Families of Nepalese workers killed in Iraq sue KBR

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

Families of Nepalese workers killed in Iraq sue KBR
By Gina Keating

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - KBR Inc and its Jordanian contractor are being sued for human trafficking by a Nepalese survivor and the families of 12 other employees who were killed while being transported, allegedly against their will, to work in a U.S. military base in Iraq.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, says military contractor KBR and Daoud & Partners recruited the men in Nepal by promising them jobs at a luxury hotel in Amman, Jordan, but instead sent them to Iraq where all but one were kidnapped and killed.

The 12 victims had their passports confiscated by Daoud representatives, and were kidnapped from an unprotected convoy by Islamic militants and killed in 2004, according to the suit filed in Los Angeles.

The survivor was forced to work at the Al Asad military base for 15 months before his passport was returned, the lawsuit said.

"It doesn't appear that any of them knew they were going to Iraq," said attorney Matthew Handley, who represents the men. "A few were told they were going to work at an American camp .... They thought they were going to work in America."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080828/us_nm/kbr_lawsuit_dc

[Robbien]

1. Nepalese man sues KBR on human trafficking charges

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A Nepalese man and relatives of 12 of his slain comrades filed a lawsuit in federal court against the construction and services giant KBR on charges of human trafficking, for allegedly tricking the men into working in Iraq.

The men, between the ages of 18 and 27, "were recruited in Nepal to work as kitchen staff in hotels and restaurants in Amman, Jordan," read a statement from Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, one of the law firms handling the case.

However once they arrived in Jordan "they were not provided the expected employment." Their passports were seized, and they were told they were being sent to Iraq "to provide menial labor" at the Al-Asad Air Base, the statement read.

Twelve of the men were packed into a car and driven to Iraq, but on the road were stopped by insurgents with the Ansar al-Sunna Army, taken hostage and executed. The executions were posted on the Internet.

The 13th man, Buddi Prasad Gurung, was not kidnapped and arrived at the US military site in August 2004, where he worked in a KBR warehouse. "For 15 months, Mr. Gurung was held in Iraq against his will, before KBR and Daoud allowed him to return home to Nepal," the statement read.

Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jjQU3pP6tyCC4h6bLA5Q36xHSjXg

[JonLP24]

2. Human trafficking is alot more common then I thought

I guess after numerous incidents while I was deployed in '06-'07 we as a unit had to take a human trafficking class which described what it is, the numerous methods they do it, the overall human rights abuse, the signs of human trafficking and the steps to report it.

[NM Independent]

3. Aren't our grand American Corporations just wonderful?

:sarcasm: of course.

I would say I can't believe it, but I would put absolutely nothing past this most evil of all the dirty, nasty soul-less corporations.

END CORPORATE PERSONHOOD!!!

[mojowork_n]

4. Buddi Prasad Gurung -- brings to mind Cinque & the Amistad

Maybe somebody could make a movie.

[Mark E. Smith]

5. Defense contractor accused of human trafficking

Source: Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Defense contractor KBR Inc. and a Jordanian subcontractor are accused of human trafficking in a federal lawsuit filed in Los Angeles.

The suit alleges 12 Nepali men were being transported to Iraq against their will when they were killed in an insurgent attack.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday by an attack survivor and family members of victims claims subcontractor Daoud & Partners recruited the men in Nepal to work in hotels and restaurants in Jordan.

The company allegedly seized their passports when they arrived in Jordan in 2004 and had them sent to Iraq to work on a U.S. air base.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080828/ap_on_re_us/trafficking_lawsuit

[grannie4peace]

6. those people are nuts- i sure hope we can stop them.

[midnight]

7. Have they been questioned?