SWCMUN 2011
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide
Sir Winston Churchill HSMUN Conference
SWCMUN 2011
Table of Contents
Committee Overview …………………………………………………………………….. Page 3
Simulation Overview ……………………………………………………………………… Page 3
Topic 1: Illegal Arms Trafficking ……………………………………………………… Page 5-11
Topic 2: Private Military Companies ………………………………………………. Page 12-16
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
Topic 3: Child Soldiers ……………………………………………………………………. Page 17-20
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Committee Overview
The United Nations is divided into five organs: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Secretariat and the International Court of Justice
(ICJ). The General Assembly is the only subsection of the UN in which all 192 member nations
have equal representation and voting power, meaning that each country has one vote.
Resolutions will pass by a simple majority. The General Assembly is, in turn, made up of six
main committees: Economic and Financial (ECOFIN), Social, Cultural and Humanitarian
(SOCHUM), Special Political and Decolonization (SPECPOL), Administrative and Budgetary,
Legal, and Disarmament and International Security (DISEC). Delegates will fill the seat their
nation holds in DISEC, and will represent their nation’s views and priorities in relation to our
three topics.
DISEC is the first committee of the General Assembly. DISEC discusses issues of diplomatic and
military stability with the goals of disarmament and increased international security. This idea
of disarmament can extend to a wide variety of potential threats: nuclear weapons, biological
and chemical warfare, civil strife within nations, the weaponization of space, and many more.
According to Section 3 of Chapter IV Article 11: “The General Assembly may call the attention of
the Security Council to situations which are likely to endanger international peace and
security.” In our committee simulation, delegates will consider three topics that relate very
immediately to the peace and security of the world. It is crucial to emphasize the importance of
focusing on the security aspect of these topics. Oftentimes, security concerns will have a
humanitarian dimension.
Simulation Overview
Delegates are expected to arrive in committee with a knowledge of both topics that enables
them to accurately represent their country’s position and discuss feasible solutions and
applications for the topics. It is extremely important for delegates to have a strong
understanding of their country’s policy and that delegates represent their nation’s government
and not themselves. Innovative solutions that go against said policy will not be very helpful.
That said, delegates are encouraged to explore many options. Make sure proposals are within
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
According to Chapter IV Article 10 of the UN Charter, committees of the General Assembly have
the power and responsibility to make recommendations to the Security Council and member
states of the UN after thorough discussions of issues that fit into the mandate of their specific
committee. It is important to remember that the committee will be responsible for making
recommendations for action: DISEC, as part of the General Assembly, is never authorized to
declare sanctions, make war, or impose other regulations on nations.
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the realm of possibility for the mandate of the UN General Assembly while exploring the latest
international efforts for both topics.
This Background Guide includes suggestions for further research, and these are an excellent
place to start. The Background Guide is merely a starting point for your research. Delegates
should familiarize themselves with both the history of these topics and their present reality. Of
course, sources of information that are not mentioned are more than welcome in committee,
as long as they are credible. Preparation is key to enjoying oneself at any Model UN conference:
it is much more enjoyable to be able to actively participate in debate than to be stuck in the
back of a room with nothing to say for three days.
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
As the first committee of the General Assembly, DISEC will be one of the largest committees at
SWCMUN. The committee will operate according to standard Parliamentary Procedure
guidelines. Our time in committee will be divided into two forms of debate. Formal debate
includes speakers’ list speeches and moderated caucuses. Informal debate is made up of
unmoderated caucuses that allow delegates to work on writing resolutions. We will go over
both types of debate in greater detail at the opening of committee. All delegates are
encouraged to express their country’s positions in formal debate. It is also very important for
countries to know their relationships with other nations in the simulation: this is an important
part of bloc position. Not all points of view will be compatible on every point. Collaboration is
encouraged in balance with a thorough knowledge of country policy. Pre-written resolutions
are expressly forbidden. Come prepared and excited!
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GA: DISEC – Illegal Arms Trafficking
Topic 1: Illegal Arms Trafficking
Introduction
The illegal trafficking of weapons is an international issue that plagues many of the world’s
developing nations. Illicit arms trafficking fuels civil wars, incites conflict, and is in general a
detriment to the successful rehabilitation of developing nations. The main focus of this guide is
on the trade of small arms and light weapons (SA/LW). Small arms and light weapons account
for approximately 60-90% of the 100,000 deaths linked to international conflict each year.1 As
well, because of their ease of use and the ease with which they can be acquired, they are the
preferred weapon of terrorist organizations. Additionally, since many small arms are
lightweight and easy to use, they are used in conflicts involving child soldiers. It is therefore
critical that the continued illegal trade of weapons is stemmed and heavily controlled.
