Letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign
and Commonwealth Affairs, Foreign and Commonwealth Office from
the Chairman of the Committee
ALLEGATIONS OF
ABUSE BY
KBR MANAGERS IN
BRITISH EMBASSY,
BAGHDAD
At its last meeting, the Foreign Affairs Committee
considered the attached e-mails from Mr Samer Muscati regarding
serious allegations that female staff at the British Embassy in
Baghdad were abused by KBR managers. Mr Muscati is a Canadian
lawyer who worked in the Embassy for 18 months as a senior consultant
on a DFID project.
In his e-mails Mr Muscati states that the FCO
failed to carry out an independent investigation into the allegations.
He adds that when KBR carried out its own inquiry those Iraqis
who spoke up lost their jobs.
The Foreign Affairs Committee is very concerned
about the abuse allegations. I would be most grateful if you could
explain to us the action taken by the FCO when the allegations
were first brought to light. In particular the Committee would
be grateful to know why the FCO did not carry out its own investigation.
It would also like to know whether the Government has any plans
to introduce legislation to require contractors in Iraq or Afghanistan
to report alleged crimes by or against their personnel.
I look forward to receiving a response.
7 May 2008
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