I used to work as a media and communication consultant for IRD, SPR project, a major USAID contractor building 400 million dollars worth of roads in southern and eastern Afghanistan. My contract was terminated on the 23rd June by the Chief of Party, Frederick Chace, for allegedly ‘accusing IRD of separation of classes’. here you can see the termination letter http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=F.e11fd414-7ef6-4b8c-807d-12e47233de91. The termination letter is a false accusation and I was wrongly terminated. I did not protest against the treatment of Afghans or the privileges of expatriate staff. The day before my termination (June22) I complained about the poor quality of office lunch but what I then thought important was some suggestions about improving lunch environment and space. My suggestion was in response to an email which offered special food only for expatriates. This is the email.
----------------------
From: Leonard Fexton Chitekwe
Sent: 22 June 2009 07:45
To: International; National Staff
Subject: July 4th
All,
July 4th is America’s Independence Day holiday. This is a public holiday for ALL staff. SPR offices in Kabul and Kandahar will be closed for business on this day.
A special meal for expats is being arranged and if you have ideas contact Johan Venter. Details will follow later.
Leonard
Leonard Chitekwe-Mwale
Senior Director of Finance and Administration
SPR_SEA Program
International Relief and Development, Inc (IRD)
Kabul, Afghanistan
Ph: +93 (0) 796 110 003
E-mail: lchitekwe@ird-spr.org
----------------------------
I found this email quite disturbing. We are celebrating American national holiday in Afghanistan, but Afghans are not welcomed to fully celebrate the occasion. Special meal is only offered for expatriates. This resembles very much the colonial ages; rules and regulations are placed to compel locals to observe the dominant nation’s culture but they are not fully welcomed.
I am a fan of American culture and I think many IRD Afghan employees would enjoy American cultural occasions. Both Afghan and expatriates celebrating Afghan and American cultural occasions together could bridge the current distrust. Afghans generally are hospitable and welcoming to share happy occasion; although, I can not ask Leonard or IRD in general to invite me and Afghans to 4th of July special meal; but I think the email was ungenerous at best and rude, especially when it was addressed to both Afghans and expatriates.
I thought an invitation to a single occasion, particularly when it could be more special to expatriates than Afghans, could not make a difference in perceptions. I wanted to make a suggestion with longer term effect on attitudes. I suggested that Afghans and expatriates eating lunch together would be effective in improving relationships.
in response to leonard I sent this:
----------
From: Sanjar Qiam
Sent: 22 June 2009 09:07
To: Leonard Fexton Chitekwe; Johan Venter
Subject: lunch
Dear both,
It is great that you are celebrating 4th of July; it is a great cultural exchange for Afghans and third country nationals.
I had a suggestion on a separate issue – lunch. I have been in IRD but I have rarely been to lunch; the quality of food, service and environment is poor and in some ways degrading. The food is served in basement packed with hundreds of IRD staff, white plastic chairs and tables and flies. The food is poorly cooked; most often super greasy. It is only one course and one item.
Segregation of Afghans is unpleasant. Working for Afghans and segregation – a system based on phobia - doesn’t go hand in hand; this raises questions about motives of IRD management.
My suggestion is to mix Afghans and foreigners lunch. Obviously, that would mean foreigners would lose some privileges but that is for a good cause – improvement of afghans lunch. It won’t be possible to have lunch in one location so staff has to be divided between several buildings and food should be cooked in each building with different menu so people can have a choice.
Looking forward to changes,
Best,
Sanjar
---------------------
Frederick Chace IRD-SPR chief of party asked me to see him in his office at once. Nadir Abdullah, HR manager, and an IT officer were present too. Frederick Chace was very aggressive and rude; every other sentence contained the ‘F***’ word.
- ‘There is no difference between Afghans and expatriates in IRD. It is only in the narrow minds of people like you who make bigotry statements.’ Said Frederick.
