Business & Human Rights : British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC)

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Main Content: British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC)

British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC) website

The British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC) “aims to raise the standards of operation of its members” and “ensure compliance with the rules and principles of international humanitarian law and human rights standards. As the need for armed security grows the BAPSC and its members recognise that their objectives will best be achieved through effective self regulation in partnership with the UK Government and International Organisations.”

BAPSC has a charter that refers to Human Rights.

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Title: El Gobierno británico, bajo presión para regular a los mercenarios

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Visit: El Gobierno británico, bajo presión para regular a los mercenarios

Author: Terra Actualidad - EFE
Dated: 15 marzo 2008

[E]l Gobierno británico está bajo presión para regular la actividad de los mercenarios de empresas de seguridad privadas que operan en zonas de conflicto…La ONG 'War on want', dedicada a luchar contra la pobreza y la injusticia derivadas de la globalización, ha amenazado con llevar al Ejecutivo a los tribunales si no actúa para controlar al sector…Desde la invasión de…[Irak], los efectivos de esas empresas se han visto involucrados en multitud de delitos y abusos de los derechos humanos…'El Gobierno debe introducir urgentemente una ley que prohíba a estas empresas entrar en combate y que las someta a un control democrático', declaró…la directora de la campaña de 'War on Want'…[se refiere a Blackwater, Aegis, ArmorGroup]

List item: 1

link status: ok (opens outside this page)
Visit: [DOC] Aegis statement regarding "Trophy video"

Author: Aegis
Dated: 27 Feb 2008

Title: Why private security companies are essential in post-conflict Iraq

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Visit: Why private security companies are essential in post-conflict Iraq

Author: Andy Bearpark, First Director General of British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC)
Dated: 02 Mar 2008

In post-conflict situations...Private Security Companies (PSCs) have become a sine qua non to support the reconstruction process...potential local providers of security...are frequently unable to meet basic standards of accountability...International PSCs have therefore become essential to enable reconstruction and economic development in post-conflict environments...The use of...PSCs...can however only be a temporary state of affairs...Regulation of PSCs is not optional – it must be mandatory...[PSC industry]...has to demonstrate that it is serious about its commitment to accountability, transparency and standards...BAPSC [British Association of Private Security Companies] members commit themselves to follow all relevant rules of IHL [humanitarian law] and human rights law...Furthermore, members pledge to avoid any armed exchange in their operations, except in self-defence...

Title: [PDF] Statement of James D. Schmitt - Senior Vice President ArmorGroup North America, Inc. - Before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

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Visit: [PDF] Statement of James D. Schmitt - Senior Vice President ArmorGroup North America, Inc. - Before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Author: James D. Schmitt - Senior Vice President ArmorGroup North America, Inc.
Dated: 27 Feb 2008

...the private security industry, my industry, has been under a great deal of scrutiny due to the recent events and significant incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan involving private security contractors [PSCs] operating in support of U.S. government requirements...it is certainly prudent to examine the role of [PSCs], the standards to which they are expected to operate, and the oversight and enforcement mechanisms necessary to ensure their conduct and operations fall within the rule of law...I hope that I can convey to you some of the regulatory provisions that are coming to this industry and what we, in the private sector, can do to assist the U.S. government with the implementation of these changes.

List item: 1

link status: ok (opens outside this page)
Visit: Let's leash the dogs of war

Author: Matthew Harwood, Guardian [UK]
Dated: 14 Mar 2008

Title: Miliband urged to regulate private military [UK]

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Visit: Miliband urged to regulate private military [UK]

Author: Richard Norton-Taylor, Guardian [UK]
Dated: 18 Feb 2008

David Miliband, the foreign secretary,…faces a legal challenge over the government's failure to introduce a law to regulate private military and security companies. The move, by lawyers acting for the charity War on Want, follows a…number of reports of human rights abuse by employees of foreign companies in Iraq and Afghanistan…War on Want is calling for legislation including a ban on employees of the companies…in combat roles. Employees in a number of UK-based companies, including Aegis, ArmorGroup, and Erinys, have engaged in gunfights in Iraq…The companies say they do not mind legislation so long as it allows them to regulate themselves… Andy Bearpark, director general of the British Association of Private Security Companies, [said] “we welcome government regulation but with self-regulation as part of the overall approach." [also refers to Blackwater]

Title: Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of people to self-determination [document A/HRC/7/7, click on "E"]

link status: ok (opens outside this page)
Visit: Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of people to self-determination [document A/HRC/7/7, click on "E"]

Author: UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries
Dated: 09 Jan 2008

The Working Group visited Peru, Fiji and Chile during 2007...The Working Group has increasingly received information from Governments, NGOs and individuals concerning situations involving...private military and security companies...An emerging trend in Latin America but also in other regions of the world indicates situations of private security companies protecting transnational extractive corporations whose employees are often involved in suppressing the legitimate social protest of communities and human rights...PMSCs are at present rarely held accountable by effective oversight mechanisms at parliamentary levels, whether in the States that contracts them or in the countries where they operate...The Working Group is concerned that private contractors perform military and quasi-military tasks in situations of conflict...Once performing security work in Iraq, many Chileans, Fijians, Hondurans and Peruvians have experienced contractual irregularities and poor working conditions, including excessive working hours, partial or full non-payment of salaries, ill-treatment and the neglect of basic needs such as access to medical services...[also refers to Neskovin, Blackwater, Global Guards, Triple Canopy, Defion, Your Solutions, DynCorp]

