South Africans streaming to Iraq

2004-02-15 13:22

Adri Kotze

Johannesburg - The exodus of South African security personnel to Iraq is expected to increase in future.

Johann Smith, an independent risk analyst of Pretoria, says it would be very difficult to keep South Africans out of Iraq.

"The allied forces attack on Iraq in March last year was characterised by a large number of private military contractors or companies that supported it.

"The attack and the period that followed it actually introduced the partial privatisation of war," he said.

A recent study found that private companies, next to the Pentagon, contributed most to the occupational forces' activities in Iraq.

"It is cheaper to get private companies to do traditional military tasks. It is also an effective way of doubling your power.

"Western governments are extremely sensitive to war losses, and the effect would be lessened if private contractors died instead. "This is mostly because the private contractor is a volunteer and is paid to do the job."

Henri Boshoff of the Institute for Security Studies says members of South Africa's former security forces are particularly popular.

Reliable and experienced

"They are already trained and are reliable and experienced. South Africans are still being recruited."

A recent UN report said South Africa provided the third largest number of security personnel to Iraq.

About 350 South Africans were deployed in Basra as members of the 2nd British parachute battalion. These South Africans might be free from prosecution because South Africa is a Commonwealth country and Britain is a statutory force.

There are an estimated 1 000 South Africans working as security personnel in Iraq at present. This includes the guarding of oil pipelines.

Once the coalition forces handed over power to the interim government in Iraq, the need for security personnel will probably increase.

"The vacuum that will develop when the coalition forces are scaled down, could lead to another exodus of South Africans to Iraq.

"South Africans are willing to work for less money than their British or US counterparts, which makes them even more attractive for international companies."

Foreign Affairs Ronnie Mamoepe recently confirmed that Iraq was regarded as a country of conflict and that South Africans who worked there could be prosecuted according tot the Law on foreign military aid.

Boshoff says it would be difficult to prove that South Africans are doing military duty. Most of them are involved in the rebuilding of the interim government.

He said it would be difficult to prosecute South Africans working in Iraq. "They would have to be brought here to testify. South African police have no jurisdiction in Iraq."

- Rapport