ISS Seminar: The Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act 27 of 2007

Date: 2008-05-22 to Invalid date

ISS Seminar: The Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act 27 of 2007
Pretoria, 22 May 2008

 

Speakers:

• Mr Sabelo Gumedze, Senior Researcher, Institute for Security Studies
• Prof Lindy Heinecken, Associate Professor, University of Stellenbosch
• Mr Andrew J Carswell, Regional Delegate to the Armed and Security Forces, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Regional Delegation for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean
• Ms Michelle Small, Lecturer, Monash University

 

The Prohibition of Mercenary Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act No. 27 of 2006 was assented by the President of the Republic of South Africa on 12 November 2007 and published in the Government Gazette on 16 November 2007. Among other things, the Act seeks to do the following: - prohibit mercenary activity; regulate the provision of assistance or services of a military or military-related nature in a country of armed conflict; regulate the enlistment of South African citizens or permanent residents in other armed forces; regulate the provision of humanitarian aid in country of armed conflict; and provide for extra-territorial jurisdiction for the courts of the Republic of South Africa with regard to certain offences related to mercenarism and the rendering of assistance or services of a military or military-related nature.

 

The Seminar aims at giving an analysis of the Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act 27 of 2006 as it relates to the South African Constitution; the South African military profession; humanitarian assistance; and peacekeeping missions by South Africans and permanent residents.

 

About the Speakers

 

Sabelo Gumedze a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). He manages the ISS Project on Regulation of the Private Security Sector in Africa within the Security Sector Governance Programme (SSGP). Formerly, he lectured at the University of the Witwatersrand and University of Limpopo. He has published in the field of international human rights law and privatization of security. His recent publications on the latter include an edited monograph titled Private Security in Africa: Manifestation, Challenges and Regulation (2007) and an article titled ‘Towards the revision of the 1977 OAU/AU Convention on the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa’ (2007). Sabelo is currently editing a monograph on The Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa, to be published by the end of this year. He holds a BA in Law & LLB from the University of Swaziland and an LLM degree from the University of Pretoria. He is currently completing reading for a PhD focusing on the African Union and Human Rights with Ã…bo Akademi University in Finland.   

 

Lindy Heinecken was formerly a researcher and Deputy Director of the Centre for Military Studies (CEMIS) at the South African Military Academy. She now serves as Professor of Sociology at Stellenbosch University where she lectures in political and industrial sociology. She has published widely on a range of subjects including the management of diversity within armed forces, gender integration, on civil-military relations and more specifically on military unionism, and HIV/AIDS and security. Her most recent publications include a book edited together with Richard Bartle titled Military Unionism in the Post Cold War Era: A future Reality? as well as two book chapters in the book edited by Guiseppe Caforio (ed) on Cultural Differences between the Military and Parent Society in Democratic Countries She holds a MSocSc from the University of Cape Town and a Doctorate from the Department of War Studies, Kings College, University of London. She serves on numerous academic boards, including the Council of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society (USA), the South African Sociological Association and the International Sociological Association’s (ISA) Armed Forces and Conflict Resolution working group.

 

Andre J Carswell currently serves as the Regional Delegate to the Armed Forces of Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).  In that capacity, he advises and provides support to regional militaries on the integration of international humanitarian law into all relevant aspects of military training and operations.  A Canadian national, Mr. Carswell holds a Master`s degree in International Humanitarian Law from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies, in addition to a law degree from the University of Wales and an undergraduate degree in politics and history from McGill University. Prior to his career with the ICRC, he served as an officer in the Canadian Forces Office of the Judge Advocate General (2000-05), where he specialized in military prosecutions, international law and legal training.  He was deployed to the NATO chain of command as a Divisional legal advisor in Bosnia (2002) and served as third in command of the Canadian Military Prosecution Service (2003-05).

 

Michelle Small is an early career researcher and lecturer in International Studies at Monash South Africa. Her research interests center around African Conflict, Human Security and PMSC`s. She has published on the Privatisation of Security and Military Functions and on the subject of Migration. One of her most significant publications is an occasional paper titled “Privatisation of Security and Military Functions and the Demise of the Modern Nation-State in Africa” (2006). Her PhD examines the evolution of Statehood in Africa and Extra-territorial Violence-Resource Machines. She holds a MA in International Relations from the University of Warwick.

 

Venue: ISS Conference Room, Block C, Brooklyn Court, 361 Veale Street, New Muckleneuk, Pretoria (Parking in Brooklyn Mall and ABSA court)

Time: 09h30 (tea and coffee)
09h45 (Seminar starts)
12h30 (light lunch)

 

RSVP: Sabelo Gumedze, E-mail: [email protected]; Phone: (012) 3469500; Fax: (012) 460 0998