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Ugandans Deployed to Work in Iraq, US Installations Worldwide

KAMPALA, May 9 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 200 youths have so far signed up for security work in Iraq and at US installations worldwide, a Ugandan official said on Monday.

The Ugandans who go to Iraq will be deployed to guard public and private installations in the war-ravaged country where the US forces continue to battle with local insurgents.

Ruhakana Rugunda, Ugandan minister of internal affairs, confirmed the recruitment to Xinhua on Monday, but said it is strictly a private initiative.

A local firm, Hall & Partners, is working in collaboration with a local security firm Aktar Security Services, on the recruitment exercise, which is targeting 10,000 people in three years.

Local media quoted a lawyer with Hall & Partners, Bob Kasango, on Monday as saying that the firm was hired by the World Wide Special Operations (WWSO).

WWSO works for and closely with the US government and other international organizations like the World Bank, Coca-Cola and Microsoft Corporations to provide security.

Kasango said that the recruits would not only be employed in Iraq.

"They will work in any part of the word where America has installations.Iraq is one of them," Kasango was quoted as saying.

One of the youth that singed up for training told Xinhua on Monday that the authorities are looking for able-bodied youths whocan go through vigorous
training.

Sources said that the requirement exercise was okayed by the State House and the Ministry of Defense and that of Internal Affairs are aware of the exercise.

Uganda is one of the few African countries that supported the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200505090714.html

All Africa.Com via the Moniter (Uganda) <http://www.monitor.co.ug/news/news05093.php>

10,000 Ugandans to get Iraq, US jobs

By Gaaki Kigambo & Kabona Esiara

KAMPALA - At least 200 Ugandan youths on Saturday signed up for security work in Iraq and at American installations worldwide.

The Ugandans who go to Iraq will be deployed to guard public and private installations in the war-ravaged country where the United States forces continue to battle local insurgents.

A local law firm, Hall & Partners, is working in collaboration with a local security firm, Aktar Security Services, on the recruitment exercise, which is targeting 10,000 people in three years. Mr Bob Kasango, a lawyer with Hall & Partners, said the firm was hired by the World Wide Special Operations (WWSO), who work for and closely with the US government and other international organisations like the World Bank, Coca Cola, and Microsoft Corporation to provide security.Kasango said not all the recruits will be employed in in Iraq.

They will work in any part of the world where America has installations. Iraq is just one of them, he said.

The recruitment exercise has got clearance from the US State Department, State House in Kampala, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, sources said.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, said yesterday, "I'm aware that there is a programme of equipping Ugandans with capacity to do guard duties locally in Uganda and if necessary abroad, but it is strictly a
private initiative". He said the exercise was "strictly voluntary"

But Samia Bugwe MP Aggrey Awori condemned the exercise.

"It is tragic for the Uganda government to allow its citizens to be recruited as mercenaries. It is not true that they are only going to provide guard services. How do you provide only guard services in a country like Iraq? These people will definitely shoot back when they are shot at" Awori said.

But Kasango denied the Ugandans would work as combat personnel. "No single Ugandans is going to manage roadblocks. They are going to be involved in non-combatant security. They may be at banks and at airports checking bags. Some are going to be trained in computing as they will be entering data."

"Others will be trained as motor vehicle mechanics and others will do secretarial work" he said. Sources said Uganda had been targeted because
of its close working relations with the US government and because it was one of the African countries that supported the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Kasango said other countries had also been targeted to provide people needed for various jobs at American installations across the world. In Uganda the local firms conducting the exercise are targeting able-bodied people with high education qualifications. Military experience is an added advantage, sources
said.

The State Department has reportedly cleared private firms in different countries of the world to source employees for mostly security work at US installations because Americans are shunning the lucrative, but risky jobs.

Thanks to Dirk Adriaensens