The Hindu : National : Duped Indians suspend hunger strike

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Friday, Jun 13, 2008
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Duped Indians suspend hunger strike

Washington: Indian workers who have accused a Mississippi company and its recruiters of human trafficking suspended their 29-day hunger strike here on Thursday with a rally outside the U.S. Justice Department, which said it would meet them next week.

Over 50 of the more than 100 workers, who walked out of their jobs in the oilrig firm in March this year and now face deportation, chanted slogans and held up enlarged cheques they allegedly wrote to recruiters on a false promise of permanent residency.

The workers claimed that they had received support from several lawmakers including Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who along with 17 colleagues sent a letter to the Justice Department urging legal protections for them. Department spokeswoman Jamie Hais said the civil rights office would meet workers’ representatives next week and officials would reply to the letter.

“Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act because we recognised that modern day slavery exists and that workers trafficked into the United States should be able to place their faith in the United States justice system,” Mr. Kucinich said at the rally. — PTI

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