[Reader-list] S. Asian workers at American bases | Only non-Muslims can apply for US base jobs...

[Harsh Kapoor]

2 reports from an ongoing compilation being done by Labour Notes 
South Asia / South Asia Citizens Web, on South Asian labour  and the 
current war on Iraq.


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#1.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/5478127.htm

The Mercury News (USA)
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2003
War with Iraq

Posted on Tue, Mar. 25, 2003

Foreign workers carry out basic tasks at bases
BY SARA OLKON
Miami Herald

NEAR THE IRAQ BORDER - Men from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other 
south Asian countries clean toilets, run the mess tent, fill sandbags 
and help with other basic operations at U.S. installations around the 
Persian Gulf.

Their work saves the military from devoting personnel to mundane 
tasks. But it also requires devoting personnel to escort and watch 
them.

Some in the military worry that these men -- only men are hired -- 
may be desperate enough to take bribes from people against the 
U.S.-led fight in Iraq or, even worse, work with the al Qaeda 
terrorist group. Thus, their every word and action is under scrutiny.

''My people is very happy. Everybody is happy,'' said Tahir Mehmood, 
a Pakistani man who oversees a mess hall at an air base that the 
military has asked not be precisely described in news accounts. He 
said his men worked 12-hour shifts. He was then led away by a 
military official.

On a recent afternoon, a security officer tagged along and watched a 
worker empty trash containers. In the mess hall, workers often are 
paired with military personnel.

''You never know,'' said Master Sgt. Willie Johnson, of Waldorf, Md. 
``We heard one guy had a plan to poison the food on base.''

Maj. David Andino-Aquino, the commander of services, said he 
instructed troops to be careful but respectful with the foreign 
workers, known in military jargon as ''third-country nationals,'' or 
``TCNs.''

Their presence is awkward during missile alerts. Andino-Aquino said 
his staff never had thrown a TCN out of a protective bunker. But base 
policy doesn't mandate such courtesy.

On Saturday, after several hours of repeated missile alerts, 
relations grew tense.

''TCNs got kicked out of bunkers because they ran out of room,'' said 
Master Sgt. Patrick Wilson, who supervises force protection on base. 
``The escorts look for a bunker that is more empty. If by the second 
bunker it is not, [the TCNs] are out of luck.''

While the men could go on their own in search of a roomier bunker, 
they ''are programmed to follow. They don't go anywhere without an 
escort,'' Wilson said.

After Saturday's attacks, the number of TCNs on base dropped from 150 
to about 30.

Workers deemed essential to the base were issued gas masks, Wilson 
said. But they don't have protective clothes to ward off chemical 
weapons.

''Maybe at least we can give them the discarded ones,'' Wilson said.

____


#2.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_222087,0008.htm

The Hindustan Times (India)
March 27, 2003 | Updated: 03:05 IST

Only non-Muslims can apply for US base job: Advertisement
Srinivasa Prasad
Bangalore, March 26

Tucked in the classifieds of national Indian dailies on Wednesday was 
an advertisement that could further alienate the Muslim community 
from the United States.

The advertisement calls for applications from "non-Muslims only" for 
sundry jobs at the US base in northern Kuwait.

The US base "urgently requires" lift operators, store keepers, 
clerks, typists, security guards and drivers. The advertisement 
insists that the applicants, besides being non-Muslims, should speak 
English and be below 35.

The advertisement was issued by Indian head-hunters Rehman 
Enterprises and Continental Mercantile.

Executives of these firms said they were representing a Kuwaiti 
company, Marafi, which has a "maintenance contract" with the US army.

"The Americans are strict that we should only process applications 
sent in by non-Muslims," Rehman Enterprises' head Abdul Rehman told 
the Hindustan Times on Wednesday.

"What to do? They probably don't want to take chances with Muslims," 
said Continental Mercantile's manager in Kochi TS Jairaj.

There is an unmistakable sense of urgency in the advertisement which 
asks applicants to "contact immediately with relevant documents".

"The response has been very bad," said Jairaj. "We are getting very few calls."

The head-hunters are in a fix since the executives of Marafi are 
flying to India to interview and shortlist candidates on March 31 for 
a final selection by the US army.

"The poor response is not just because of the war situation," Jairaj 
explained. "The age limit and the condition on English speaking 
ability are also problems."

The recruitment effort could be an indication of the US intention of 
digging its heels in for a long time in the Middle East.