KBR lawsuit alleges ’slavery.’
KBR lawsuit alleges ’slavery.’
A Washington law firm filed a lawsuit yesterday against Iraq contractor KBR, “alleging that the company and its Jordanian subcontractor engaged in the human trafficking of Nepali workers,” the Washington Post reported today. The suit states that 13 Nepali men were recruited for kitchen work in Jordan only to have their passports seized upon arrival and “told they were being sent to a military facility in Iraq.” TPM Muckraker notes that the complaint calls these actions “slavery“:
160. Defendants’ actions as set forth above constitute the torts of trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude, forced labor, and slavery.
161. Trafficking in persons in a modern day form of slavery, and along with
involuntary servitude and forced labor constitutes a tort in violation of the law of nations and/or in violation of treaties of the United States.
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WHY IS THE UNITED STATES TAXPAYER FUNDING AN ENTITY WORSE THAN A GANG?
August 28th, 2008 at 7:45 pmThis is from the KBR proxy statement:
KBR has adopted a “code of ethics,” as defined in Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K. KBR’s code of ethics, known as its Code of Business Conduct, applies to all directors, officers and employees of KBR, including its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer and controller, and also applies to all employees of KBR and KBR’s agents.
In addition, we have agreed that, for five years following our initial public offering, we will consistently implement and maintain the business practices and standards adopted by the Halliburton Board of Directors for us with respect to internal control procedures relating to the use of foreign agents. We may amend such procedures from time to time during the five-year period with Halliburton’s prior consent, not to be unreasonably withheld.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:49 pm13 nepali men forced
to work in manacles
and cheneys.
*
shameful.
#
August 28th, 2008 at 7:50 pm“Iraq is a peaceful and stable country now.” -John McCain
August 28th, 2008 at 7:51 pmMcWars Says:
WHY IS THE UNITED STATES TAXPAYER FUNDING AN ENTITY WORSE THAN A GANG?
I’m guessing the same reason we’re handing out money to insurgents to try to quell the violence - NO ONE ASKED US!
PEACE
August 28th, 2008 at 7:52 pmspencers mom at 7:52 pm
“…we’re handing out money to insurgents to try to quell the violence”
We can’t be doing that! Why that’s…that’s…that’s Appeasement!
August 28th, 2008 at 8:00 pmBut watch out, Hizbullah is headed to Venezuela, maybe even Bolivia or Paraguay.
The Bush War on Terror has radical Islamists from rival sects collaborating with liberal Catholics? WTF? Who are they trying to scare, right before an election?
I can just see a Bin Laden tape (jointly made with Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) in our near future. It’ll show the world the ability for a Sunni fundamentalist to work with a Lieration theology Catholic and a Shia extremist. Now that’s unity! Bush,”a uniter, not a divider”…
August 28th, 2008 at 8:03 pmsotd@2 – Sounded like a direct quote from Sarbanes/Oxley to me. Merely a formality. After all, everyone already knows that laws and rules are made to be broken by power grabbing neocons.
The Nuremberg Trials lasted 4 yrs. How long will the Baghdad Trials last??
August 28th, 2008 at 8:07 pmIt would be ironic if Bush had to hole up in Paraguay after his term is up, to keep from ending up at the Hague, and the terrists got him down there. Of course, they would have to get past Blackwater. Or just buy them off.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:08 pmAnd so we can add another memorable charge against a subsidiary of Halliburton: human trafficking.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:10 pmWhat else is left for the immoral, unethical, dishonest, greedy, corrupt and criminal Bush&Co.
House of Roberts, No end would be too terrible for Bush&Co.
I hope we all live to see the day that they suffer as they have caused others to suffer. That their families suffer as they have caused other families to suffer. That their cronies pay the price as their victims have paid a price.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:12 pmThat history will paste their photos in the gallery of infamy – that is the legacy of Bush&Co.
Torture, slavery, disappearing people, ethnic and religious, persecution, false imprisonment, forced pregnancy, murder. The Bush administration is very close to perpetrating a full slate of crimes against humanity.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:21 pmWell, I got my text response back from the Obama campaign!
