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Mercenaries

Mercenaries

Abdel-Fatau Musah | J. Kayode Fayemi

(1999)

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Book Details

Abstract

This powerful book critiques mercenary involvement in post-Cold War African conflicts. The contributors investigate the links between the rise in internal conflicts and the proliferation of mercenary activities in the 1990s; the distinction in the methods adopted by Cold War mercenaries and their contemporary counterparts; the convoluted network between private armies; business interests and sustained poverty in Africa’s poorest countries; and the connection between mercenary activities and arms proliferation. Countries discussed include Sierra Leone, Zaire, Angola, Uganda and Congo.

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Contents v
About the Centre for Democracy and Development vii
Programme on Conflict Management, Regional Security & Peacebuilding vii
Foreword viii
Acknowledgements xi
Abbreviations and Acronyms xii
Introduction 1
Brief Overview of the African Encounter with Mercenarism 5
Structure of Book 7
Synopsis 8
Introduction Notes 11
1. Africa in Search of Security: Mercenaries and Conflicts An Overview 13
What is Mercenarism? 16
Political Context of Mercenary Activities in Africa during the Cold War 19
The Mercenary Agenda in Contemporary Africa 22
What Future for Mercenarism? 28
Re-conceptualising the Security Environment 30
Improving the Legal Frameworks of Mercenarism: Between Regulation and Redundancy 34
Conclusion 38
Notes Chapter 1 39
2. Private Military Companies and African Security 1990 98 43
PMCs and the 'New World Order' 44
PMCs before 1990 46
EO in 1990-92 49
PMCs in Angola 1993-97 51
PMCs in Central Africa 1996-1998 54
PMCs in Angola and Sierra Leone 1998 59
Other PMC Activity in Africa 60
PMCs in South Africa since 1991 63
Executive Outcomes and Branch- Heritage: The EO- Branch Network 63
The Branch- Heritage Group 64
Strategic Resources Corporation 66
Plaza 107 Ltd 67
Links between the Branch- Heritage group and Executive Outcomes 67
Conclusion 70
Note on Sources 71
Notes Chapter 2 71
3. A Country Under Siege: State Decay and Corporate Military Intervention in Sierra Leone 76
Early Private Security in the Political Economy of Sierra Leone 77
Sierra Leone A Portrait 78
The Colonial Imprint 78
Military/ Defence Structures in Sierra Leone 79
The Anatomy of State Collapse 81
Economic Decline and Mounting Tensions 82
Challenges to the Neocolonial State 83
Emergence of the Revolutionary United Front 84
The Gurkha Security Guards 87
Executive Outcomes 88
The Peace Agreement 89
Post- Election Traumas 91
The Price of EO intervention 91
Corporate Mercenaries in the Kabbah Administration s Strategic Thinking 92
Reactions to the 25 May Coup 96
The Plot behind an African Coup 97
Sandline International 98
Motives behind the Assault Partnership 100
The Vultures Swoop: A Country under Mercenary Occupation 104
Is Sierra Leone any Closer to Peace and Democracy? 106
Weapons Continue to Dominate Sierra Leone 108
Conclusion: Winners and Losers 109
Notes Chapter 3 111
4. The Hand of War: Mercenaries in the Former Zaire 1996 97 117
The Congo as Cradle of Modern-day Mercenarism in Africa 120
The Revolutionary Wind of Change, 1996 121
War in Eastern Zaire and the First Tutsi- led Rebellion 124
Mercenaries for Mobutu 126
War Bonanza 127
Executive Outcomes 130
Confusion in Kinshasa 131
Western European Forces under Christian Tavernier 134
Eastern- European Mercenary Forces under Colonel Dominic Yugo 138
South African Mercenary Forces under Former EO Commanders 140
The Failure of the Zairean Mercenary Counter- offensives at Kisangani 144
Conclusion 145
Notes Chapter 4 149
5. Mining for Serious Trouble: Jean- R ymond Boulle and his Corporate Empire Project 155