The main issue in the illegal arms trade is that there exists a blurred line between legal and
illegal trade. Because of loose international standards and regulations, weapons are often able
to fall into the hands of paramilitary forces and terrorist groups. Many of the institutional
checks on small arms that are in place around the world are weak and poorly enforced. As a
result of corruption and general misinformation, many states both willingly and unwillingly
supply weapons normally destined for legitimate government military services straight into the
hands of terrorist groups that seek only to incite violence. Because of the difficulty in
determining the legality of small arms, defining what is meant by legal and illicit arms trade is a
key component in understanding how to combat it. The Small Arms Survey defines it as:
A transfer generally is legal if it fully conforms to international law and the
national laws of both the exporting and importing states. An illicit transfer
breaks either international or national laws. This simple division often blurs
in practice, especially in ambiguous cases where legal or policy exceptions are
exploited. Another source of controversy arises from transfers that are legal
by these criteria – for example, which do not violate international arms
embargoes or sanctions – but not in terms of international humanitarian or
human rights law.3
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
Small Arms and Light Weapons
SA/LW is loosely defined as weapons that can be used by individuals or that can be
mounted on vehicles or pack animals.2 These include:
• Small arms: hand-held small calibre firearms, usually consisting of handguns, rifles, shotguns,
manual, semi-automatic, and full automatic weapons and man-portable machineguns.
• Light weapons: Includes a wide range of medium-calibre and explosive ordnance, including
man-portable and vehicle-mounted antipersonnel, antitank and anti-aircraft rockets, missiles,
landmines, antiaircraft guns, mortars, hand grenades and RPGs, and so on. Many of these
weapons are small, light, and easy to transport across international borders. Therefore,
smuggling rings are large and difficult to control.
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Supply of SA/LW
Small arms can enter the illicit market in nine different ways:
1. The first and most serious transfer of illegal arms occurs when states and organizations defy
weapons trade embargos on nations. By doing so, they directly fuel the conflict in nations
that have already been pre-identified as war-torn. Cases on regional, national and
international scales can be found where the embargos were not monitored closely enough,
such as the embargos on Angola and Liberia.5
2. Another important transgression occurs because of corruption in the system. In many
countries, such as Russia, the illegal passage of weapons is allowed through and across
the border of a country as officials are bribed to cooperate. These officials will often
accept payoffs, especially in countries where government officials receive meager salaries
and have little to no incentive to enforce the law.
3. The inadequate management of weapons stockpiles has meant that many legal weapons,
often stored once they are outdated, leak into the black market. It is in this way that most
legal arms leach into illicit trafficking networks. 6
4. Another important source of illegal weapons can again be linked to the poor management of
weapon caches. During times of civil unrest, many opportunists find the time to raid weapon
arsenals. In 1997, for example, Albanian government arsenals emptied as the country
descended into chaos and more than half a million weapons flowed into the hands of
Albanian citizens. Many of these guns made their way throughout the Balkans and into
other regions. In the most extraordinary case, that of Iraq, the loss of control of millions of
small arms and light weapons, ammunition and explosives helped to undermine the stability
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
Overview of SA/LW
The issue of small arms is most obvious now, in the twenty first century, after the breakup of
the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. After the end of the Cold War, the prevalent
inter-state conflict quickly transformed into intra-state conflict fought not by large weapons
and weapons of mass destruction but by small arms. Instead of the large political and
ideological battles of the past century that divided the world in two, much of the world in
conflict laden nations is now instead divided by ethnic and religious conflicts, most of which are
fought by small arms and rebel groups. These small weapons are prevalent throughout the
world. Unlike the massive war machines of the Cold War, even when outdated, these weapons
are useful in combat and unlikely to disappear (except into different conflicts). They provide
easy armament for any party wanting to reignite a conflict or engage a neighbouring country.
Even when further fighting does not materialize, small arms can be employed in other forms of
criminal violence, disruption of development efforts, or interference with efforts to deliver
humanitarian aid. The advantages of these weapons are clear. They are cheap, widely available,
lethal, simple to use, durable, portable, concealable, and have legitimate military, police, and
civilian uses, making them easy to transfer across borders, legally and illicitly.4 It is for this
reason that they are so prevalent and the issue so difficult to approach. Any solution would
require multiple facets and must target both the lax control and regulation in the target
nation(s) as well as the current socio-economic condition of the area. For that reason, it is
important to understand where and how these weapons are entering the market, as well as
which issues are international and which must be solved at a rural level.
6
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
of an entire country. 7
Often times, weapons are also lost from military stocks. Each year, approximately 1 million
light weapons are stolen or lost from military arsenals. 8
There are also known cases where members of the military who have legal access to guns
and other weapons sell them or provide them to the black market. Israeli soldiers are known
to sell weapons to Palestinians with the full understanding that these weapons will be used
against Israeli soldiers and citizens. 9
Weapons are also known to be stolen from owners, a case that occurs in countries where it
is legal to carry firearms, such as the U.S.
Ambiguous or unclear domestic laws can allow persons to own and purchase multiple guns.
These owners then go on to sell these weapons to other parties.
