PHA-Exchange> "Contracts Meals Disaster" for Iraqi Prisoners : Exclusive:

[UNNIKRISHNAN P.V. (Dr)]

FYI:   "Contracts Meals Disaster" for Iraqi Prisoners
 
For Immediate Release: December 9th, 2004
Contact: Pratap Chatterjee | CorpWatch | pratap at corpwatch.org | 510 759
8970
"Contracts Meals Disaster" for Iraqi Prisoners

New evidence suggests that prisoners at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison
in Iraq were subjected not only to torture and psychological abuse, they
were underfed, malnourished and made to eat food so bad it inspired
riots. A little-known private contractor, run by an American civilian,
is said to be to blame.

An exclusive new story by CorpWatch military correspondent David
Phinney, describes the food and the reaction of military officials who
were running the prison.

"Contract meals Disaster," one army official said in an e-mail. "That is
the best way to describe this issue. As each day goes by, the tension
within the prisoner populations increases," he continued. "For the past
two days prisoners have been vomiting after they eat."
One interrogator said that the conditions were so bad that it was hard
for them to extract information from detainees. "Anything that affects
the morale of the locals affect our mission."

The food was largely to blame for two prison riots in which Army guards
shot four detainees after the prisoners failed to comply with commands
to stop and disburse. A subsequent Pentagon investigation found that
prisoners were not attempting a "mass" escape as first thought.
The story can be viewed at http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11744

David Phinney, Military Correspondent, is an award-winning journalist
and broadcaster whose work has appeared on PBS and ABC and in the Los
Angeles Times, New York Times, San Francisco Examiner, Wired, Salon.com
and many other news organizations. He was a co-founder, along with Steve
Hills, president of The Washington Post, of Bay City Publications in the
San Francisco Bay Area. Together, they launched the Bay City Business
Journal and the Emeryville Guardian, two publications recognized for
investigative work that exposed political corruption and real estate
scandals in California.
About CorpWatch:

CorpWatch counters corporate-led globalization through education,
network-building and activism. We work to foster democratic control over
corporations by building grassroots globalization a diverse movement for
human rights and dignity, labor rights and environmental justice.
Our new book "Iraq, Inc.: A Profitable Occupation" is the first
on-the-ground account of Year One of the occupation of Iraq and is also
most complete-to-date chronicle of the exploits of private contractors
hired to reconstruct and manage Iraq.
http://www.sevenstories.com/Book/index.cfm?GCOI=58322100484530

"Iraq Inc. will introduce to you the entrepreneurs who really understand
war profiteering and the price the rest of us will have to pay."- Matt
Swibel, senior reporter Forbes Magazine
"A powerful combination of investigative research and on-the-ground
reporting."-Naomi Klein, author No Logo, columnist The Guardian, UK
 
-- 
Pratap Chatterjee
Managing Editor/Project Director
CorpWatch
1611 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 702
Oakland, CA 94612
USA
Phone: +1 510-271-8080
Fax. +1 510-271-8083
Mobile: +1 510-759-8970
Email: pratap at corpwatch.org
Website: http://www.corpwatch.org
 
Also check out our new book: "Iraq Inc.: A Profitable Occupation"
http://www.sevenstories.com/Book/index.cfm?GCOI=58322100484530
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