Govt to probe hiring of men for Iraq (India)

[Robbien]

External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha admitted that some Indians had been ‘smuggled’ into Iraq without valid work permits.

CHENNAI / NEW DELHI, DHNS:

The Ministry of External Affairs has asked the Union Labour Ministry to enquire into “smuggling” of Indian ex-servicemen into Iraq from Kuwait and Jordan by some Indian companies to protect their installations there and take appropriate action.

Stating this at a press conference here, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said that a number of Indian companies in Iraq wanted to recruit personnel from India to protect their installations there. So far, 360 Indians had been recruited for this purpose. However, following the deterioration in security situation in that country, the Protector of Immigration had imposed a ban on people going to Iraq.

Mr Sinha admitted that it had been found that “some Indians have been smuggled into Iraq from Kuwait and Jordan without valid work permits” and the Labour Ministry had been asked to enquire into agencies involved in this and take action. He said that the Inspector of Immigration had also been told to exercise greater caution in allowing people to go to Jordan and Kuwait.

Mr Sinha was reacting to reports that 1,500 ex-servicemen had been drafted by Indian companies in Iraq for guarding vital installations like oil wells, refineries, supply depots and shore-based facilities and that the matter had assumed serious dimension after some of them were injured in the on-going skirmishes between US army and local resistance forces.

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may042004/i2.asp

Looks as if Halliburton is outsourcing the mercenary business

[aquart]

1. So how many private armies are in Iraq?