Lastly, there are many organizations in the black market that make their own weapons
directly.
Current Response to Illegal Trafficking
The current international response is still weak and uncoordinated. The U.S. currently leads the
world in its international small arms and light weaponry disarmament attempts with its efforts
to secure and destroy surplus and obsolete small arms and light weapons. Since 2001, the State
Department's Small Arms/Light Weapons Destruction Program has facilitated the destruction of
over 800,000 surplus small and light weapons and 80 million rounds of ammunition in 23
countries. The international response, however, has not been as strong. While its response to
such weaponry as landmines and biological weapons has been very effective in curbing and
limiting their use, the enforcement of measures against the illegal distribution of light
weaponry is currently insufficient. Although the UN has passed multiple resolutions against the
proliferation and endorsement of arms trafficking, such as the United Nations Program of
Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All
Its Aspects (UN Program of Action, or POA), these resolutions are too vague and widespread to
have much of an impact on the global community. Instead, it is recommend that any proposed
resolution would seek to curb the spread of specific types of weaponry or seek to limit the
influx of weaponry in certain nations, among other recommendations.
Relevant Statistics
A key issue to consider of illegal arms trafficking is the difficulty of obtaining reliable data.
Because of its covert nature, there is little available information for governments to work with,
and few analysts are even able to estimate the size of the international black market of illicit
arms. The reason for this stems from the nature of the weapons. As mentioned before, because
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
As can be seen, a key component in the fight against illegal arms trafficking is the correct
management of weapons stocks. The secure disposal of weaponry as well as the safe
management of current stocks would greatly reduce the likelihood that weapons which are
originally made for legal purposes, i.e. national defense, do not fall into the hands of black
market traffickers. Of important note as well is that, as recommended by the Secretary General
of the UN himself, Ban Ki-moon, the safest disposal of weaponry is when the weapon stocks are
destroyed once they are no longer in use.10
7
of the difficulty in separating legal trade from illegal trade destined for terrorist organizations, it
is difficult to even quantify the extent of the black market. To put in perspective, a conservative
estimate of the size of the illegal global arms trade is around $1 billion dollars in worth (that of
the legal trade is $4 billion in worth, exemplifying the size of the illegal market).11 It is quite
clear, however, from the size and extent of the influence of these paramilitary groups that the
illegal trade is a very real threat, regardless of the availability of quantifiable data.
Top Five Arms Exporters (Worldwide, 2004)
o #1 - United States ($18.55 billion)
o #2 - Russia ($4.6 billion)
o #3 - France ($4.4 billion)
o #4 - United Kingdom ($1.9 billion)
(Source: Congressional Research Service)
Conclusion
The illegal arms trade is reaching critical levels around the world. For a few hundred or so
dollars, an insurgent is able to purchase a rifle capable of killing tens of innocent civilians; for a
thousand or so dollars, a missile launcher capable of downing a civilian plane. The issue must be
resolved. A resolution must be passed that deals with three main areas. First, the suppliers of
these weapons must be dealt with. Countries that supply these weapons, even if unwittingly,
must be pressured to end their contracts and clamp down on the illegal trade through stricter
border control and the curbing of corruption. Secondly, the weapons must be removed
from affected nations and the economic and social conditions must be dealt with properly to
prevent repeat conditions in these nations. Finally, weapons must be dealt with appropriately
so prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Only by restricting the access to these
weapons would we be able to promote peace and stability in war torn and conflicted areas of
the world.
Bloc Positions
African Bloc: As the region with the most conflicts, this bloc understands the effects of the
proliferation and use of SALW’s – having been most destabilized economically and politically by
the illicit use of SALW’s. Though few nations thrive peacefully through the effects of SALW’s,
many other nations have been marred by the conflicts the arms have brought. The long lasting
conflicts in Rwanda, Somalia, and Darfur have been perpetuated because of the available
access to the arms. As such, the African Bloc has been establishing preventative measures for
keeping the SALW’s away from belligerent parties and rehabilitation programs to stop the
effects of their illicit use.
Asian Bloc: Conflicts in this region have been relatively high, especially in the South Asian
region. For example, the armed confrontation in Thailand has greatly destabilized a region once
hailed as a tourist haven. As such, the Asian Bloc has also been careful to regulate its arms trade
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
Number of Known Small Arms-Producing Countries (Worldwide, 2003): 92 (estimate)
(Source: Small Arms Survey 2004, p. 9)
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throughout the region. However, as a region with one of the biggest suppliers of SALW’s,
members of this bloc need to also consider solutions that do not impose upon a nation’s
autonomy to legally sell arms. The Association of South- East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been
establishing particularly stricter regulations into the arms trade by unifying the arms tracking
methods and improving international communication.
