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| Labor abuses rampant on US bases in Afghanistan |
The
United States is generally conceived as a moral advocate. Compared to many
other nations in our world, the U.S. boasts a just government, fair laws and
practices, and effective law enforcement. The democracy and economy of the U.S.
are further symbols of the freedom of our country. An apparent contradiction to
this claim is the existence of human trafficking at U.S. military bases in
countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, and the Philippines. How can
we, as a nation, claim to be morally good if our military is essentially
promoting the enslavement of human beings? In order to remain a ‘free’ nation,
we must first understand the causes of trafficking on our military bases. We
then must find a solution so that operations on the bases for our armies do not
function on the backs of enslaved people.
Around 2.5 million U.S. soldiers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 as members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The task of these soldiers is to defend America and promote peace throughout the Middle East, known as the War on Terror. Few are aware, however, of the more than 70,000 people from countries across the globe that are also shipped off to the Middle East to work on U.S. military bases. Some work by choice, but most do not. Whether it is serving Taco Bell, cutting soldiers’ hair, or repairing electrical grids and equipment for camps, thousands of jobs are easily filled on military bases by low-wage, generally poor TCN’s. TCN stands for Third Country Nationals, and these people are from countries such as Kenya, Bosnia, Fiji, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and the Philippines.
Many trafficked TCN’s were at one time tricked by an offer for a well-paying job that could provide their families and themselves with a better life. Some were told that Iraq and Afghanistan were the target destinations of their job. Others, such as Vinnie, Lydia, and Melanie, three women trafficked out of Fiji, were told that they were going to work as beauticians for a luxury hotel in Dubai. TCN’s trafficked into Iraq and Afghanistan are then forced to give up their passports and fork over exorbitant payments in order to obtain their fictitious jobs. After arriving at the U. S. military bases already indebted, many TCN’s are housed in shipping containers and forced to work twelve hours per day, seven days per week at jobs that pay a small fraction of the money that was originally promised. Subcontractor companies that supply work for U.S. soldiers and upkeep for the bases employ these TCN’s. Those who try to escape their situation are threatened with hefty early termination fees by their subcontractors. These TCN's, in essence, are enslaved by their subcontractors. They have no means of escape.
Around 2.5 million U.S. soldiers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 as members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The task of these soldiers is to defend America and promote peace throughout the Middle East, known as the War on Terror. Few are aware, however, of the more than 70,000 people from countries across the globe that are also shipped off to the Middle East to work on U.S. military bases. Some work by choice, but most do not. Whether it is serving Taco Bell, cutting soldiers’ hair, or repairing electrical grids and equipment for camps, thousands of jobs are easily filled on military bases by low-wage, generally poor TCN’s. TCN stands for Third Country Nationals, and these people are from countries such as Kenya, Bosnia, Fiji, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and the Philippines.
Many trafficked TCN’s were at one time tricked by an offer for a well-paying job that could provide their families and themselves with a better life. Some were told that Iraq and Afghanistan were the target destinations of their job. Others, such as Vinnie, Lydia, and Melanie, three women trafficked out of Fiji, were told that they were going to work as beauticians for a luxury hotel in Dubai. TCN’s trafficked into Iraq and Afghanistan are then forced to give up their passports and fork over exorbitant payments in order to obtain their fictitious jobs. After arriving at the U. S. military bases already indebted, many TCN’s are housed in shipping containers and forced to work twelve hours per day, seven days per week at jobs that pay a small fraction of the money that was originally promised. Subcontractor companies that supply work for U.S. soldiers and upkeep for the bases employ these TCN’s. Those who try to escape their situation are threatened with hefty early termination fees by their subcontractors. These TCN's, in essence, are enslaved by their subcontractors. They have no means of escape.
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| KBR lawsuit |
Starvation, severely overcrowded
sleeping quarters, physical assault, and rape are just a few of the abuses
of subcontracting companies toward their workers. The United States government
has recognized the existence of human trafficking on military bases across the
world, but little progress has been made. Several bills have been introduced to
attempt to regulate the subcontracting companies overseas, but few government
officials seem to care about the exploitation of TCN’s. A subcontracting
officer in Afghanistan once told Sarah Stillman, author of “The Invisible Army", that labor law “doesn’t exist here” and the job of TCN’s is purely, “to
get the war fighters what they need”.
The United States is a symbol of
freedom for the rest of the world. Ironically enough, tens of thousands of people are trafficked and enslaved in order to provide our military with what it needs
in order to promote this freedom throughout the rest of the globe.
This is really interesting, but also appalling, as I never knew anything like this existed. I thought only "bad" countries using child or forced soldiers were guilty of trafficking; it's so bizarre to imagine our own country taking part in this. The fact that they also outsource this labor to hide it from the American public also bothers me. This makes me think of all the others ways trafficking can play out in the military - for example, stories from "Interviews from a Brothel" in "Survivors of Slavery" of sex workers serving United Nations troops. The ideas behind that, as well as the use of forced labor as the foundation of military bases, need to change in order to take another step towards eliminating modern-day slavery.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the places in the United States, the giant cooperation's and company's, the last place I would have expected human trafficking is the military. The institute dedicated to freedom in out country is taking away the freedom on other people. The institute protecting us, is endangering others. Something needs to be done about the military supporting human trafficking, whether it be forced labor or forced sex work.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read through this, I couldn't imagine any of this happening. Yeah, I was aware it was happening in America. But on military bases?? would have never dreamed it so. This coincides nicely with what we read this week in chapter 3 of SOS.
ReplyDeleteReading this blog was terrifying! I would have never guessed that something so horrible is happening on our military bases. I loved how this tied in nicely with this week's readings!
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