“Thanks for texting your message to Barack at the 2008 DNC. Text us often, as some comments will go on screen.”
August 28th, 2008 at 8:22 pm“Slavery,” you say? Why, that’s what Bush smirkingly calls, “democracy.” Remember the defective showers that Halliburton built for the American military in Iraq? Twelve or so American soldiers were electrocuted to death by crappy, sloppy electrical contractor work done by Hailiburton. No-bid fascist corporate greed hard at work…
US out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Georgia.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:33 pmWhat is depressing is that there is still a vocal minority who will continue to Believe that God “Blesses” this country, no matter what.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:09 pmTP, you left out a huge part of the story:
12 of the 13 were executed by insurgents.
I would think that was an important detail. It is said if you go to the Wash Post link and read the whole article, but how many people do that? Noone so far has mentioned their deaths. Also, you should have given me a ‘tip of the hat’ for giving you the tip at 4:30.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:10 pmstateofthedivision Says:
Now that’s unity! Bush,”a uniter, not a divider…”
____________
Oh, Botch is a uniter, alrighty… the whole, F-in’ world hates him…
August 28th, 2008 at 9:23 pmI would have brought it up, Keith, but my aquarium decided to turn into a fountain!
August 28th, 2008 at 9:24 pmIt so happens that the practices described above have been practiced by oil-rich Arab nations for decades and the South-East Asian countries from which these workers have been acquired have been unwilling or incapable of stopping this trade in, if not slavery, then at the least explicit indentured servitude.
Whilst Western nations in the past 25 years have publicly criticized certain Arab states for their undemocratic treatment of their own citizens (particularly women) the use and treatment of imported labor has been steadfastly ignored.
The reason for such selective denial of ordinary labor and human rights is that the importation of foreign workers has been and still is in pertinent to large-scale projects and investments wherein the Arabs nations have overall control but in which Western businesses (and governments) have major political anf financial interests.
In this case I’d argue that KBR is following operating procedures that are utterly standard in the region and in no way have they been recently empowered by the Bush administration.
It so happens that after taking an early retirement after 36 years for the same company with not that much to show for his efforts, took on a five-year contract in a senior management position in Bahrain which is arguably the most progressive of all the oil-rich Arab nations. I visited him several times during his tenure there and noted the constant presence of Thai’s, Burmese, Cambodians, Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshi in transit at the airport, all invariably dressed in some form of generic corporate clothing–some in logo- emblazoned jacket or shirt, others in full ‘dungarees’ and all of them looking forlorn and exhausted. Around Bahrain I;d see the same outfits and the same ethnicities working on building construction or road repair.
I found out from my father and his Indian secretary that all manual labour in Bahrain was imported, as was 80-90% of technical and administrative trades. Although my father ran all of Bahrain AIrport Services he was “partnered” by a cousin of the rulerwho not only had veto power but the power of limitless capricious retribution. If my father pressed for better conditions for staff his princely partner always had the option not just to fire him but to make everyone’s life far more difficult too. My father’s secretary, despite her position, skills and responsibilites was regarded as dirt by the prince and as I discovered when we went out for dinner and drinks together at a swanky establishment she was still regarded as chattel, being obviously Indian (though she spoke better English than I).
Anyway, the I learned from her and my father that the contractors I saw fuctioned as indentured servants and laborers, slaves essentially, and Western businesses forced to “partner” with the Baharainis by law would end up having a good deal of their construction and service work done by these subcontractors who where effectively ‘owned’ by the Bahrainis.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:35 pmIt is now perahps even harder to judge who might be more immoral, the West or the Middle East, but in terms of hypocrisy the scales may well be tilted towards the West and the US in particular.
Daoud & Partners, Ltd this is part of their “Mission Statement”
Our success is founded on our unwavering commitment to exceed our customer’s expectations in every aspect of performance.
“maintaining a nurturing environment for our employees and conducting our business with integrity and honor”
Great mission statement but it’s only words and their actions have proved otherwise. There is no honor and integrity in kidnapping and forcing people to work against their will and then executing them.