Middle Eastern Bloc: As a region that has experienced many armed conflicts, the Middle East is
no stranger to the stress that SALW’s can bring. However, with a military expenditure
comparatively high to its gross domestic product, the Middle East is also a large customer base
for legitimate arms sales. In-fighting throughout the Middle Eastern Bloc, originating from the
Israeli conflict, has frequently destabilized peace in the region through retaliatory attacks. As
such, efforts to build peace are repeatedly undermined through renewed acts of violence.
Latin America Bloc: The Latin American states have experienced many uprisings that have
garnered a great human cost. Furthermore, the instability that such rebellions bring has caused
a great deal of violent crimes – between 1979 to 2003, 500,000 Brazilians have been killed by
SALW’s. The conflicts have also been attributed to the wide between the poor and the rich. The
Organization of American States (OAS) has devoted measures to more efficiently track arms and
their illicit trade to end such prevalence of volatility.
Points to Consider
1. How can the UN stem the illicit trade of SALW’s and their flow into armed conflicts?
2. How can past effective solutions be expanded into current situations?
3. How will the international community enforce the solutions proposed?
4. What is your country’s policy on SALW’s?
5. How will SALW’s be dealt with in terms of those in post-conflict regions?
6. What can be done to ensure legally traded arms reach their designated destination?
1 “Federation of American Scientists,” Accessed March 28, 2011
http://www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/IssueBrief3ArmsTrafficking.html
2 ibid
3 Small Arms Survey 2002, 111
4 Jeffery Boutwell and Michael Klare, “Special Report: A Scourge of Small Arms,” Scientific
American, June 2000, 30-35.
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Western Bloc: As a bloc with the most SALW manufacturers and some of the most developed
nations, members of this bloc need to consider various viewpoints. Although many of these
nations support disarmament, it is also important to consider that their economies are also
dependent on the sales of arms. Thus, the biggest discrepancy between the Western bloc and
other blocs is that they would consider the reduction of SALW’s rather than the complete
eradication of them. However, this stance is not to say that the Western Bloc would disagree
with the demobilization of armed belligerents.
9
5 For specific information on the U.N. reports on Angola and Liberia see U.N. documents
S/2000/203 and S/2001/1015.
6 Small Arms Survey 2004: Rights at Risk (Geneva: Graduate Institute of International Studies,
Oxford University Press, 2004)
7 The Small Arms Survey, Small Arms Survey 2004 , chap. 2
8 Small Arms Survey 2004: Rights at Risk (Geneva: Graduate Institute of International Studies,
Oxford University Press, 2004)
9 “Daily Telegraph”, last modified July, 22, 2003,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/07/22/wmid22.xml.
10 “Report of the Secretary General,” Last modified April 17 2008
http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/SALW/Docs/SGReportonSmallArms2008.pdf#page
=6
11 Small Arms Survey 2002: Counting the Human Cost (Geneva: Graduate Institute of
International Studies, Oxford University Press 2002).
Recommended External Sources
1. The Federation of American Scientists
http://www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/IssueBrief3ArmsTrafficking.html
2. The Report of the Secretary General
http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/SALW/Docs/SGReportonSmallArms2008.pdf#page=6
Works Cited
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. "Actions by the United States to Stem the
Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons." Federation of American
Scientists.
http://www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/Statefactsheet9jun06.htm
(accessed March 28, 2011).
Cukier, Wendy. "PeaceBuild." The Ilicit Trade in Small Arms: Addressing The
Problem of Diversion.
www.ploughshares.ca/libraries/Control/SAWG08Cukier2.pdf (accessed
March 28, 2011).
"Fighting the Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms." CDI - Center for Defense
Information - Security Policy Research Organization.
http://www.cdi.org/program/document.cfm?DocumentID=2996#_edn3
(accessed March 28, 2011).
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
3. Small Arms Survey is the definitive source on the supply and distribution of
small arms
http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/index.html
4. The following article is an excellent guide to the arms trade in Africa
http://www.fas.org/asmp/library/articles/SchroederLamb.pdf
10
Jeffery Boutwell and Michael Klare, “Special Report: A Scourge of Small Arms,”
Scientific American, June 2000, 30-35.
Ki-moon, Ban. "Small Arms ." Report of the Secretary-General.
www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/SALW/Docs/SGReportonSmallArms
2008.pdf#page=6 (accessed March 28, 2011).
"Producers." Small Arms Survey.
www.smallarmssurvey.org/files/portal/spotlight/country/europ.html
(accessed March 28, 2011).
"NISAT - Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers." PRIO - Peace
Research Institute Oslo. http://www.prio.no/nisat (accessed March 28, 2011).
Schroeder, Matt, and Guy Lamb. "A Global Enterprise." The Illicit Arms Trade in
Africa. www.fas.org/asmp/library/articles/SchroederLamb.pdf (accessed
March 28, 2011).
United Nations Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit
Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN Program
of Action, or POA).
"The Illicit Arms Trade." Federation of American Scientists.
http://www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/IssueBrief3ArmsTrafficki
ng.html (accessed March 28, 2011).
