SUGGESTED LEAD-IN: For less than ten pounds a day, hundreds of Iraqis are putting their lives on the line as interpreters for the British Army in Basra. Many have now fled, having received death threats. They claim they're being systematically targeted and murdered. The militias, jostling for control of Basra, consider them traitors. At least two have been killed this month. Unlike the American government, which has announced plans to resettle 7,000 particularly vulnerable Iraqi refugees, the British government has made no such commitment. Our Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Jonathan Miller, tracked down four former British Army interpreters, all of them now on the run, who've appealed to Britain not to abandon them.
As Britain withdraws troops and prepares to hand over control of Basra, militias are battling British forces and eachother for power; gunmmen rule the streets.
UPSOT "Tell them it's dangerous..."
Iraqi interpreters, who for four years have worked shoulder to shoulder with British troops -- the creme de la creme of the brave new Iraq -- are branded collaborators and legitimate targets.
Scores of them now on the run. Indelibly tainted, they're being hunted down, shot or beheaded, accused of betraying their country.
Now the interpreters feel betrayed by the British.
ACTOR'S VOICE
SYNC
"Zeina"
Former British Army Interpreter
"They should help us. They should."
JM: What, as an obligation?
"As an obligation. They are obligated to us. They said that they came to help us. What kind of help are they giving me now? (PAUSE) They say they would protect us. What kind of protection are they giving me now? They say they came to give me freedom. I lost everything. They are obligated."
PTC MILLER
I've got a whole clutch of documents here, some of the photographs, some of them official letters, letters from the British Army. All of which have left me in no doubt that this woman is who she says she is: a former interpreter with the British Army in southern Iraq.
She's fled, but her family remains in Iraq. For that reason we can't use her name, show her face or even say in which city we met her. We cannot even tell the stories she tearfully told me in case they identify her.
She never thought it would come to this.
SYNC
"I wanted to help my country, I wanted to help my people. I believed that we would have democracy, we will have freedom. I was so happy, so excited. New country, new life. New freedom."
UPSOT
In the beginning, interpreters worked openly with the British; they believed in the "New Iraq." Now we've had to conceal their identities.
Since the invasion, they've run the gauntlet with the soldiers they shadow; roadside bombs, ambushes; raids and patrols. They're cultural advisors, the army's eyes and ears. And they're translators.
Now they're scattered across the Middle East; unable to go home, unable to stay. We know of many -- but we've spoken to four.
These former interpreters are not paranoid -- no delusions here; their fear is real. Forced to live under the radar in foreign countries, terrified of deportation. I tried to reassure those whom I met. I promised anonymity; you'll just have to trust me, I said. One replied: we trusted your government. But they agreed to meet.
PTC
"We're in another Arab capital and once again we can't say which one because we are trying to protect the identity of yet more interpreters who've fled Iraq. Three this time, and once again they've come loaded with letters of commendation, testimonials, certificates of service, and they make interesting reading. This one names the man, who the commanding officer says has put himself in considerable danger to do all of this," this is listing all the stuff he did on patrols, "not only did he take the same risks as me and my men on patrol but he was also working in an atmosphere of intimidation and fear. It is widely known that interpreters working for the British were considered legitimate targets by some terrorists and other interpreters working from the logistics base were murdered during the time that he worked for me."
One of the men I met had narrowly avoided execution last month.
SYNC
"Mohammed"
Former British Army Interpreter
I left my job and they are kidnapped me. The Mahdi Militia. (The Mahdi militia kidnapped you on your way home from base?) Yes. (What actually happened?) At eight o'clock, 8pm. And then they torture me because I work with the the British Army. (What did they do to you?) Kick me and to give them the name about interpreters locations. (Asked you about other interpreters and where they lived?) Yes. Exactly.
"Mohammed" was tracked down by Iraq intelligence resuced by the Iraqi Army. This, a detailed account of his abduction, filed with the criminal division of the Basra police. He'd been held for three days; he fled the country almost immediately.
0613 (Did you know any interps who were killed because I understand quite a few have been killed and there was one incident last November in which 17 died?)
SYNC
"Hussein"
Yes, 17 at Basra academy, they were working as trainer. All of them they killed. 0655 L: yes, they killed 17 interpreters in one minute.
The MoD has denied that the 17 killed were interpreters or employees of British forces. But these men knew them and insist they were translators, employed by the British.
1000 (JM: Do you feel that the British offered you enough protection in your jobs as interpreters?) No they dont protect us. It is very dangerous especially for the interpreters working in Basra and there is not any kind of protection from the MoD. That's why we left. (JM: Were you directly threatened?) Yes. I got two types of threaten. I got text message on my phone and one of the persons working for the militia threaten me. He told me if you don't stop to cooperate with the British forces we will cut your head. And we will throw your body in the rubbish. JM: What do you feel like when another iraqi says to you I will kill you? Do you feel like youre a traitor? Yeah.
