On Friday 17 July 2009, approximately 25 former Iraqi employees of the British Forces, or their widows, represented by Leigh Day & Co, will serve their claim for damages on the British Government.
Our clients state that their loved ones were killed, they themselves were kidnapped and tortured, or they have been forced into hiding and desitutition by local militia who have targeted them for supposed collaboration with the British forces in Iraq.
They feel bitterly let down by the British Government and accuse them of not adequately protecting the identities of themselves of their loved ones from local militia and not take sufficient steps to protect their safety despite being aware of the risks they faced. They will state that those steps which were eventually taken were ad hoc, ineffective and may have even aggravated the risks they faced.
The majority of our clients are former interpreters for the British Army and were a crucial interface between the Army and the people of Basra. Yet, despite the risks they have faced as a result of their employment, in most cases they have been denied acceptance on to the British Government’s Locally Engaged Staff Assistance Scheme (“LESAS”), which has very rigid criteria regarding those who qualify for finanical assistance or resettlement in the UK and which does not take the risks faced by fomer local staff into account. Last year 3 of our clients unsuccessfully tried to challenge the criteria for eligibility on to the LESAS in the British High Court.
Our clients are now suffering significant financial hardship after going into hiding, fleeing to another country, grieving over lost loved ones or trying to recover from the trauma of attack.
Sapna Malik, partner at Leigh Day & Co acting for the Claimants comments: “As well as looking for financial recompense to help start their lives afresh, our clients are also hoping that their action will force the British government to better plan for and protect its local staff in any future overseas operations, so that their own bitter experience is not relived by others.”
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