After returning from my union conference in Torquay, I decided to write to the Westminster Government about private military companies. I was talking to a person on the War on Want stall when I saw some information about Private ilitary companies in Britain. I was amazed to find out that Britain was a world centre for Private Military Companies (Mercenaries) and that they operate freely without government oversight. These people make a fortune out if killing (£1.8bn in 2004 according to War on Want) and are referred to in the media as ‘Contractors’.
It seemed rather crazy to me that the government has more say in wether you can sell Brains SA than if you run a private army so I sent one of the campaign postcards and waited for the reply. The letter would have been funny if the subject wasn’t so serious. The letter said that the situation was ‘difficult’but the government had looked at a number of options …
‘The review…considered a number of ways forward, including self regulation through a trade association, national regulation based on export controls, and national regulation based on a company licensing system. We have also considered international regulation on the basis of common internatioal values and norms. However, the review, and subsequent analysis, has also highlighted difficulties with regard to implementation or enforcement, with respect to each of the options’
Do these people live on the same planet? Self regulation?! The fact that the government has more interest in the design of your new garage than if you want to set up in the international war trade is plain crazy.
Filed under: Pyst Cymraeg | Tagged: Mercenaries
