Wikileaks reveals British government trains Bangladeshi death squads

Rapid Action Battalion

Wikileaks reports that the British government has been training what the BBC referred to as “death squads” in Bangladesh, have been confirmed by the UK government. Well, that’s a minor detail I wasn’t aware of. What with the US taxpayer’s funding one third of Pakistan’s military budget, it looks like the cheap labor and horrendous conditions in the sweat-shops of this part of the world will be there to stay.

We blogged about the recent Bangladesh strikes when three workers were killed by cops and/or gangs hired by the factory owners. Children, who are also forced to work in these factories despite laws against child labor were also beaten. The BBC reports that the this “Rapid Action Battalion” has been taught “interview techniques” and ”rules of engagement” It was set up to fight crime and terrorism. Striking workers are are guilty of both as far as the sweat shop owners are concerned.

The RAB for short consists of about 9000 men and has been accused of major abuse of human rights by opposition groups. The British government claims that the training focuses on human rights; this would include the right of factory owners to make profits and take whatever measures they can to protect that right I’m sure.

Human Rights Watch says the RAB has an "operating culture" of extrajudicial killings, which its members perpetrated with impunity, according to the BBC,  and the Guardian UK comments, “Since the RAB was established six years ago, it is estimated by some human rights activists to have been responsible for more than 1,000 extra-judicial killings, described euphemistically as "crossfire" deaths”. Pat Tillman, the US soldier and former football star supposedly died a crossfire death.  There is an epidemic of these type of deaths, particularly when the US/NATO alliance is involved. The Guardian released these latest Wikileak cables yesterday.

I can’t wait to read what Wikeleaks has on the banks.