The fact that Congress hasn’t pulled KBR contracts for all of their abuses and violations is absolutely sickening. KBR is liable for all sub-contractors. Americans should be outraged that their tax dollars have funded the electrocution of their soldiers, gang rapes of women and now human trafficking overseas. Congress and the Bush Administration can not ignore the 14th Amendment.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:04 pmKBR–a proud star in Cheney’s firmament!
August 28th, 2008 at 10:13 pmGood Lord, with all this governmental and international justice – is it any wonder a transnational robber baron corporation can’t make a decent profit any more. A level of deregulation that welcomes and encourages slavery and human exploitation is a government that embraces corporatism and such a government inevitably resorts to fascism. Fascism places no restraint on industry as it seeks to maximize profits to enrich the owners.
So slavery and human exploitation and Halliburton and Kellogg, Root & Brown and Darth Viper Prick cheney and FASCISM – are all peas that shared the very same pod – where ethics takes a back seat and obscene profitability is driving the bus of selfishness, greed, and gluttony of personal enrichment.
Slavery and involuntary servitude was the foundation upon which many a fortune was made.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:18 pmHouse of Roberts Says:
spencers mom at 7:52 pm
“…we’re handing out money to insurgents to try to quell the violence”
We can’t be doing that! Why that’s…that’s…that’s Appeasement!
Not when Republicans do it…IOKIYAR states that when Republicans do it, it’s VICTORY!
August 29th, 2008 at 12:20 amyeah – they’re forced to work and we’re forced into funding it – this news just confirms we are part of it and that makes these 13 Nepali men our co-workers
August 29th, 2008 at 12:56 amKBR? Accused of enslaving kitchen workers?
No one could have EVER predicted THAT. Especially Uncle Dick Cheney.
Well, slavery DOES help with the bottom line, so it must be okay. “That’s the magic of the free market” is going to be my NEXT punchline trademark…
August 29th, 2008 at 1:30 amFreedom Rebel wrote:
“Congress and the Bush Administration can not ignore the 14th Amendment.”
Well…they’ve shat all over the REST of the Constitution.
And a certain former Constitutional law professor also voted for an illegal and unconstitutional law that gives the Executive the power to eavesdrop and spy on computer activity without a warrant. He was just nominated for President TONIGHT. I wonder what MLK would have to say about his FISA vote last month…especially in light of the fact that the FBI spied on MLK illegally for nearly his entire adult life?
He really, really disappointed me, and if that law isn’t repealed FIRST THING 2009, I’m going to re-think my vote for 2012.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:35 amWhen are you lib-rals going to accept that KBR is a partner in bringing freedom to the middle east ? And that the practices of KBR demonstrate what a company can do in an unfettered capitalist environment ?
/NARF!
August 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pmwhat,5th estate has posted isnt surprising to me as an employee of kbr…..I shows the level of his/her true ignorance equals if not exceeds the level of most Americans. KBR is nothing but a war profiteering corperation run by an all good ol boy network from Cheeny on down. I have many times gone to bat for SCW’s ( subcontract workers) when they have been mistreated by KBR employees. They do the bull share of the work both skilledand labor and are paid slave wages. Many have been in the war zones in harms way and away from home and families for up to 4 and 5 years. They are basically close to indentured servants since most have thier passports stamped NO RE-ENTRY when they attemp to go home for R and R so they stay work 12 hours a day seven days a week and many arent even allowed to eat in the dinning facilities that they maintain. AS for KBR hireing practices they dont check resumes and have a huge amount of totaly incompetant tradesmen working for them most of whom are unlicenced. On top of that KBR hires when ever possible Croation , Bosnian and other ex soviet block nationals at sixtey percent of what it cost to hire qualified americans, and when its time to promote they promote the foreign nationals far more often than the americans. These foreign nationals as tradesmen are the worst I have ever seen in my life and have no skills at all they are just cheap labor and form into groups that have become knmown as the Bosnian Mafia.Yes I am an employee of KBR and I do my level best to raise the living standards for our “kids in green” but have road blocks thrown up time and time again, but I still for now work for kbr but that will most likely come to an end when some one from the company reads it…..so be it Ive done my best and other than working for kbr I have nothing to be ashamed of,,,and for that I am truley ashamed
September 29th, 2008 at 11:36 pm