- ‘what do you mean there is no difference? When I came to the gate of your building they wanted me to show my ID and they searched me thoroughly; when an expatiate is coming s/he is being escorted by a bodyguard and the door opens prior to his or her arrival. There is even special expatriate desk and there is afghan desk and it goes to many other little things. The system is through to segregate. This whole system of privileges places expatriate psychologically above equally qualified Afghan counterpart’ I said.
- ‘I was shot in my head by Taliban … but I came back… Expatriates leave everything they have and come to work in Afghanistan. They have a better life at home and they come to a very poor situation, this is not a privilege’ said chace. Frederick’s wife is the reporting manager while my departments’ manager appointed his wife as my direct supervisor. So they are not exactly leaving everything at home. Expatriates like Frederick are running IRD like their home.
- ‘Expatriates are paid several times more than equally qualified Afghans. In the last four months since I work in IRD I had no time off; my expatriate colleagues were paid at least two to three times for their holidays’ I said. here is IRD benefit package for expatriates http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=F.ab2b4c9a-5d29-4928-93ef-04886da60d2b . There are some 26 benefit packages; expatriates only receive 70% of their base salary in post differential and danger pay. The only thing I received as an Afghan was a salary and no paid leave let alone paying for holidays.
- ‘Expatriates have high expenses and they used to be paid better at home. Afghans are making 1000 – 1500 dollars a month. Nobody used to make this kind of money in this country… They don’t need that kind of money…’ said chace.
- ‘This is sick – Afghans don’t need money – this is the same thing told about the slaves – why do they need wages when they can have food and shelter. Everybody needs money but a sound social system allocates this scarce resource not based on our nationality and creed but by our excellence and hard work. Everybody should be paid based on their contribution and merits, not their nationality.’ I said.
- ‘expatriates are putting their lives at risk … and they are going to what is now home for some quite time and food… something narrow mind people don’t understand’
- ‘IRD only value the lives of expatriates, not Afghans. Foreigners are given half a dozen body guards and two armoured vehicles when travelling inside Kabul city and even more security when going to provinces. Afghans are constantly at risk. An Afghan colleague was made to resign because he had a family emergency and couldn’t travel to a province where he was provided no security. He was very concern about his safety and informed so his expatriate manager who asked him to resign if he is not prepared to go. When Afghans travel they take public transport. Yet, statistics shows Afghans are the victims than expatriates.’ I said. There have been at least three cases since I had worked in IRD where IRD staff or contractors were killed and they were all Afghans. In a couple of instances IRD-SPR concealed it from its funder USAID.
- ‘what statistics! I was shot in the head by Taliban… The person who you are talking about is an isolated case which I do not now about… IRD-SPR puts its staff, especially Afghans, safety at most importance.’ Said Frederick.
This conversation went on for an hour and then he told me he categorically can not accept such remarks and he has fired four employees before me for making such comments and he has to do the same with me. ‘I have to treat everybody the same’ he said. When I left his office with the IT and HR persons, both Afghans, were strangely quiet. Nadir walked around with his head hanging and said ‘I am sorry’. I said ‘don’t be. I don’t need this job; it is excruciating’. He said ‘not for that but for what he said and his attitude.’ But what can he do except being sorry along with thousands of other Afghans. They need their jobs and have to put up with people like Frederick.
I wonder if zero tolerance policy to suggestions about office lunch that challenges well trenched segregation policies could be considered discrimination.
27 comments:
That is so sad, i can't believe it.
[Insert expletive] that is messed up!
Your former employers sound like loose cannons, and, if you can find other work for similar pay, you're better off.
However, don't be surprised if this blog entry causes you additional trouble.
Good luck with everything, and I'm sorry that some Americans are complete jerks.
good on you for going public with it. people need to know that jerks like fred is missing up Afghanistan.
why don't you take this to the court? i don't think you'll manage to get compensation in Afghanistan but if you manage to get yourself a good lawyer. he can give them and especially this wanker a hardtime. IRD would hate to see that and will damage their popularity with USAID too.
you should sue them for constructive discharge. If you felt that IRD has created intolerable working conditions with segregation rules and refuses to address the issues, resulting in the employee feeling forced to resign or terminated.
