The things I saw in Iraq with regards to labor contractors such as PPI and the treatment of the Third Country Nationals was horrific. KBR’s contract administrators were notified. KBR WAS notified that their labor contractors were mistreating these people horribly. The living conditions were deplorable. I and others were repeatedly told there was nothing they could do. I personally took water and bought food for Filipino workers brought to Iraq Illegally by Walid Al-Omar and the Iraqi American Development Company (IADCO) to work on the Palace Rewire Project in the Green Zone. Many of us also took food from the Dining Facilities to feed these people risking our own termination. When IADCO stopped working on the multi million dollar rewire Project for whatever reason, the Filipinos were left stranded in the Green Zone without their passports, food, clean water or money. The Philippine Embassy was finally contacted and they helped these people get back home.
The Palace Rewire Project was a State Department project. And PPI supported State Department and Defense Department contracts. A clear case of ineffective if not non-existent oversight.
I ask this question…Does knowing that atrocities are being committed against fellow human beings and not doing anything to stop it and actually profiting from it make you complicit?
So, as you read this article below, do not think it is an isolated incident.
KBR, Partner in Iraq Contract Sued in Human Trafficking Case
Dana Hedgpeth
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 28, 2008
A Washington law firm filed a lawsuit yesterday against KBR, one of the largest U.S. contractors in Iraq, alleging that the company and its Jordanian subcontractor engaged in the human trafficking of Nepali workers.
Agnieszka Fryszman, a partner at Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, said 13 Nepali men, between the ages of 18 and 27, were recruited in Nepal to work as kitchen staff in hotels and restaurants in Amman, Jordan. But once the men arrived in Jordan, their passports were seized and they were told they were being sent to a military facility in Iraq, Fryszman said.
As the men were driven in cars to Iraq, they were stopped by insurgents. Twelve were kidnapped and later executed, Fryszman said. The thirteenth man survived and worked in a warehouse in Iraq for 15 months before returning to Nepal.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in California on behalf of the workers’ families and the survivor, claims that the trafficking scheme was engineered by KBR and its Jordanian subcontractor, Daoud & Partners, according to Fryszman.
This spring, an administrative law judge at the Department of Labor, which has jurisdiction over cases that involve on the job injuries at overseas military bases, ordered Daoud to pay $1 million to the families of 11 of the victims. Attempts to reach officials at Daoud were unsuccessful. A phone message was left at their office in Dubai and e-mails were sent seeking comment.
Heather Browne, a spokeswoman for KBR wrote in an e-mailed statement: “KBR has not seen the lawsuit so it is premature for us to comment at this time. The safety and security of all employees and those the company serves remains KBR’s top priority. The company in no way condones or tolerates unethical or illegal behavior.” (END OF ARTICLE)
If you have any additional information about the mistreatment of local nationals or third country nationals in Iraq or Afghanistan please let me know and I will forward it on to the proper authorities.
Ms Sparky
Updated August 30, 2008. Here are some other awesome articles on this case.
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8 comments
This has been a long time coming. The PPI camp at Camp Victory was nothing more than a concentration camp. 20-30-40 sleeping in a container. 1 porta john for every 50 people. You could smell the camp 500 yards away. no hot water, no laundry facilities to speak of. On many days they were only fed one meal a day and that was just rice. On numerous occasions the food was so rotten that these starving Indians (India) wouldn’t eat it. Their medical care was virtually non existent. We actually had our Iraqi bring in medicine from the red zone. We would buy them food out of our own pocket and try to get food from the DFAC’s. Their passports were taken and they had to work for months and months just to pay off the fee for the right to work for PPI. And KBR knew. That God Damn Heather Browne is just a talking head for KBR. It makes me sick every time she talks KBR knew what in the hell was going on because we told them. We complained. The response “There’s nothing we can do.” Bull shit! I personally called CNN and the UN. No one ever showed up. Nothing got better. Take all that and then some of KBR’s own people treating them like slaves and it’s damn embarrassing to even be called an American over there. I did what I could to make their lives better. I guess some time in 2005 KBR started making us take TIPs (Trafficking In Persons) training. We weren’t the damn problem. KBR Corporate and the in country managers were. Did they take the damn training?
I hope someone goes to jail for this. Maybe Utt. Maybe Heather Browne.
When are the shareholders going to start to show their displeasure buy SELLING SELLING SELLING their KBR and Halliburton stock.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Good Point. Vote with your dollar!!! Sell Sell Sell
There was a KBR Labor Foreman or Manager, I can’t remember which at Camp Victory. Anyway he got busted pimping out the PPI Filipino female workers. He made a ton of money. Most of them did housekeeping types jobs. He got fired when the “wrong” manager found out about it. A lot of people knew about it. I don’t think he was ever charged criminally.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Why am I not freakin’ surprised!!
