Mercenaries – Political Adventurers

Mercenaries, also popularly known as soldier of fortune, are soldiers who fight and attack in a battle for money, and usually with little regard for ideology, nationality or political ideology. On the one hand, mercenaries do work without being bound by loyalty to the state

The emergence of mercenaries is generally due to conflicts, especially in third world countries which are generally always involved in political issues, power, economic resources and interests, as well as religious and ethnic issues, so they ask the authorities or the parties involved in them to ask for help from countries. others, especially developed countries. In addition, there are secret interests from developed countries or superpowers and even intelligence operations so that it is known as a dirty war.

Generally, those who become mercenaries are former soldiers or members of the army whose term of service has expired or soldiers who are forced to be expelled from military service either due to personnel sanctions or due to a reduction in personnel in the armed forces. To avoid social turmoil, especially in developed countries, a private business entity that is engaged in security services, known as private military contractors (PMC), is actually engaged in supply, training, security services but is also often involved in conflict and even military action especially at the request of service users (in this case government agencies and even rebel elements).
   Their presence, which is unofficial or illegal, often invites negative opinions and even criticism from human rights organizations. Often their existence is actually involved in the world of crime such as the mafia, or triads which are generally involved between countries such as mafia cases.
   In addition to mercenaries, political adventurers (adventurers) and even armed fighters are often found operating between countries or in every country experiencing armed conflict. The difference is that mercenaries, political adventurers or cross-border fighters usually enter into conflict because of a common ideology, sect, ethnic or religious spirit, or obtaining foreign citizenship.


Tentara bayaran atau mercenaries, juga populer dengan soldier of fortune adalah tentara yang bertempur dan menyerang dalam sebuah pertempuran demi uang, dan biasanya dengan sedikit penghargaan terhadap ideologi, kebangsaan atau paham politik. Di satu sisi, tentara bayaran melakukan pekerjaan tanpa terikat oleh kesetiaan kepada negara

Munculnya tentara bayaran umumnya karena adanya konflik-konflik terutama di negara dunia ketiga yang umumnya selalu berkutat dalam masalah politik, kekuasaan, sumber dan kepentingan ekonomi, serta masalah agama dan etnis, sehingga meminta penguasa penguasa atau pihak pihak yang terlibat didalamnya meminta bantuan negara-negara lain terutama negara-negara maju. Selain itu adanya kepentingan rahasia dari negara maju atau negara adikuasa bahkan operasi-operasi intelijen sehingga dikenal dengan istilah perang kotor.

Umumnya yang menjadi tentara bayaran adalah mantan anggota tentara atau anggota tentara yang telah habis masa dinasnya atau tentara yang terpaksa dikeluarkan dari dinas militer baik karena sanksi personel ataupun karena pengurangan personel dalam tubuh angkatan bersenjata. Untuk menghindari gejolak sosial, khusunya di negara negara maju dibentuklah suatu badan usaha yang bersifat swasta yang bergerak dalam jasa keamanan yang dikenal dengan kontraktor militer swasta (Private Militery Contractors atau PMC) yang sebenarnya bergerak dalam jasa suplai, pelatihan, pengamanan namun juga sering terlibat dalam konflik bahkan aksi militer terutama atas permintaan pemakai jasa (dalam hal ini lembaga pemerintah bahkan unsur pemberontak).
   Keberadaan mereka yang tidak resmi atau ilegal, kerapkali keberadaan mereka mengundang opini negatif bahkan kecaman dari organisasi-organisasi hak asasi manusia. Sering keberadaan mereka justru terlibat dalam dunia kriminalitas seperti mafia, atau triad yang umumnya terlibat antar negara seperti kasus mafia.
   Selain tentara bayaran, sering juga ditemukan para petualang politik (avonturir) bahkan pejuang-pejuang bersenjata yang beroperasi antar negara atau disetiap negara negara yang mengalami konflik bersenjata. Perbedaannya dengan tentara bayaran, para petualang politik atau pejuang lintas negara biasanya terjun dalam konflik karena kesamaan ideologi, aliran, semangat etnis atau agama, atau mendapatkan kewarganegaraan asing