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United Nations. "ILLICIT SMALL ARMS TRADE IN AFRICA FUELS
CONFLICT, CONTRIBUTES TO POVERTY, STALLS
DEVELOPMENT, SAY SPEAKERS ON SECOND DAY OF UN
REVIEW CONFERENCE." Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your
World. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/dc3032.doc.htm
(accessed March 28, 2011).
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Past UN Involvement
Although at times a plague on the international community, PMCs and other security providers
have been unable to be adequately addressed and regulated by the United Nations due to the
quite recent influx of power held by such corporations. In 1989 however, with the rise in
military privatization, the United Nations drafted the International Convention against the
Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, which defined a mercenary as “any
person who is specifically recruited…motivated to take part in the hostilities by the desire for
private gain…” and ultimately and external force. In article 1 and 4 the convention similarly
regards a mercenary as anyone who is specifically recruited for the purpose of “overthrowing a
Government or otherwise undermining the constitutional order of a State” and furthermore
condemns “any person who is the accomplice of a person who commits or attempts to commit
any of the offences set forth in the present Convention”. The Convention presented a
significant position for all active PMC’s of the time by ultimately limiting the range of available
clientele.
Similarly, the OAU Convention for the Elimination of Mercenaries in Africa (1977) defines a
mercenary as an individual yet fails to address ‘humanitarian assistance’ and lacks all incentive
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
GA: DISEC – Private Military Companies
Topic 2: Private Military Companies
Background Information
Private military companies (PMCs) are businesses “that perform all types of security assistance,
training, provision and consulting services, including unarmed logistical support, armed security
guards, and those involved in defensive or offensive military and/or security-type activities,
particularly in armed conflict areas and/or zones.”1 Also called private military and security
companies (PMSCs), private security companies (PSCs), private security providers, and private
military firms (PMFs), PMCs differ from the traditional national security services such as armies,
air forces, navies, and police in two fundamental respects. The first relates to organization:
“PMCs are registered businesses with corporate structures,” not public entities with public
oversight. The second difference is motivation: “PMCs provide their services primarily for profit
rather than for political reasons.” 2 With the mounting need for governmental and personal
security in an age of newly rampant terrorism, private military companies and private security
providers—despite being a relatively new phenomenon—have established themselves as a
strong presence on the international scene with both their beneficial and destructive
tendencies. On one hand, these defense contractors can provide valuable security services,
serving as bodyguards, police squads, training personnel, and supplying necessary military
equipment. Xe Services LLC, formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide, hired out its services to
the United States Government who used specially trained personnel as bodyguards to high
ranking officials. As such, they give the impression of positivity, working to ensure safety and
stability of legitimate governments and organizations worldwide. Today, many UN Member
States hire PMCs to supplement their own military operations. In addition, international
organizations such as the UN hire PMCs to provide security to their personnel and programs.
The widespread use of PMCs raises important questions. Are the benefits of PMCs worth the
financial, security, and human rights costs? Can these costs be reduced? What role should the
UN play in regulating PMCs?
12
for compliance. Both the United Nations Mercenary Convention and its counterpart, the OAU
Elimination of Mercenaries in Africa Convention have failed to provide compatible measures of
procedure and monitoring, a task that is then left to individual nations to implement domestic
legislation.
Possible Solutions
Because all private military corporations and private security providers are housed in individual
states and overseen on a national scale, when researching viable solutions, one must attempt
to implement international legislation that is both acceptable to the international community
and non-intrusive of national sovereignty. The best path to take in order to achieve such
solutions is to research past successful domestic legislation implemented by nations that house
a number of PMC’s and attempt to replicate it on a larger scale. For instance, the Arms Export
Control Act of the United States (1968) “stipulates the purposes for which weapons and
services may be transferred” and requires that all US PMC’s wishing to provide military
assistance to foreign clients must acquire a license from the State Department. Additionally, the
Penal Codes in both Denmark and Belgium prohibit citizens from participating in foreign armies
and recruiting for such armies. Try and address as many aspects of this topic as you can,
including the human rights abuses suffered at the hands of such companies, the freedom of
many of these companies to choose their own clients, as well as the issue of sovereignty.
Bloc Positions
Western Nations: Many European nations, especially the United Kingdom, are looking to place
regulations on PMC’s however domestic legislation is still in the works. Because there are so
many PMC’s in Europe, extreme regulations pose a problem; certain regulations could hurt
their own companies and limit the amount of money brought into the country as a whole.
Asian Nations: Asian nations find that PMC’s are useful in such ventures as guarding valuable oil
pipelines and find PMC’s exceedingly useful. This is seen in the Philippines where, according to
the Asia Times, the “number of PMC employees outnumber the police of army.” However,
specific nations, such as China, are sensitive to the issue of sovereignty that PMC’s bring to the
surface.
