Iraq crisis: Vizagites ordeal continues, survive on bathroom water

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 24, 2014: The ordeal of Vizagites, who are stranded in the holy city Al Najaf in the civil war ravaged, Iraq, is continuing. As per the fresh communication from them on Tuesday, they have been put near the gate of the project site without proper food and water by the employer as they refused to go for work. They have been demanding to send them back to India as they fear for lives in the wake of ongoing civil war in the country.

“We have been subjected to punishment since yesterday as we started demanding and protesting that we won’t attend work, to give back our passports and send us back to India. We are now near the gate of the project site with our bags and don’t even have proper water to drink. We are using water from the restroom for all our needs. Pothireddy Gopalakrishna, a welder from Munagapaka has fallen unconscious unable to bear the heat last night and there was none to give us even first aid,” Gorrela Siva of Rambilli told this correspondent from Iraq over phone.

Around 19 persons, mostly between 20-25 age group from various mandals coming under Anakapalle parliament constituency have reached Al Najaf through, a Tanuku based agent, Medapati Venkata Krishna, to work at various construction sites of 4th Dimension Company, which is an Iraqi group of companies based in Baghdad with regional branches in most of the provinces of the country.  The company is presently engaged in reconstruction and rehabilitation projects throughout Iraq with a total value in excess of USD 950 millions.

“We are losing hope as the local supervisors are treating us badly. Nobody is helping us. If this continues it will be very difficult for us to survive. Why is our employer insisting us to work when we are not willing I don’t know? We want our passports back and want to come back to India. Most of them here have already resigned and wanted to come back,” said Chilluri Satish of Mungapaka.

The group of welders, electricians, fitters, plumbers, labourers from Vizag district has reached Al Najaf on last Thursday, when the civil war started unfolding in the country, after each of them paid Rs 1.5 lakh to the local agent for jobs in Iraq. While unskilled were offered pay of USD 350 to 400 skilled workers around USD 750 and 800 per month.