Salary up to 7000 KM: US firm is recruiting citizens of BiH to combat Ebola in Africa
One of the world's largest military logistics Contracting Company, Fluor Corporation, was the last week in Tuzla are looking for workers who are willing to sign a contract and help the American army in Liberia and Sierra Leone, writes Adam Moore for Balkanist.net.
The Bosnian government does not track individuals working abroad, whether they work for primary companies such as Fluor, or their numerous subcontractors
On the one hand this is not news: For nearly a decade and a half, thousands of people from South East Europe, particularly Bosnia, were recruited to work on American bases in the Middle East, Central Asia and East Africa. What is new is the context. While previous work has been focused on supporting the war and counter-terrorism operations, the goal of this mission is to prevent further spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa.
This is potentially worrisome. Specifically, this work could represent a significant health risk to people in BiH and the region for two reasons: 1) inadequate contingency planning and monitoring kontraktorskih activity among US and Bosnian authorities and companies kontraktorskim 2) political and institutional dysfunctionality in BiH, which reduces effective response in case the virus starts spreading in the country.
Salary between $ 2,000 and $ 7,000
Before elaborating each of these questions, it may be a bit of background on military contracts and the role of Bosnians in this phenomenon.
Over the last year I've been researching the outsourcing executors of the US military logistics, specifically recruiting people from across Southeast Europe. Despite the risks, military contracting company did not have trouble finding a willing and skilled workers for this job. The reason is the relatively high salaries offered by companies such as Fluor, usually between 2,000 and 7,000 dollars a month, and disordered economic system faced by people in the region.
While individuals from countries across Southeast Europe accept these jobs, the largest number of employees in Tuzla and surrounding towns in BiH. This is an area in which they were housed American troops and bases, including large Eagle Base in Tuzla airport, during peacekeeping missions in the late 1990's and early 2000's. (In this sense, we can draw a parallel with the towns in Kosovo and Macedonia, which are close to Camp Bondsteel). During this time, thousands of local residents worked in or near these bases. Many were subsequently went to work in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The influence of the military logistics of delegating tasks contracted-out extends beyond Bosnia. In the past decade the US military has relied on the hundreds of thousands of workers from around the world (India, Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka are also key sources of labor force) who helped in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and anti-terrorist operations in East Africa. During these campaigns, the proportion of people who signed contracts and uniformed military personnel is approximately 1: 1, which is unprecedented. Indeed, the growth of confidence in the private military company, one of the most significant changes in the military operations of the United States during the last two decades. Simply put, America now depends on kontraktorskim contracts to companies run by its wars.
Most workers in the region are employed in companies such as Fluor, DynCorp, Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR), which provide logistics services within logistics programs for civil extension for the US military (Logcap). This work includes, but is not limited to: the construction, maintenance and operation of military bases, equipment maintenance, food service, transportation and management of supply chains.
The new contract company Fluor in West Africa is no different from the rest. From talking to people in Tuzla, and a list of jobs on the website of the company, it is clear that he means primarily the construction of the necessary infrastructure, including facilities for the life of soldiers and maintenance of facilities. In other words, none of the positions that the company is trying to fill does not involve direct work with people infected with Ebola. So, in theory, the risk of infection during labor, it should be on the low. If so, why am I worried? There are two reasons.
First, as we have seen in the transmission of Ebola in the US, and in the subsequent infection of a number of health workers in the country, one of the key factors in preventing the spread of the virus refers to the necessity of monitoring trends and monitoring the health status of risky or potentially infected persons. This task is greatly complicated by the relatively long incubation period of Ebola - up to three weeks.
Monitoring and Control
In response to this problem the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has recently announced that it will start checking passengers coming from West Africa, and continue to be followed next 21 days.