Latin Nations: Latin Nations are becoming increasingly troubled at the amount of Latin PMC’s
employed by the United States in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. Because PMC’s in the area
are constantly hiring employees based on demand, Latin workers are always available, yet are
therefore subject to the most abusive labour practices.
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African Nations: These nations often seek the resources that PMC’s provide due to continuously
weak governments in need of security from military coups, pirates, opposition parties and other
forms of destabilizing factors. These nations are also the ones who endure the worst suffering
by PMC’s and are looking to stabilize their infrastructure so as to wipe out the need for military
assistance.
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Middle Eastern Nations: Many Middle Eastern Nations immersed in conflict despise the PMC’s
that kill their citizens in the “War on Terror” instigated by the United States. Israel, on the other
hand, has several PMC’s, including Silver Shadow and puts such companies to their full use.
Conclusion
Increasing use of PMCs by states and non-state actors presents many challenges to UN Member
States and UN agencies. The existing framework regulating PMSCs activities, essentially based
in self-regulation and voluntary codes of conduct, is insufficient, as shown in numerous cases of
human rights violations. The obligation to regulate these activities falls on the States
responsible for the respect, realization and promotion of human rights. However, given the
transnational character of these activities, it is also necessary that this regulation takes place
both at the regional level and within United Nations. Is it possible for UN member states and
UN peacekeeping operations to rely on PMCs without damaging the UN’s security and human
rights goals?
Helpful Research Sources
http://www.monitor.upeace.org/innerpg.cfm?id_article=724: Contains straightforward
background of the topic.
http://www.privatemilitary.org/private_military_companies.html: Contains a list of several
private military companies and their websites.
http://www.un.org/en/: Useful search engine for United Nations Documents, treaties,
Resolutions etc.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/90526.stm: Contains useful articles on past PMC actions
_____________________________________________________________________________
1 United Nations General Assembly, “Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the
exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination,” A/63/325, August 25, 2008, p. 4, available at
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/48e5e9112.pdf
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In researching your country’s position on this issue, consider the following questions:
 Have international PMCs been used in or by your country? Why or why not? Has their
use enhanced or detracted from security and human rights?
 Does your country have domestic legislation regulating the use of PMCs?
 Is your country suffering/benefiting from the use of PMCs against them? Are they
suffering/benefiting from their own PMCs?
 Does your nation have any PMCs of their own?
 Has your country signed the Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and
Training of Mercenaries? Is it a party to the Geneva Conventions? Why or why not?
 Are the benefits of PMCs worth the security and human rights costs? How can these
costs be minimized?
 Should the UN use PMCs? If so, how? If not, why not?
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2 Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), “Democratic Control of Armed Forces,” DCAF
Backgrounder, April 2006, p. 1, available at
http://www.dcaf.ch/publications/kms/details.cfm?lng=en&id=55251&nav1=5.
.gov/story.asp?id=1503
_____________________________________________________________________________
Recommended Reading
Avant, Deborah. “Private Military Companies and the Future of War.” Foreign Policy Research
Institute E-Note. April 2006. Available at
http://www.fpri.org/enotes/200604.military.avant.privatemilitarycompanies.html
This article by a leading scholar of PMCs explains the costs and benefits of their use and the
need for their regulation.
Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). “Democratic Control of
Armed Forces.” DCAF Backgrounder. April 2006. Available at
http://www.dcaf.ch/publications/kms/details.cfm?lng=en&id=55251&nav1=5
DCAF is a non-governmental organization concerned with the democratic control of military
forces, both national and private. This backgrounder provides an excellent overview of PMC
activities and possible national and international regulatory actions. In addition, the DCAF
website has reports on country specific PMC operations and regulations.
International Committee of the Red Cross. “The Geneva Conventions: the core of international
humanitarian law.” January 9, 2006. Available at
http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/genevaconventions
This website provides detailed information on the Geneva Conventions, which articulate the
laws of war. States that are party to the Conventions are listed.
“International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of
Mercenaries.” December 4, 1989. Available at
To date, this is the only international treaty regulating the use of mercenaries. It is important to
know what is in the treaty, as well as whether your country has signed and ratified it.
Isenburg, David, “Government in Search of Cover: PMCs in Iraq.” Paper presented to the British
American Security Council conference at the New York Institute for International Law and
Justice. New York University School Of Law. March 2006. Available at
http://www.basicint.org/pubs/Papers/pmcs0603.pdf This paper provides an overview of the
use of PMCs in Iraq. It also provides a useful analysis of the benefits and dilemmas associated
with PMCs.
Risen, James. “Afghans Linked to the Taliban Guard U.S. Bases.” New York Times. October 7,
2010. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/world/asia/08contractor.html
This article summarizes a recent US Senate report that found that use of PMCs in Afghanistan
has strengthened the Taliban because many of the individuals hired are affiliated with the
Taliban. For related articles on the situation in Afghanistan, including the government’s demand
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/mercenaries.htm.