Well done...it's scarey what goes on here in the name of 'security' and 'cultural differences".
So much for peace building...
How do these poeple get to be in jobs where they get to make such mammoth and, now, such well known stuff ups. Shame on you IRD!
The only case I understand segregation when it relates to women role and gender issues. But would someone tell these idiot and IRD or DAI to cover their asses. Foreign women walking on their street in their tight jeans is obscenity in a country like Afghanistan. This whole system of segregation is a total mess. I think there are two main reasons for that. The days of segregation is over and it is not working anymore. People like this Frederick idiot making the calls actually worsen the situation.
FYI: @Transitionland and @Bill_Easterly are discussing your firing from IRD on Twitter.
Culture enriches lives and brings meaning to life but culture is the name of justification for the suppression, dividing and stereotyping of people too. Generally speaking culture in places like Afghanistan has never been put to a good use and has been the name for iffyness. Women shouldn’t leave home because this is our culture, we are not going to work certain hours because we need time for cultural activities are examples of how culture doesn’t play a constructive role.
The only argument in favour of introducing American culture is creating diversity and understanding but introduction of rituals as part of an outside culture need to be carefully studied so it is not going to undermine Afghan culture. Millions of muslims live in the west while they can live their way of life and keep their culture but Eid or other cultural holidays are not public holidays in the west; because this will undermine the western culture and way of living.
IRD or Fred should not decide to announce 4th july a public holiday. It should be the decision of Afghan government. IRD and Fred is not only undermining Afghan culture but the government too. This needs to be seen in the context. IRD has a through segregation plan and this is another tren in the systematic pattern of disrespect IRD shows toward Afghans.
I have worked in many different areas, and sad to say but it's true! Most of the international aid agencies is pretty much what you just read! I now work for a media company who treats local and expats equally (i am an Australian Afghan) but moreso Australian. We eat the same food as local Afghans, there is no distinction!
Sanjar, if you need a job, I may have something for you in media! Drop me a line on my blog and I'll get back to you!
Anonymous, what you say is a bit silly. If a private company wants to give employees a free holiday for a day, under any pretext, 4th of july, or the birthday of the owner or whatever other pretext, this is up to the private company, not the Afghan Government! There is no communist authoritarian government in Afghanistanwith to dictate what people should do and how companies should spend their money!
While this "segregation" may be detestable, people are fired every day for airing their employers' oh-so-dirty laundry in public. Sad, but it happens every day in the west and employees are a lot more careful about what they say. Best of luck with your future (hopefully non-asshat) employers!
This really pisses me off. There is no reason to do this. People should be treated the same, regardless of what nationality they are.
Are the Foreign Service Nationals in Afghanistan organized yet? Have you spoken with EX? Surely there's someone that can walk you through filing a grievance over this with someone that understands the importance of the universal availability of reasonable internal dissent policies.
That said, I think I do agree with one part of their decision: Providing access to the presumably far more expensive American food could be an extremely hard sell, especially if it's comped as part of their benefits package. (Common sense alternative: Charge for it like they do everywhere else and just let them expense it.)
On posts bout airing dirty laundry in public: Were there any public posts about this issue prior to the termination? I can't see any.
Never done any work with USAID, but this still seems a touch out of whack in terms of general federal policies.
Discrimination on the job is illegal in the US and nobody considers it communist. Private companies cannot implement policies based on ethnicity. Unfortunately the US still has a few who believe a private company ought to have absolutely no regulation whatsoever - well, until they're treated unfairly, then they're the first to run to court.
That is a terrible thing that is happening. I wish some of those expats who are getting preferential treatment would stand up for justice even if it means personal discomfort.
