-products of a war, are, by nature, controversial. Companies like Academi, who specialize in providing trained and elite personnel to fight, are labelled as “mercenary corporations”. Mercenaries, ever since history, have been labelled as disloyal, as backstabbers who work for money and thus would be willing to switch sides happily.

All of this is true. However, PMSCs also provide employment to hundreds of people, the army people and the police personnel who have a family, who are able to buy a bigger home, and send their children to a better college, because of the higher wage packet provided by their new employees. The emotional aspect of it all is that these people have sold their countries for more money. Which is true, again. However, when a country fails to take care of its citizen, then the citizen has to take things into his/her own hands. Patriotism is all well and good, but the government doesn’t pay you more just because you are patriotic.

Coming back to Academi, it has been reported that one mercenary from Academi costs the US state $1200.

Which is a lot of money. A soldier of the regular army, by comparison, gets paid about $150 dollars. However, a point to be noted here is this; these “mercenaries” also train the local police and army units, thus justifying the amount of money that is being splurged on them. Academi, for instance, trains 40,000 people annually, having established bases in a plethora of countries.

And it is not just Academi. Executive Outcomes, A PMSC based in South Africa, was vital in containing UNITA, the opposition party which declared war on the Angolan government after talks broke down. In 2015, STTEP International was applauded for providing support to the Nigerian military in containing Boko Haram activities. These are just some examples of the work that PMSC does, and does well.

It is not perfect, not by any stretch of imagination. PMSCs, for all the good work that they do, have their faults. They are made of up of human beings, and human beings, by design, are complex in nature. Academi was accused of weapon trafficking, while various other PMSCs have been accused of corruption, of illegally purchasing forged passports, weapons, and participating in various immoral acts.

There have also been questions asked about the loyalty of such organizations. If offered more money, would they turn their backs towards their own people?

There are legal frameworks in place, both in the United Nations and in various countries which employ such organizations. The most predominant one is the International Humanitarian Law, which, to put succinctly, ensures that PMSCs are held responsible for their actions. There have also been various agreements drawn to ensure the very same; the Status of Forced Agreements also refers to certain obligations that such companies have.

Certain measures can be taken to solidify and to remove doubts. A legal contract can be drawn between a PMSC and the country in which they operate, so that they are not involved with any other country. Also, the International Court of Justice, under extreme circumstances, should be able to revoke licenses of PMSCs if found out that they are indulging in illegal activities.

PMSCs are vitally important. In an era where international peacekeeping crops up on a consistent basis, the presence of skilled professionals is required to police the world. If it means paying more money, so be it.