Bizarre group criticizes private security contractors

Private security companies are facing international criticism again. It's the same old myths, recycled again: accountability, loopholes, ete. What's interesting is where the accusations are coming from.

Jose Luis Gomez del Prado heads the United Nations Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries to Impede the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination (UNWGUMIRPSD?). He's bringing forward this latest batch of criticism in a report he just issued, and demanding action.

And to whom is he bringing these claims and calling for action? The UN Human Rights Council, whose membership includes such bastions of human dignity and freedom as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Cuba and Nicaragua. Yes, the same body that wants to withdraw the special experts, representatives and rapporteurs who investigate human rights abuses in Cuba, Belarus, Burma and North Korea.

In submitting his report to the group, the UN official said, "The activities of private military and security companies take place in a grey zone, in which human rights violations with impunity are likely to occur."

This "news" is brought to us by Xinhua, an international propaganda arm of the Chinese government.