Of course, effective monitoring and control of movement and the health status of people who are potentially come into contact with the virus, requires a high level of coordination and close exchange of information between relevant authorities. However, when it comes to individuals who work for the military contracting company, information on their status, especially when moving to and from work at military bases, are not quite available. The Bosnian government, for example, does not track individuals working abroad, whether they work for the primary kontraktorske companies such as Fluor, or their numerous subcontractors. Neither the Entities, cantons and municipal governments do not have such information. This reflects a lack of capacity and political will, especially at the state level.
Moreover, while the US military is closely monitoring the activities of workers in their databases, this ends when they leave the surgery at rest or when their jobs end. Typically, workers are responsible for organizing their own arrival at the base and heading home. This trip usually runs through several towns: for kontraktorske activities in West Africa, Dakar in Senegal and Paris in France, the most logical connection. Finally, in the case of workers in Tuzla, they often prefer flights that depart or end in Belgrade, which is only a few hours away, but which further increases the risk for the region.
One can see the importance of the US Embassy in Sarajevo, which could help in monitoring kontraktorskih activities and risks - and keeping track of people who have a contract, and monitoring plans for the deployment of people in these companies, so you will - for example, the share of information with the BH and regional authorities. For now there are no plans for something like that.
In response to the inquiry earlier this week, the Office of Public Affairs at the Embassy stated that "the US military contractors who recruit in BiH private firms that are in a professional relationship with private persons" so that the Embassy "no insight" into their activities.
What, then, with special precautions or plans regarding the potential risks that this job entails?
These questions are sent to the database Fluor in Africa a few days ago. Until now there has been no response from the conversation with the citizens of Tuzla and other actors of this activity, we can conclude the following:
When it comes to procedures prior to deployment, it seems that the procedure is "normal." Standard procedure before deployment includes 1) basic medical and dental examination (high blood pressure, hepatitis and bad teeth automatically disqualify candidates), a drug test and criminal record checks 2) the presentation of several days in which to deal with security procedures, hazards or threats inherent in a war zone, life in databases and discussion of potential environmental and health risks specific to a given area, 3) the provision of vaccines for certain diseases such as malaria.
Every military contractor has a different approach. KBR, for example, workers sent to Houston for tests and briefing, a process that can take two or more weeks. Fluoride is generally relies on local clinics and organizes briefings for the region for a period of one or two days prior to deployment to the base.
In addition, there is little evidence that there are additional precautions during military operations themselves - as defined waiting period with a detailed evaluation of the health status of workers before they go to West Africa, or to subsequently monitor their health status while on vacation.
Political and institutional dysfunction
One insider source that works with different companies to tender for other US kontraktorske activities in West Africa, said that within the industry there are people who would like to perform this part correctly but that it was "expensive procedure and will not get contracts." He also believes that both the military and kontraktorske company is still related to the terrorist war model as far as the assessment of potential risks faced by soldiers and those who work on the contract, but it will take into account the biological aspect of the risk assessment.
Another problem concerns stages of what will happen if one or more of the infected person ends up in Bosnia. Fighting Ebola is a major challenge for health workers and the public health system even in the best possible conditions. With poor infrastructure, chronic lack of resources and inconsistent regulatory frameworks, only a few make the public health system in Bosnia described as stable.
Perhaps the bigger issue-specific political and institutional dysfunction, which greatly undermines the possibility of timely responsiveness. Indeed, the inability of the Bosnian authorities to deal with the crisis in the sphere of public health or the environment could be seen in the example of responding to the catastrophic floods this spring.
The reluctance and lack of preparedness for dealing with a problem of this magnitude is, to some extent, understandable. What is difficult MJET, especially for cities that sunajviše affected by floods in the Republic of Serbian in the Federation, is the constant political strain and disorganized response by the authorities on damage and displacement caused by the floods.
Particularly devastating lack of cooperation at the entity level, and between the entities and the state. The problem is that viruses, as well as floods, know no political boundaries or the attitude of politicians. Are officials in Bosnia have learned this lesson, and whether they will be prepared for the next natural disaster or elemnetarnu crisis in public health, it remains to be seen.
- 29 Oct, 2014
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