The British government is aware of the plight of the three men I talked to. The Home Office has suggested they register with the UN refugee agency, whose offices in neighbouring capitals have been swamped by Iraqi refugees. The interpreters had appealed to Tony Blair not to abandon them.
TAKE GRAPHIC WITH HOME OFFICE LOGO, DATE STAMP 16 MAY 2007 SPELL OUT WORDS:
"...regarding the feasibility of possibly resettling some very vulnerable displaced Iraqis... discussions are at an early stage."
The Home Office responded by saying: "...regarding the feasibility of possibly resettling some very vulnerable displaced Iraqis... discussions are at an early stage." The words "floodgates" and "opening" etched into the subtext.
(As our former interpreters wait illegally in exile for an appointment at the UN refugee agency, they claim to have repeatedly sought assistance at the British embassy in the city concerned, but have been turned away every time. The British Foreign Office denies this. )
JM (We have concealed your identities, changed your names, we are not even going to say which country youre in, but its an Arab country. Do you feel safe here?) No. (Why not?)
SYNC
"Ahmad"
"Because even here the militias have offices, they've got men working for them, looking for Baathis and interpreters as well." (So you feel as though you could actually be targeted even in exile.) "Yeah. That's why were scared." (You're scared.) "Yeah."
The Arabic word for collaborator is a'ameel -- literally, "agent". Last November, the British Army spokesman in Basra said there was "no evidence" that interpreters were being systematically targeted. The Ministry of Defence was unable to tell Channel 4 News how many interpreters had been killed. Threats had been made to British Army employees just as threats had been made to ordinary Iraqi civilians, it said. The MoD declined to answer questions regarding contractual obligations to local employees. It insisted they were given "regular security briefings to allow them to make informed decisions about personal security."
We've learned that as far back as 2003, senior British staff officers in Basra were made aware that interpreters were likely targets -- but other than these security briefings nothing was done. A former soldier we talked to, who'd hired and worked with interpreters in southern Iraq, has also chosen to conceal his identity.
SYNC
"Tom"
Former British
"There were certainly specific warnings that this could happen dating back to the summer of 2003 and I know of a number of people who aired concerns that interpeters were being put into positions which were putting their own lives at risk and that of their associates and their families.
Thousands of local Iraqis got jobs with the British in Basra; drivers, cleaners, cooks -- but interpreters were the brightest and best. A lot of them: young graduates, trusting and full of hope for the future. Four years on, with Iraq -- and their dreams -- turned upside down, many are now on the run, dumped by the very people they'd trusted and had wanted so much to help.
ends///
As Britain withdraws troops and prepares to hand over control of Basra, militias are battling British forces and eachother for power; gunmmen rule the streets.
UPSOT "Tell them it's dangerous..."
Iraqi interpreters, who for four years have worked shoulder to shoulder with British troops -- the creme de la creme of the brave new Iraq -- are branded collaborators and legitimate targets.
Scores of them now on the run. Indelibly tainted, they're being hunted down, shot or beheaded, accused of betraying their country.
Now the interpreters feel betrayed by the British.
ACTOR'S VOICE
SYNC
"Zeina"
Former British Army Interpreter
"They should help us. They should."
JM: What, as an obligation?
"As an obligation. They are obligated to us. They said that they came to help us. What kind of help are they giving me now? (PAUSE) They say they would protect us. What kind of protection are they giving me now? They say they came to give me freedom. I lost everything. They are obligated."
PTC MILLER
I've got a whole clutch of documents here, some of the photographs, some of them official letters, letters from the British Army. All of which have left me in no doubt that this woman is who she says she is: a former interpreter with the British Army in southern Iraq.
She's fled, but her family remains in Iraq. For that reason we can't use her name, show her face or even say in which city we met her. We cannot even tell the stories she tearfully told me in case they identify her.
She never thought it would come to this.
SYNC
"I wanted to help my country, I wanted to help my people. I believed that we would have democracy, we will have freedom. I was so happy, so excited. New country, new life. New freedom."
UPSOT
In the beginning, interpreters worked openly with the British; they believed in the "New Iraq." Now we've had to conceal their identities.
Since the invasion, they've run the gauntlet with the soldiers they shadow; roadside bombs, ambushes; raids and patrols. They're cultural advisors, the army's eyes and ears. And they're translators.
Now they're scattered across the Middle East; unable to go home, unable to stay. We know of many -- but we've spoken to four.
These former interpreters are not paranoid -- no delusions here; their fear is real. Forced to live under the radar in foreign countries, terrified of deportation. I tried to reassure those whom I met. I promised anonymity; you'll just have to trust me, I said. One replied: we trusted your government. But they agreed to meet.
