The Rise of Private Military Companies and the Legal Vacuum of Regulation
This paper discusses the rise of the private military industry as a challenge to contemporary international law. In recent times, the privatization of activities preserved by governments have been proposed and implemented;, such as communication facilities, garbage collection, electricity supply, immigration services and much more. Military operations have not been left out. The increasing privatization of military activities is proving to be a major challenge to international law. The literature on Private Military Companies (PMCs) is mind-boggling, but neither extensive nor exhaustive. As a new phenomenon, it receives situational attention. For example, when the operations of Executive Outcomes and Sandline International were unearthed by the press in the 90s,’ numerous scholarly material was written, but with distinct themes like the efficiency of the corporations and the human rights violations carried out, as well as the legal vacuum created by ex-professional soldiers banding up to create and legally incorporate a mercenary outfit. The issue of PMCs being present in weak states and ravaged war-torn zones is an understatement, yet these corporations are registered mostly in the U.S., U.K. and South Africa. The articles on this issue are usually highly polarized; opponents verses proponents of these corporations, as the activities of these outfits do not fit within any conventional classification as actors of war in the law of war.
This paper describes the history and definition of PMCs and analyses how the operations of these corporations affect human rights, sovereignty and states´ monopoly of violence. The paper also focuses on the legality of PMCs and proceeds to discuss how to regulate the industry. The paper concludes in favor of tougher regulatory controls through new international legal framework and national legislation to deal with mercenaries as decisively as with other non-state actors who wield violence.
The UN Peacebuilding Commission: the baby takes its first steps
Jacob Enoh-Eben examines the creation of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, its composition, mandate, purpose, modus operandi, and its initial activities.
The Way Forward: justice, solidarity and cooperation
The Rector of the University for Peace lays out his views on the problems and possibilities for Peace, and ways of ending violent conflict. These views were delivered before an audience of some 500 people gathered in Nuremberg, Germany, on 1st May 2003. The governing authorities and the people of the historic City of Nuremberg are committed to spreading peace worldwide, and are responsible for a growing number of significant initiatives.
A Disaster Risk Reduction Policy for the Mount Cameroon Region
Every region and/or state needs to develop a framework to reduce risk associated with disasters or design methodologies for preventing disaster, especially with the wave of disaster spreading worldwide from natural hazards. Thus, appropriate and sustainable policy should be advocated and implemented as a way of ameliorating these unavoidable occurrences.
Mount Cameroon usually called the “Chariot of the gods” or commonly called Mount Fako, well known for its spate of eruptions. The paper shall analyze, through historic perspectives, developmental antecedents of residents and indigenous communities of the Mount Fako, to suggest the need of an effective disaster risk reduction policy for the region.
Winning the Locals in the Decision-making on Mining Projects: Advocacy Campaigns in Rapu-Rapu Island, Philippines
In the early 2000s, mining companies and environmental groups launched competing advocacy campaigns to sway local opinion on the commencement of mining operations on Rapu-Rapu Island in the Philippines. Ultimately, pro-mining advocacy was more effective, and the local people and environment were subjected to tailings spillage and other damages in subsequent years. Menandro S. Abanes draws lessons from this experience and reflects on the role of local people in environmental management.
What if there was no UN?
Varghese Theckanath traces the history of the United Nations and briefly reviews its successes. Theckanath argues that these successes outweigh the failures and, ultimately, that the great potential of the UN to promote human development and international understanding makes it an invaluable tool in the effort to build a more peaceful and secure world for everyone.
A Gender Critique of the National Adaptation Programme of Action toward Climate Change in Post-conflict Liberia: Emphasis on the Agricultural Sector
Following fourteen years of devastation, the Liberian nation faces global climate change variability, which poses a major threat to its economic sectors, especially the agricultural sector, which is noted for its cardinal contribution towards the embellishment of the national economy (in terms of employment and the GDP). Notably, most of the workers within this sector are women, especially the rural dwellers, who are = the most vulnerable. In an effort to remedy the situation, a National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) was crafted by the Liberian government, following a global climate change summit held in Bali, 2007. This plan seeks to adequately address the situation, alleviate poverty and foster the process of national recovery and development. Generally, the NAPA attempts to develop the capacity of institution and individual in an effort to address the mainstreaming of the method of adaptation into the national development planning process. However, the NAPA has failed to acknowledge the efforts and ideologies of women, especially the rural women, who are currently and greatly involved in the agricultural sector of the country. Therefore, it is important to involve the women, who are already involved, if the NAPA is to be a success in terms of its goals and objectives.
Costa Rica’s Emphasis On Cars Challenges Environmental Narrative
Key terms: Costa Rica, Tourism, Environmentalism, Transportation, Car Culture
Movement: Women, desertification, participatory democracy, mobile pastoralists, and Iran
In Iran, desertification is the backdrop to some of the most important social issues of the day. Sierra Ramirez analyzes its connection to new democracy movements, nomadic cultures, gender relations, and more.
Why the International Criminal Court is Different.
The author discusses how the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court differ from the jurisdictions of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and concludes that power matters.