Le Jeu de Boulle 156
America Mineral Fields 157
Jean- Raymond Boulle 157
Fall- Out and Rivalry 160
Equally Armed and Dangerous 161
IDAS in Angola 163
Conclusion: Treading on Minefields Where States Dare Not 165
Notes Chapter 5 166
6. Mercenaries, Human Rights and Legality 169
LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE MERCENARY TRADE 170
Domestic Legislation 170
PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANIES Executive Outcomes ( EO) in Angola 172
Executive Outcomes in Sierra Leone 175
Sandline International in Papua New Guinea 177
Sandline in Sierra Leone 179
DiamondWorks 180
The White Legion 181
Stabilco 182
Mercenary Intervention in Congo- Brazzaville 182
Gurkha Security Guards ( GSG) 183
PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANIES 183
Defence Systems Limited ( DSL) 184
DSL in Colombia 186
AirScan 188
Conclusion 188
Notes Chapter 6 193
7. The OAU Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism and Civil Conflicts 198
The Impact of Mercenaries on Armed Conflicts 199
CEMA and internal conflicts in Africa 200
Conclusion 204
Notes Chapter 7 205
8. Understanding the African Security Crisis 210
The Security Paradox 211
Security as a Racket 212
'Back to the Future': The OAU and African State-Making 215
New Post- Cold War Configurations of Force 216
New Forms of Militarisation in the 1990s 218
Possible Solutions: Reforming Paradigms and Structures 225
Notes Chapter 8 230
9. Arresting the Tide of Mercenaries: Prospects for Regional Control 233
Regulation or Abolition? 233
Why is the Activity not Morally Defensible? 234
COMBATING THE NEED FOR PRIVATE ARMIES: SHORT- TO MEDIUM-TERM STRATEGIES 238
Relying on Regional Hegemonies 240
The African Crisis Response Initiative 242
MAKING MERCENARIES PERMANENTLY UNNECESSARY LONG- TERM STRATEGIES 244
Revisiting the Roots 245
Post- Cold War Opportunities 247
The Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS) 248
The Southern African Development Community 251
Regional Security under SADC 251
Stumbling Blocks 252
Conclusion 254
Notes Chapter 9 255
Conclusion 257
Interrogating Mercenarism 259
Appendix 1. Mercenaries: Africa's Experience 1950s-1990 265
Appendix 2. Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa 275
Preamble 275
Article 1 276
Article 2 276
Article 3 276
Article 4 277
Article 5 277
Article 6 277
Article 7 278
Article 8 278
Article 9 278
Article 10 279
Article 11 279
Article 12 279
Article 13 279
Article 14 280
Article 15 280
Appendix 3. OAU Resolution on the Activities of Mercenaries 281
AHG/ Res. 49 ( IV) September ( 1967) ( Kinshasa) 281
Appendix 4. OAU Declaration on the Activities of Mercenaries in Africa 283
Appendix 5. OAU Convention for the Elimination of Mercenaries in Africa 286
Preamble 286
Article One 286
Article Two 287
Article Three 287
Article Four 288
Article Five 288
Article Six 288
Article Seven 288
Appendix 6. The Report by the UN Special R pporteur on the Use of Mercenaries, 1998 289
CONTENTS ( PARAGRAPHS) 289
Introduction 290
I. ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR A. Implementation of the programme of activities 291
B. Correspondence 292
C. Correspondence Regarding Mercenary Activities Against Cuba 297
II. MERCENARY ACTIVITIES IN SIERRA LEONE 299
III. PERSISTENCE AND EVOLUTION OF MERCENARY ACTIVITIES 301
A. The Present Situation 302
B. Current International Legislation and its Limitations 305
C. Terrorism and Mercenary Activities 309
IV. PRIVATE SECURITY AND MILITARY ASSISTANCE COMPANIES AND MERCENARY ACTIVITIES 311
V. CURRENT STATUS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AGAINST THE RECRUITMENT, USE, FINANCING AND TRAINING OF MERCENARIES 315
VI. CONCLUSIONS 316
VII. RECOMMENDATIONS 319
Notes on Contributors 321
Index 323
Abacha, Gen Sani, president of Nigeria 102