Govt shuts down US firm

TWO American citizens involved in a paramilitary security company who wanted to recruit about 4 000 Namibians to work in Iraq and Afghanistan to guard US military bases were deported over the weekend after Government shut down their newly established business.

Announcing the drastic step at a hastily convened media briefing late Friday afternoon, Information Minster Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the Government Security Committee met on Thursday and recommended the permanent closure of Special Operations Consulting – Security Management Group (SOC-SMG) in Namibia. “Cabinet directed the Security Committee to deal with the issue”, the Information Minister said.The US-based outfit registered a Namibian branch with the Registrar of Companies just three weeks ago.It made newspaper headlines in Namibia ten days ago with its scheme to recruit Namibians with a police, military or security background to perform security-guard services in war-torn countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan where the US has military bases.”Paul Grimes, Country Representative of SOC-SMG, and Frederic Piry, Chief of Operations of SOC-SMG, have been declared prohibited immigrants and served with deportation orders on Friday, 12 October 2007,” the Minister announced.”The Security Commission found that the involvement of Namibian nationals in such armed conflicts has serious short- and long-term national security implications on the interests of Namibia at home and abroad,” Nandi-Ndaitwah added.Immediately after news reports in Namibia on the plans of SOC-SMG, the Information Ministry issued a statement saying it had not received any official request from SOC-SMG for Namibians to serve as security guards in war-torn countries.The Ministry said further that in terms of Article 4 (8) (b) of the Constitution, Namibians are not allowed to get involved in the military or security forces of other countries without the written permission of the Namibian Government.In the same vein, the Defence Act of 2002 criminalises the involvement of Namibians in the military, reserve or any auxiliary force of any country without the written permission of the Defence Minister as an offence punishable with a fine, prison service or both.”The involvement of the USA in Iraq has never been sanctioned or supported through any international agreement and can thus not be supported by Namibia,” Minister Nandi-Ndaitwah outlined the Namibian Government’s decision.The Namibian has reliably established that the two American men have already left the country.Earlier last week, Grimes told reporters that he had the blessings of the ministries of Labour, Trade and Safety and Security to recruit Namibians at about US$650 (about N$4 250) per month.”These three ministries did not have any problems,” he said.Grimes also recruited Alex Kamwi, a committee member of the controversial Namibia Ex-freedom Fighters/War Veterans Association, as a consultant.The Association issued a statement on Thursday saying it distanced itself from the recruitment drive of SOC-SMG.”We are totally opposed to recruiting Namibian ex-combatants and any other Namibians to go and guard US installations,” said Ruusa Malulu, who chairs the Association.Kamwi’s consultancy job for SOC-SMG was in his private capacity and not on behalf of the Association, she said.”Our Association does not foresee any conflict of interest (regarding Kamwi’s consultancy work),” according to Malulu.Kamwi could to be contacted over the weekend, as his mobile phone remained switched off.When Grimes was contacted on Friday night, he said: “This (deportation) is a terrible thing to do,” and put the phone down.SOC-SMG came under the spotlight in recent months when some of its 1 500 Ugandan security guards were deported from Iraq and Afghanistan due to allegations of drug smuggling.Others were sent home by the company for lack of discipline, not following orders and for being pregnant.”Cabinet directed the Security Committee to deal with the issue”, the Information Minister said.The US-based outfit registered a Namibian branch with the Registrar of Companies just three weeks ago.It made newspaper headlines in Namibia ten days ago with its scheme to recruit Namibians with a police, military or security background to perform security-guard services in war-torn countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan where the US has military bases.”Paul Grimes, Country Representative of SOC-SMG, and Frederic Piry, Chief of Operations of SOC-SMG, have been declared prohibited immigrants and served with deportation orders on Friday, 12 October 2007,” the Minister announced. “The Security Commission found that the involvement of Namibian nationals in such armed conflicts has serious short- and long-term national security implications on the interests of Namibia at home and abroad,” Nandi-Ndaitwah added.Immediately after news reports in Namibia on the plans of SOC-SMG, the Information Ministry issued a statement saying it had not received any official request from SOC-SMG for Namibians to serve as security guards in war-torn countries.The Ministry said further that in terms of Article 4 (8) (b) of the Constitution, Namibians are not allowed to get involved in the military or security forces of other countries without the written permission of the Namibian Government.In the same vein, the Defence Act of 2002 criminalises the involvement of Namibians in the military, reserve or any auxiliary force of any country without the written permission of the Defence Minister as an offence punishable with a fine, prison service or both.”The involvement of the USA in Iraq has never been sanctioned or supported through any international agreement and can thus not be supported by Namibia,” Minister Nandi-Ndaitwah outlined the Namibian Government’s decision.The Namibian has reliably established that the two American men have already left the country.Earlier last week, Grimes told reporters that he had the blessings of the ministries of Labour, Trade and Safety and Security to recruit Namibians at about US$650 (about N$4 250) per month.”These three ministries did not have any problems,” he said.Grimes also recruited Alex Kamwi, a committee member of the controversial Namibia Ex-freedom Fighters/War Veterans Association, as a consultant.The Association issued a statement on Thursday saying it distanced itself from the recruitment drive of SOC-SMG.”We are totally opposed to recruiting Namibian ex-combatants and any other Namibians to go and guard US installations,” said Ruusa Malulu, who chairs the Association.Kamwi’s consultancy job for SOC-SMG was in his private capacity and not on behalf of the Association, she said.”Our Association does not foresee any conflict of interest (regarding Kamwi’s consultancy work),” according to Malulu.Kamwi could to be contacted over the weekend, as his mobile phone remained switched off.When Grimes was contacted on Friday night, he said: “This (deportation) is a terrible thing to do,” and put the phone down.SOC-SMG came under the spotlight in recent months when some of its 1 500 Ugandan security guards were deported from Iraq and Afghanistan due to allegations of drug smuggling.Others were sent home by the company for lack of discipline, not following orders and for being pregnant.