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NEWARK, New Jersey, Feb 28 (AFP): Workers at the second-busiest US port rallied yesterday against its takeover by a Dubai-based firm, accusing the Bush administration of selling out on national security.
"We don't want Arabs taking over port security after 9-11," said Joe Graffo, 60, who attended the protest at Port Newark Container Terminal, just across the Hudson River from the site of the demolished World Trade Centre.
The spectre of the September 11, 2001 attack was invoked by numerous speakers at the rally, who said transferring management operations to Dubai Ports World (DPW) was tantamount to inviting another terrorist assault.
"I wouldn't want to leave anything in the hands of any country that hates America," said Graffo, a 30-year veteran of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) which represents the majority of workers at the terminal.
Suspicion of anything Middle Eastern and references to terrorist links and September 11 were cited by many of the several hundred protesters, who heard three senators speak out against any transfer of management.
The proposed deal would see DPW, owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), take over operations at six US ports from the British company P and O, as part of its 6.8-billion-dollar takeover of Britain's Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Company.
Opponents say the White House failed to properly consult Congress over the deal and have also pointed out that some of the financing for the September 11 attacks was funnelled through the UAE.
Arguing that the takeover would have no impact on port security, President George W Bush has threatened to veto any efforts in Congress to delay the deal.
It emerged Monday that DPW had agreed to a 45-day US review of the proposal, which the White House predicted would help to allay security concerns among legislators.
Port workers, however, remained unimpressed.
"There is no reason to allow the UAE to play a (security) role," said Ron Carver, a vice president with the port division of the Teamsters Union.
"This is a bad company and a bad country," said Carver, dismissing the administration's argument that security would remain in the hands of the US Coast Guard and Customs.
ILA president John Bowers was particularly scathing of Bush's support for the takeover.
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