It's good that this is being brought to light - it has been going on for too long. Good luck in the future, you seem to be a very bright man and will go far in the world. It's a shame that a few misguided expats darken this world
i'm amused and disappointed, that you deleted the post which said you should probably delete this post if you ever want to work for a US company again. Everybody Google's future employees.
I'm an American reading this and it does sound exactly like the colonial mindset. Especially considering that the clearly bigoted Frederick Chace was is so upset with the accusation but has addressed it four different times in the past and hasn't come up with a more effective way of dealing with it. That's a negative mark on his ability as a manager. That it's pervasive enough a thought that he's already dealt with people who put their testicles on the line like you did to bring it up four times already (obviously there are more who think this way who aren't yet confident enough to speak out)...and that he represents how we Americans think over there....to me as an American that is very very distressing.
That being said I think that the pay should not necessarily be equal. Considering what we're doing over there there ought to be more effort put into community building between the expats and the locals such as yourself. However it sounds like he works you like slaves.
Please do not liken yourself to slaves. Were you forced against your will to take this job? Did you agree to certain wages when you signed on with these people?
You mentioned the other Afghans were sorry, but they "need their jobs and have to put up with people like Frederick." What did they do for income before they took this job? If they feel this is an unfair situation, why not leave and return to your previous job or look for a new one?
I agree that both cultures could learn from the other, but please do not claim to be the victim when it was your own choice to work in that position.
Dude... that is really sick.. i know these MFs are getting alotta money.. Sanjar... ma man.. am proud of u.. thats what i did to one of my last employers too... wish u a good life... see u around..
There are so many questions that come to me after I read your blog. Who is paying for the lunch of the local employees? Who is paying for the lunch of the expatriates? If the expatriates are covering that from their own pocket you can hardly accuse them of preferential treatment, if they are paying from their own pockets for that. It is the coice of anyone to spent their money at will. If the special treatment on the fourth of July was a bottle of wine, same same, I would not accuse the company for preferential treatment because this would have been a no-no for a local.
What I am trying to say is that most probably there is more there than what meets the eye.
Been there seen it
The empire never ended
("We'll bomb equal opportunities into these natives yet....")
Being discriminated in your own country.
And we are in 2009!
We, Afghans are to blame for everything that is happening in the country right now.
Wish you all the best Sanjar.
Sanjar, thank you for writing this. I saw all sorts of condescension towards 'nationals' by 'internationals' while I worked in KBL. As Harry Rud points out, it is lower-paid nationals who get put into much greater danger on a regular basis, which undercuts a lot of the justification for massive difference between national and int'l salaries. And nothing excuses differential treatment, even if int'ls do need more cash to cover expenses back 'home'. Furthermore, donors give money to aid orgs believing that it goes to 'the people' (for instance, your salary) and programs, not high salaries for internationals. If that over-used term 'capacity-building' had any meaning, int'ls would be doing a lot more sharing, and a lot less sneering (while drinking at foreigner-only bars in Kabul that exclude Afghans in your own capital).
I notice that IRD has removed their benefits package from Google Docs. Are they ashamed of exposing that gross inequity? Or feel that Afghans don't deserve to see documentation of empire? God protect you byadar for witnessing as you do, and doing it in the blogosphere so it gets back into imperial territory where maybe, maybe we can chip away at this stinking pile from our end.
I am a social worker by training and I know that eating together is a major factor in bringing people together. Also, as a parent and a former soldier I know you don't eat until your children or those you or otherwise responsible eat and you certainly do not eat better than them. In essence, and you know this, what you describe is a system that is designed to enforce class differences. The fellow that fired you is talking in absurdities and knows better.
Mike
This thing is happening in almost every organization in Afghanistan. For some cases, we have to blame some Afghans who have always encouraged such foreigners to do such acts. I know there are many nationals and internationals working in an organization where the Afghans are smarter and know more than those jerks but they are still treated this way. I hope this stops soon.
Best,
I resigned from my Position from IRD SPR SEA because Fred's finance manager was asking me for money to sign my invoices
Post a Comment