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for all PMCs to leave in four months, see the New York Times articles cited in footnotes 29, 44,
and 45, as well as recent stories on the “Times Topic: Afghanistan” page at
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/afghanistan/index.html
Schwartz, Moshe. “CRS Report for Congress: Department of Defense Contractors in Iraq and
Afghanistan: Background and Analysis.” Congressional Research Service, 2 July 2010. Available
at http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R40764.pdf. This report provides a breakdown of PMCs
operating in both Iraq and Afghanistan. It includes not only statistics, but analysis of the impact
their presence has had and estimates of where PMC numbers will be in the near future.
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. “Quarterly Report to the United States
Congress.” 30 April 2010. Available at http://www.sigir.mil Accessed March 29, 2011.
This report outlines the progress, goals, and budgeting of the US operation in Iraq including
very detailed information about PMC involvement. It has an interesting section regarding
obstacles PMCs face when operating in Iraq.
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
United Nations General Assembly. “Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights
and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination.” A/64/325. August 25,
2008. Available at http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/48e5e9112.pdf
This document includes a report from the UN Working Group on mercenaries, as well as a list of
the state parties to the Convention on mercenaries. It is one of the most up-to-date sources of
information on the PMC situation worldwide and in particular countries. For a more recent GA
resolution on PMCs, see Resolution A/65/141 (March 2010), available at
http://www.un.org/en/ga/64/resolutions.shtml
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GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
GA: DISEC – Child Soldiers
Topic 3: Child Soldiers
Background:
The use of child soldiers in numerous countries has caused an outcry in the international
community for years. Historically, we see child soldiers active in predominately developing
nations with severely unstable political, economical, and social environments. While child
soldiers have always been a haunting issue, they came to the humanitarian forefront in the late
20th and early 21st centuries. During this period, the world bore witness to the collapse of
several regimes, the rise of militant dictators, and a mess of corrupt economics. The African
continent plays host to the largest violations of child soldiers both in international and internal
tribal conflicts. However, it is important to understand that child soldiers are a global crisis and
not simply confined to the African context.
Before examining the use of child soldiers, we must first understand the problems of defining
what a child soldier is. The Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the UN General
Assembly in 1989 defines children as all “humans being under the age of 18, unless the relevant
national laws recognize an earlier age of majority” (Yoong). However, due to national laws that
conflict, this leaves a grey area for children between ages 15 to 18. In terms of conflict, the
Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers defines child soldiers as: any person below the age of
18 who is a member of or attached to government armed forces or any other regular or
irregular armed force or armed political group, whether or not an armed conflict exists. Child
soldiers perform a range of tasks including: participation in combat; laying mines and
explosives; scouting, spying, acting as decoys, couriers or guards; training, drill or other
preparations; logistics and support functions, portering, cooking and domestic labour. Child
soldiers may also be subjected to sexual slavery or other forms of sexual abuse” (“Child
Soldiers Global Report Summary”) Additionally, the African Union took a strong stance in the
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child in establishing a majority age of 18 and
ensuring that no person under the age can be involved in hostilities. However, this 1990 charter
has not received full recognition from all African nations. When addressing the issue of child
soldiers, one must understand why militaries recruit children in the first place. Using children in
war often confuses an opposing army whose adult soldiers will generally hesitate when firing
upon children. Children also invoke a strong element of surprise when infiltrating enemy
grounds. Another reason for recruiting children relies on attempts of the regime to indoctrinate
a following. If leaders want long-term support, it then makes political sense to mold the minds
into fervent supporters of some cause. In many countries, particularly within Africa, there are
many homeless children that can easily be recruited with the promise of food and shelter.
Because of their numbers and long-term potential, children become a dispensable commodity
to militants. Additionally, children are psychologically less risk-averse than adults, who
understand their mortality. The typical child will be less aware of associated risks and will
therefore obey with less apprehension. The future problem turns towards how these children
will be once the conflict subsides. In response these conditions, the United Nations issued
several condemnations and organized watch bodies to monitor child soldier and trafficking
conditions. One of the biggest strides in international law against the use of child soldiers was
the UN Security Council Resolution 1612, ratified in 2005. This resolution reaffirms and
“strongly condemns the recruitment and use of child soldiers by parties to armed conflict in
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Current Status of Issue:
Today, Human Rights Watch and other humanitarian organizations estimate between 200,000 –
300,000 children under the age of 18 currently involved in armed conflicts across the globe.
These conflicts may involve government armed forces, paramilitary groups, or armed
opposition groups. The International Criminal Court (ICC) established jurisdiction over instances
of child enlisting by defining such an action as a war crime. Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the
ICC includes “conscripting or enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into national
armed forces or using them to participate actively in hostilities” (“Child Soldiers Global Report
2008). A combination of international efforts has successfully punished individuals caught
performing such actions; however, the act of catching the individuals in charge is still a major
challenge today. Child soldiers today face several social, medical, and economic problems.