One of the guys in HVAC shop came in on that convoy. He was a basket case for a while. Not only had he been kidnapped by his company but then he’d witnessed an attack.
There were a lot of horrible things that happened to the TCNs for D&P. We threw enough of a fit to get a few of them changed, but it was never very good.
I’m very surprised that these charges came to be, but very happy to see them.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
It just amazes me that we can criminally prosecute Marines for doing their job, but we can’t or won’t criminally prosecute contractors such as KBR for their part in these atrocities. Now that’s sad.
I just added some new news links to this post. Still nothing in the Houston Chronicle about this!!! Huh. I guess it’s time to go to Craigslist!
The TCN drivers in the southern theater were treated no better than cattle. At first they had to stay in their trucks . . no food, no showers, no medical treatment, no laundry. Then they were put into tents surrounded by a wired fence . . still no showers or bathrooms, and they weren’t allowed to bring anything other than a change of clothes with them. They were escorted like prisoners to the DFAC when we finally got permission for them to be fed. Finally they got showers and bathrooms. When on convoy most of the other bases wouldn’t let them even download the fuel they brought in, nor were they allowed to get meals from the DFAC’s. I personally bought food for the guys on my convoy whenever necessary. I also bought them personal hygiene items like soap and deodorant because they weren’t allowed to shop at the PX’s nor were they allowed to receive mail. Don’t get me started on what was going on with the Phillipino females at our camp!!!! We constantly complained to management about the treatment of these people and some progress was made but not enough!! Yes, KBR is very aware of what is going on they just don’t want to admit it!! I would suggest that the Houston personnel go over there, but we all know that it would be cleaned up or hidden while they are there . . guess we’ll just have to see how many more sue them before something gets done.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I have another comment about a KBR labor foreman at Camp Victory getting caught pimping out the Filipino females. Is that what was going on at your camp? Thank for your comment. It validates those who have already commented and encourages others to come forward. Don’t fool yourself. Don’t fool yourself, corporate knows what’s going on. They are very smart business people. I myself would like to believe there is someone in Houston at the top levels who actually thinks what is and has been going on over in Iraq is unacceptable!
As far as I know the Phillipino girls at our camp were being used by their own supervisor . . she supposedly made a small fortune off of her own workers. I also heard that after their contract expired with KBR they were sent to Dubai and were stuck there because there were problems with their passports.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
No one can convince me that KBR was not aware of these theater wide abuses. And let’s not forget about DoD!! Where in the hell was DoD and the DCMA?? I think they just took the “look the other way” approach!!
I know on my base the TCN’s (Insert correct PC term here) were treated like animals. They had to be escorted to the DFAC to eat. And they had a hard time with showers and getting personal hygiene products. I know I personally PAID for out of my own pocket for hygiene products and foodstuffs.
I got into it with a passing soldier one morning when I (female) was helping to escort TCN’ to the DEFAC. His comment was “gosh do those guys smell (or stink)”
My response was: “Well you would smell too if you were denied access to showers and personal hygiene products too.”
I guess they (military) had no idea how good they had it. I know that I knew a few people who would cross the border into Kuwait and I would give them a shopping list and money (my own) and they would buy foodstuffs and such and I would then give it to the TCN’s and they would share so they could EAT at other bases where they were denied dining priviledges. I would also go to the PX and buy personal hygiene (deodorant, soap, etc) so they could have some.
I just know that if I had to be escorted to eat and NOT be able to take a shower daily there I would starve and smell too.
If I think of anything else to add here I will.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Thank you! I am hearing this over and over and over again. And KBR thinks this is OK or they say they didn’t know!!! That’s just BS. How could they not know! I bought food and took water to our TCN’s as well. Specific information about Camp name, labor contractor name, month and year if they were subcontracted to KBR would be great. Leave that info here or email it to me at mssparky@mssparky.com
You know I have been in this area (IRAQ) for over 4 years now, and it is just so amazing how you people above can submit the comments you have. IF You know that the management at your camp is the problem put there name in your comment. If you know first hand of problems like you have spoken about and did nothing, but paid out of your pocket or took food the the works, then you are part of the problem as well. Yes there are problems at dam near every camp in this country and I would assume on other projects. Everyone is real quick to say KBR this and KBR that. Well FIX it. I have worked with many SCW on several camps. I have spoken with them, had chow, YES THERE FOOD, with them and never have I heard of this kinda crap. Before you start point fingers look into what you are talking about. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING WRONG FIX IT, IF YOU CAN’T FIX IT FIND A WAY TO GET IT FIXED.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I’m glad you haven’t seen it. But just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I can only speak for myself here. I personally bought food for Filipinos that were not being fed in the Green Zone. And that makes me part of the problem? The sub-contract admin was told…what else does one do. Just let them starve to death? There are too many accounts from too many camps throughout Iraq to discount it.
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