Hope for Iraq's translators?
Updated on 08 October 2007
We have exclusive interviews with translators who served the British army, who dare not reveal their identities for fear of attack.x
After British troops left, some say life in Basra changed.
A former coalition translator, speaking anonymously in Basra, unable to share Gordon Brown's optimism today:
"The militia control Basra once the British army withdraw from the city. Kidnapping and killing and assassinating that's the daily news we're living with.
"Since we handed over our base in central Basra. 8 compared with 87 in July" - Iraqi interpreter
The 5000 troops stationed at the airport, Brown said, could be halved in num ber by spring.
A calm spreading, the argument goes, meaning the British troops remaining can move from patrolling the border and bolstering the Iraqi army, to focus simply on training Iraqis.
But many are asking if 2,500 men would be enough to intervene in the city again.
'The militia control Basra once the British army withdraw from the city. Kidnapping and killing and assassinating that's the daily news we're living with'- Iraqi translator
"Well of course, there's a huge militia, police force and a gigantic population of millions in the region and a force of 5000 or 2500 can really do precious little. The nightmare for Mr Brown is that if things go badly wrong between American and Iran, the British troops could find themselves caught and rushing for Kuwaiti border." - Dan Plesch, defence analyst
It probably won't get to that. One senior official suggesting a full withdrawal was possible next year if Iraqi troops were trained to capacity, Mr Brown's seemed to be tidying up his predecessor's unpopular war.
The fate of the hundreds of translators who worked for the British army also finally addressed. Existing staff who have been employed for 12 months or more will also be able to apply for assistance.
And that's both too vague and not enough for some campaigners. It's not yet clear how the hundreds of Iraqis who qualify - most now in hiding - would prove their employment to the British, and then get out of Basra safely.
"It is just a few days. Just time. Just time until they find me or the other interpreters hiding"- Iraqi translator, 'Kevin'
We spoke to one of them. When he translated for the British, he was called Kevin and wore this ski mask to hide his identity. He filmed himself answering our questions, in Basra, a world of fear.
"There is a very organized operation here in Basra , against the women who do not cover their hair, or who put make-up.
"The city a minefield of corrupt police and vicious militia.
"Before the British forces have daily duties on the ground, searching the vehicles for any suspicious activity. But now there is now no-one watching this militia.
"The police they are not strong so they do not feel safe to stop the militias vehicles. If they stop them, they will kill them." - 'Kevin', translator
Iraqi translators feel 'abandoned'
For less than £10 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.
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.
- Watch Jonathan Miller's original report
And this is what happens when they catch up with you - we were sent photos of one man beaten black and blue on Friday by militia, we're told, who were looking for his brother, another former translator for the British army, who are now moving out.
"And now we are alone they left as when we need them.
"It is just a few days. Just time. Just time until they find me or the other interpreters hiding. They must never know about them, never."
Time now running out for a dignified exit.
