Tragedy on Diego Garcia: Workers fear for lives as two die in mysterious circumstances
Published on 2024-06-09
** Migrant workers on Diego Garcia, employed by KBR, fear for their safety after the deaths of two colleagues due to lack of adequate medical care and concerns over recruitment fees and possible labor trafficking.
Migrant workers employed by defense contractor KBR on the British island of Diego Garcia have voiced safety concerns following the recent deaths of two colleagues. The latest victim, a Filipino woman named Relemay Fabula Gan, died from a collapsed lung after battling an illness for several weeks, allegedly due to a delay in her medical evacuation. Despite having no underlying health issues, she was pronounced dead hours before a medevac flight arrived.
Diego Garcia lacks a hospital, necessitating medical evacuations for serious illnesses. Workers and colleagues believe Gan's life could have been saved if she had been transported for treatment. KBR maintains that Gan received medical care on the island and a medevac was ordered promptly, but her death highlights fears among workers that their safety is compromised in medical emergencies.
Another worker, an Indian man named Saddam Ali, died in October after contracting sepsis, despite military doctors' efforts to resuscitate him. His autopsy revealed a malfunctioning portable ventilator, raising concerns about the adequacy of medical facilities on the island.
Migrant workers are not given formal work visas for Diego Garcia, but are provided with tourist visas and flown in on military flights. Indian workers, who require visas to enter Singapore, the designated hospital for evacuations, worry about delays in visa approvals.
Allegations of recruitment fees charged by brokers have also emerged, indicating potential labor trafficking practices. KBR has launched an investigation and dismissed a broker's wife, but Kenyan workers remain fearful of retaliation from the broker.
Federal regulations prohibit recruitment fees and involuntary servitude for foreign workers, with the US government maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for such activities.
Diego Garcia lacks a hospital, necessitating medical evacuations for serious illnesses. Workers and colleagues believe Gan's life could have been saved if she had been transported for treatment. KBR maintains that Gan received medical care on the island and a medevac was ordered promptly, but her death highlights fears among workers that their safety is compromised in medical emergencies.
Another worker, an Indian man named Saddam Ali, died in October after contracting sepsis, despite military doctors' efforts to resuscitate him. His autopsy revealed a malfunctioning portable ventilator, raising concerns about the adequacy of medical facilities on the island.
Migrant workers are not given formal work visas for Diego Garcia, but are provided with tourist visas and flown in on military flights. Indian workers, who require visas to enter Singapore, the designated hospital for evacuations, worry about delays in visa approvals.
Allegations of recruitment fees charged by brokers have also emerged, indicating potential labor trafficking practices. KBR has launched an investigation and dismissed a broker's wife, but Kenyan workers remain fearful of retaliation from the broker.
Federal regulations prohibit recruitment fees and involuntary servitude for foreign workers, with the US government maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for such activities.