UGANDA: 10,000 to go to Iraq

Throughout May, 10,000 Ugandans will be recruited to work as "security personnel" in Iraq, and US military bases worldwide. The recruitment effort is spearheaded by World Wide Special Operations, who work with multinationals and governments to provide mercenaries where needed. Sources told the Kampala Monitor that the recruitment exercise had been approved by the US State Department, which has close ties to the Ugandan government. The local law firm doing the recruiting for WWSO has emphasised that the youths will not be in "combat" roles but "guard" duties, and some secretarial work. Local MP Aggrey Awori described the exercise as "tragic", asking: "How do you provide only guard services in a country like Iraq? These people will shoot back when shot at." Iraq has an unemployment rate of 75%.

From Green Left Weekly, June 1, 2005.

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From GLW issue 628