[olympiaworkers] Chinese workers clash with police after bossnapping in Bahrain

Libcom.org Mar 1 2010

Police attacked a group of Chinese migrant workers who had taken nine of
their superiors hostage near a construction site in Zallaq, 25 km south of
the capital Manama.

ArabNews.com reported that police stormed the barricaded worker-housing
compound on 27 February after a siege that lasted several hours, freeing
the nine men and arresting 26 workers of the approximately 150 residing in
the camp.

The operation occurred after negotiations led by the Ministry of Interior
and a Chinese diplomat failed to persuade the workers to release the
hostages, who included architects and foremen at the job site, ministry
officials said.

The officials, who requested anonymity, said the workers, employees of the
state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corp (CSCEC), alleged
that the nine men were mistreating and underpaying them.

The workers had demanded the nine men be sent back to China and be replaced.

Sources at the Interior Ministry confirmed that 28 workers were detained,
while one of the hostages and four policemen sustained minor injuries
during the clashes. They were later taken hospital.

The workers started a wildcat strike on Friday, but the issue was resolved
after negotiations with the Ministry of Labor and the Chinese Embassy.

But the workers gathered again Saturday morning and took nine senior
Chinese staff hostage to press their demands.

Founded in 1982, the CSEC is the largest construction enterprise, real
estate developer and international contractor in China.