Military contractor in Iraq holds foreign workers in warehouses

[kpete]

Source: McClatchy

Military contractor in Iraq holds foreign workers in warehouses

* Posted on Tuesday, December 2, 2008

By Adam Ashton | McClatchy Newspapers

BAGHDAD — About 1,000 Asian men who were hired by a Kuwaiti subcontractor to the U.S. military have been confined for as long as three months in windowless warehouses near the Baghdad airport without money or a place to work.

Najlaa International Catering Services, a subcontractor to KBR, an engineering, construction and services company, hired the men, who're from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. On Tuesday, they staged a march outside their compound to protest their living conditions.

"It's really dirty," a Sri Lankan man told McClatchy, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he still wants to work for Najlaa. "For all of us, there are about 12 toilets and about 10 bathrooms. The food — it's three half-liter (one pint) bottles of water a day. Bread, cheese and jam for breakfast. Lunch is a small piece of meat, potato and rice. Dinner is rice and dal, but it's not dal," he said, referring to the Indian lentil dish.

After McClatchy began asking questions about the men on Tuesday, the Kuwaiti contractor announced that it would return them to their home countries and pay them back salaries. Najlaa officials contended that they've cared for the men's basic needs while the company has tried to find them jobs in Iraq.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/56910.html

[sarah FAILIN]

1. So is our military being served by slave labor?

It nearly sounds like it and if they are not paid that's what it is imo. This war just makes me want to throw things.

[stillcool]

2. KBR...figures..

Bechtel, Halliburton, KBR..etc., would be nice if they were to be blocked out from getting contracts for any new government construction projects.

[47of74]

4. If I had my way such types would...

If I had my way the likes of Haliburton, KBR, etc would be banned from receiving any further government contracts for the next 1,000 years.

[awoke_in_2003]

3. Oh, how generous

of the Kuwaiti contractor. To offer to pay their back wages, but only after being caught. What about pain and suffering? Don't worry, though. With the way this country is going, it won't be too long before we are reduced to slave labor at the hands of the people who run this planet.

[smiley]

5. Someone.... PLEASE STOP THE INSANITY!!!!!

:wtf: :mad:

[Duppers]

6. GREED! KBR is a sub of Haliburton, but ...

the Kuwaiti subcontractor did not have to treat them like this.

How can the Kuwaitis be trust to return them and pay back wages if they'd do this in the first place and who is going to follow up on that promise?

[lapfog_1]

7. to serve dal without roti is criminal.

roti is what is used instead of spoons or forks. It's a very important part of the meal.

Of course, the entire story is criminal too.

[sabra]

8. K & R