PTC
"We're in another Arab capital and once again we can't say which one because we are trying to protect the identity of yet more interpreters who've fled Iraq. Three this time, and once again they've come loaded with letters of commendation, testimonials, certificates of service, and they make interesting reading. This one names the man, who the commanding officer says has put himself in considerable danger to do all of this," this is listing all the stuff he did on patrols, "not only did he take the same risks as me and my men on patrol but he was also working in an atmosphere of intimidation and fear. It is widely known that interpreters working for the British were considered legitimate targets by some terrorists and other interpreters working from the logistics base were murdered during the time that he worked for me."
One of the men I met had narrowly avoided execution last month.
SYNC
"Mohammed"
Former British Army Interpreter
I left my job and they are kidnapped me. The Mahdi Militia. (The Mahdi militia kidnapped you on your way home from base?) Yes. (What actually happened?) At eight o'clock, 8pm. And then they torture me because I work with the the British Army. (What did they do to you?) Kick me and to give them the name about interpreters locations. (Asked you about other interpreters and where they lived?) Yes. Exactly.
"Mohammed" was tracked down by Iraq intelligence resuced by the Iraqi Army. This, a detailed account of his abduction, filed with the criminal division of the Basra police. He'd been held for three days; he fled the country almost immediately.
0613 (Did you know any interps who were killed because I understand quite a few have been killed and there was one incident last November in which 17 died?)
SYNC
"Hussein"
Yes, 17 at Basra academy, they were working as trainer. All of them they killed. 0655 L: yes, they killed 17 interpreters in one minute.
The MoD has denied that the 17 killed were interpreters or employees of British forces. But these men knew them and insist they were translators, employed by the British.
1000 (JM: Do you feel that the British offered you enough protection in your jobs as interpreters?) No they dont protect us. It is very dangerous especially for the interpreters working in Basra and there is not any kind of protection from the MoD. That's why we left. (JM: Were you directly threatened?) Yes. I got two types of threaten. I got text message on my phone and one of the persons working for the militia threaten me. He told me if you don't stop to cooperate with the British forces we will cut your head. And we will throw your body in the rubbish. JM: What do you feel like when another iraqi says to you I will kill you? Do you feel like youre a traitor? Yeah.
The British government is aware of the plight of the three men I talked to. The Home Office has suggested they register with the UN refugee agency, whose offices in neighbouring capitals have been swamped by Iraqi refugees. The interpreters had appealed to Tony Blair not to abandon them.
TAKE GRAPHIC WITH HOME OFFICE LOGO, DATE STAMP 16 MAY 2007 SPELL OUT WORDS:
"...regarding the feasibility of possibly resettling some very vulnerable displaced Iraqis... discussions are at an early stage."
The Home Office responded by saying: "...regarding the feasibility of possibly resettling some very vulnerable displaced Iraqis... discussions are at an early stage." The words "floodgates" and "opening" etched into the subtext.
(As our former interpreters wait illegally in exile for an appointment at the UN refugee agency, they claim to have repeatedly sought assistance at the British embassy in the city concerned, but have been turned away every time. The British Foreign Office denies this. )
JM (We have concealed your identities, changed your names, we are not even going to say which country youre in, but its an Arab country. Do you feel safe here?) No. (Why not?)
SYNC
"Ahmad"
"Because even here the militias have offices, they've got men working for them, looking for Baathis and interpreters as well." (So you feel as though you could actually be targeted even in exile.) "Yeah. That's why were scared." (You're scared.) "Yeah."
The Arabic word for collaborator is a'ameel -- literally, "agent". Last November, the British Army spokesman in Basra said there was "no evidence" that interpreters were being systematically targeted. The Ministry of Defence was unable to tell Channel 4 News how many interpreters had been killed. Threats had been made to British Army employees just as threats had been made to ordinary Iraqi civilians, it said. The MoD declined to answer questions regarding contractual obligations to local employees. It insisted they were given "regular security briefings to allow them to make informed decisions about personal security."
We've learned that as far back as 2003, senior British staff officers in Basra were made aware that interpreters were likely targets -- but other than these security briefings nothing was done. A former soldier we talked to, who'd hired and worked with interpreters in southern Iraq, has also chosen to conceal his identity.
SYNC
"Tom"
Former British
"There were certainly specific warnings that this could happen dating back to the summer of 2003 and I know of a number of people who aired concerns that interpeters were being put into positions which were putting their own lives at risk and that of their associates and their families.
Thousands of local Iraqis got jobs with the British in Basra; drivers, cleaners, cooks -- but interpreters were the brightest and best. A lot of them: young graduates, trusting and full of hope for the future. Four years on, with Iraq -- and their dreams -- turned upside down, many are now on the run, dumped by the very people they'd trusted and had wanted so much to help.
ends///