List item: 1

link status: ok (opens outside this page)
Visit: Private security companies lack oversight and regulation – UN working group

Author: UN News Centre
Dated: 10 Mar 2008

Title: Informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre la utilización de mercenarios como medio de violar los derechos humanos y obstaculizar el ejercicio del derecho de los pueblos a la libre determinación [documento A/HRC/7/7, pulsar en "S"]

link status: ok (opens outside this page)
Visit: Informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre la utilización de mercenarios como medio de violar los derechos humanos y obstaculizar el ejercicio del derecho de los pueblos a la libre determinación [documento A/HRC/7/7, pulsar en "S"]

Author: Grupo de Trabajo de la ONU sobre la utilización de mercenarios
Dated: 9 enero 2008

En 2007 el Grupo de Trabajo visitó el Perú, Fiji y Chile...El Grupo de Trabajo recibe cada vez más informaciones de gobiernos, ONG y particulares sobre situaciones en que intervienen...empresas militares y de seguridad privadas...En América Latina y en otras regiones del mundo empieza a observarse una nueva tendencia en la que los empleados de las empresas privadas de seguridad encargadas de proteger a corporaciones extractivas...participan a menudo en la represión de protestas sociales legítimas de las comunidades y de organizaciones de derechos humanos y de defensa del medio ambiente...En la actualidad, las EMP/ESP rara vez rinden cuentas de sus actos ante mecanismos parlamentarios de vigilancia efectivos ni en los Estados que las contratan ni en los países en que actúan...Durante su trabajo de seguridad en el Iraq, muchos chilenos, fiyianos, hondureños y peruanos han estado sometidos a irregularidades contractuales y a condiciones laborales deficientes, tales como horarios de trabajo xcesivos, impago parcial o total de salarios, trato vejatorio...[también se refiere a Neskovin, Blackwater, Global Guards, Triple Canopy, Defion, Your Solutions, DynCorp]

List item: 1

link status: ok (opens outside this page)
Visit: Los mercenarios del siglo XXI

Author: Virginia Hebrero, EFE
Dated: 10 marzo 2008

Title: Boom times ahead for dogs of war

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Visit: Boom times ahead for dogs of war

Author: Julian Joyce, BBC
Dated: 06 Dec 2007

The British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC) was gathering for its annual conference in London..."to raise the standards of operation of its members and this emergent industry". Outside in the drizzle stood a small band of protesters dressed in combat uniforms. They carried giant papier mache guns and a sign: "Stop mercenary killing"...But the BAPSC knows it has to create and maintain a spotless reputation if it is to continue to work closely with democratic governments. That is the reason the security industry is so keen for the government to bring in its regulation proposals - first promised back in 2002. [refers to Sandline, Aegis, ArmorGroup, Blackwater]

Title: Charter

link status: ok (opens outside this page)
Visit: Charter

Author: British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC)

The purpose of the British Association of Private Security Companies ("the Association") is to promote, enhance and regulate the interests and activities of UK-based firms and companies that provide armed security services in countries outside the UK and to represent the interests and activities of Members in matters of proposed or actual legislation...The Members of the Association...agree to follow all rules of international, humanitarian and human rights law that are applicable...The Association determines that it can only achieve its objectives through effective self-regulation...[The Membership] [d]ecline[s] to accept contracts for the provision of security services where to do so will conflict with applicable human rights legislation.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC)

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Title: El Gobierno británico, bajo presión para regular a los mercenarios

List item: 1

Title: Why private security companies are essential in post-conflict Iraq

Title: [PDF] Statement of James D. Schmitt - Senior Vice President ArmorGroup North America, Inc. - Before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

List item: 1

Title: Miliband urged to regulate private military [UK]

Title: Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of people to self-determination [document A/HRC/7/7, click on "E"]

List item: 1

Title: Informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre la utilización de mercenarios como medio de violar los derechos humanos y obstaculizar el ejercicio del derecho de los pueblos a la libre determinación [documento A/HRC/7/7, pulsar en "S"]

List item: 1

Title: Boom times ahead for dogs of war

Title: Charter

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Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC)

Page Content Navigation

Page Banner

Primary navigation

Alternative Site Languages

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Main Content: British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC)

Search Summary

Link Explanation

Link Results

Title: El Gobierno británico, bajo presión para regular a los mercenarios

List item: 1

Title: Why private security companies are essential in post-conflict Iraq

Title: [PDF] Statement of James D. Schmitt - Senior Vice President ArmorGroup North America, Inc. - Before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

List item: 1

Title: Miliband urged to regulate private military [UK]

Title: Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of people to self-determination [document A/HRC/7/7, click on "E"]

List item: 1

Title: Informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre la utilización de mercenarios como medio de violar los derechos humanos y obstaculizar el ejercicio del derecho de los pueblos a la libre determinación [documento A/HRC/7/7, pulsar en "S"]

List item: 1

Title: Boom times ahead for dogs of war

Title: Charter

See also: Categories

Send us comments & suggested additions

Search Area

Library Navigation

Weekly Updates (Free)

Page Extras and footer content

Footnote

Site Disclaimer

Footer navigation

Copyright and Production Information