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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 3, 2009
Oversight Group “COPs” wants Blackwater Agreement with Southwestern College Pulled.
Agreement inappropriate in both form and process.
SAN DIEGO, CA (March 3, 2009) – The Citizens' Oversight Projects Cte (COPs) has submitted a four-page letter to the Board of Trustees of the Southwestern College District regarding the agreement between Southwestern College District and Blackwater Lodge and Training Center (recently renamed “Xe, Inc.”) which provides that the district can use Blackwater's shooting range in Otay Mesa in trade for fees for personnel to operate the range and Blackwater's use of on-campus conference rooms. COPs wants the agreement revisited and revoked.
The letter detailed 13 points regarding the Memorandum of Understanding No.4039.09 to support the position that the agreement was not processed correctly and includes provisions that should never appear in such agreements. In summary, it asserts that:
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The global poor reputation of Blackwater cannot be ignored. Such an agreement implies that the District approves of the reputation of Blackwater.
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San Diego has already had bitter experience fighting Blackwater's proposals, and they have been opposed by the community by a 2:1 margin.
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The Otay Mesa facility, where the shooting range under question is located, was developed without public review, under various pseudonyms, and using the Federal Courts to force the City of San Diego to approve occupancy permits.
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As a private for-profit organization, the public has no oversight of their facility nor what activities occur within it.
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The MOU claims there is no cost to the district, but it also states that Blackwater will be reimbursed for the use of personnel required to operate the range. This is in violation of the premise that such MOUs will not obligate the district.
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Provides that Blackwater will have use of on-campus conference rooms to give the impression that they are part of Southwestern College, and that their programs are approved, endorsed, sponsored, or even underwritten by the College. How and how much these conference rooms are used is not limited, apparently allowing Blackwater to setup a recruiting station for their private mercenary army on campus.
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The MOU includes a “gag-order” that prevented the District from adequately notifying the public of this proposal, and all statements must be approved by Blackwater.
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The NDA and Waiver (Exhibits A and B) were not in the agenda packet and are still not available for review, and the Arbitration clause is of concern.
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Law enforcement trainees would be taken to a facility of a firm that is interested in recruiting their own private army, mercenaries deployed internationally under the banner of Greystone Ltd, Xe, Inc. in guns-for-hire scenarios. This is certainly inappropriate.
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No open bidding process was used. Other mercenary firms may pay more to get on campus to recruit to these private armies. This agreement does not meet normal government procurement procedures.
“The agreement with Southwestern College District was formulated to avoid public scrutiny, and even includes a gag-order to keep Trustees quiet,” COPS coordinator Raymond Lutz said. “We already know of the character of this company and other private mercenary firms who are now desperate to establish new funding opportunities. Blackwater presents this agreement as a gift to the community, but that is far from reality. They are reimbursed and also gain access to the campus with an unspoken endorsement for on-campus mercenary recruiting. This agreement must be revoked.”
The letter was also endorsed by a number of organizations, including Activist San Diego, American Friends Service Committee – San Diego, Citizens Against Private Armies (CAPA), Peace Resource Center of San Diego, San Diego Veterans For Peace, and the Stop Blackwater Working Group of the San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice.
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