Many child refugees and escaped soldiers developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in
response to the brutalities they are forced to witness. The ongoing process of repatriating and
rehabilitating child soldiers in itself requires tremendous resources, often being nearly
impossible for victims to recover from completely. Additionally, child soldiers are deprived of
several rights advocated within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Because of the
economic situations, children lack education, live in extreme poverty, and depend on their
captors for food and survival. Life expectancy for child soldiers is abysmal due to
underdevelopment and severe health risks. Understandably, these are terrible conditions for
children who are often forced and brainwashed into the militant group. Perhaps the most
important method of addressing child soldiers is dealing with the underlying factors surround
its cause. The German delegate Mr. Wittig commented during the Peace Building Commission
that “…support the establishment of vibrant social organizations and integrating former child
soldiers, for example, into their local communities can all be part of institution building”
(“6472 Meeting”). While the Security Council and other international organizations have
defined rules, interpreted law, and described punishments, these efforts are still not enough.
As a committee of the General Assembly, the First Committee on Disarmament and
International Security has a larger membership that may be able to reach a broader consensus
on the question at hand.
Questions to Consider:
1. How can the UN focus efforts on deterring and preventing the use of child soldiers?
2. Does the UN have authority over non-governmental actors and separatist regimes that utilize
force child labour?
3. Why are child soldiers predominately found in unstable, developing nations?
4. How can states successfully practice positive institution building to reduce the chances of
child soldiers being recruited?
5. Considering the current violent political movements in the world and the uncertainty of how
many child soldiers are employed, how can the UN and other humanitarian organizations better
monitor the use of child soldiers?
6. What efforts have individual states taken to ensure the safety of children?
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
violation of international obligations applicable to them and all other violations and abuses
committed against children in situations of armed conflict” (S/RES/1612).
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Bloc Positions:
Western Bloc: The Western nations including the US and Europe strongly condemn the use of
child soldiers and have advocated the use of sanctions against any nations that used them as
well as any nation that is believed to have connections to groups that use them in the past.
While the US and Europe have several internal human trafficking problems, they should
consider their commitment to humanitarian development and international policy.
Asian Bloc: China has always fallen into an interesting place on this issue and with that much of
South East Asia as well. While always against child soldiers in principle and in theory, in practice
the Chinese have been inclined to turn a blind eye to this if it benefits their economic
investments in countries. This often leads to a conflict of interests and shows China going
against the idea of sanctions. South East Asian countries should consider their involvement with
forced child labour and child soldiers in terms of their official policy and international law.
African Bloc: African nations sit in the center of this issue, as many of the reported problems
are present on the continent. While the positions of each nation depend on the situation, Africa
as a whole does not want to see the West invading their internal matters. African nations
should consider their plans for economic and political development in their social systems as
ways of deterring the use of child soldiers.
Sources:
“Child Soldiers Accountability Act of 2008”. United States Senate. S.2153. 110th Congress. Feb
2, 2011. < http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-2135>
“Child Soldiers Global Report Summary –Summary of selected international treaties”. Coalition
to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. Human Rights Watch. 2008. Web. Feb 1, 2011.
http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/Child_Soldiers_Global_Report_Summary.pdf
UN Security Council Resolution 1291. United Nations. S/RES/1261 (1999).
UN Security Council Resolution 1460. United Nations. S/RES/1460 (2003).
UN Security Council Resolution 1539. United Nations. S/RES/1539 (2004).
UN Security Council Resolution 1612. United Nations. S/RES/1612 (2005). Web. Feb 1, 2011.
<http://www.unrol.org/files/SecurityCouncilResolution1612_en.pdf>
“World Map of Child Soldiers”. 2001. Image. Feb 1, 2011.<http://www.un.org/works/goingon/
soldiers/ childsoldiersmap.html>
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
“Child Soldiers Global Report Summary”. Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. Human
Rights Watch. 2008. Web. Feb 1, 2011. <http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/
Child_Soldiers_Global_Report_Summary.pdf>
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Yoong, Meng. “Child Soldier: Problems of Definition, Role and Factors for Recruitment”. Journal
of the Royal Malaysia Police Senior Officers’ College. 2004. Web. Feb 1, 2011.
http://mpk.rmp.gov.my/jurnal/2004b/childsoldiers.pdf
“6472nd Meeting”. UN Security Council Provisional Meeting on Peacebuilding. S/PV.6472. Jan
21, 2011. Feb 2, 2011
<http://daccess-ddsny. un.org/doc/UNDOC/PRO/N11/212/68/PDF/N1121268.pdf?
OpenElement>
GA 1 DISEC Background Guide | SWCMUN 2011
This background guide has been adapted from DISEC Background Guides at the following HSMUN conferences:
SOMA XXXIX, Cerritos High School Model UN Conference, Surf City MUN, Dartmouth (DARTMUN), National High
School Model UN (NHSMUN), Washington Area Model UN (WAMUNC).
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