Southern employees of north Sudan construction firm sacked in Juba
By: Bonifacio Taban Kuich
November 11, 2010 (JUBA) – Four south Sudanese employees of a Khartoum-based construction company operating in south Sudan have been jailed for one day and sacked after they protested against the company’s alleged bias in favor of its northern employees.
The four staff members, who were taken under arrest three days ago and released a day later, said that they had staged a protest against what they described as the company’s favoring of its northern employees over southerners.
AYAT is a commercial company specialized in the construction of roads and bridges. It operates mainly in south Sudan, but the protesting staffers complained that the company brings in employees from the national capital Khartoum in north Sudan.
The African south Sudan is believed to be bound for secession from the Arab-Muslim north in a referendum vote due in January 2011.
Mr Reech Achiek, who is the coordination manager of AYAT branch office in Juba town and one of the protesting staffers, told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that one of the company’s employees with the name of Mohammed Ahmed had been identified by one of the company’s southern employees as an agent of the Sudanese Armed Forces.
He said that the southern employees of AYAT were “shocked” when they found out that the northern employee was previously working for Sudan army.
Achiek further said that the man in question had realized that his work for Sudan Army was no secret to southerners in the company and subsequently tendered his resignation and went back to Khartoum. However, Achiek added that the guy had returned to Juba to work for the company after three months of absence.
According to Achiek, the company had reported them to the president of south Sudan Salva Kiir.
“It was neither part of our plans not in our [best] interest to stage a coup” Achiek said, adding that the purpose of their uprising was to draw attention to the problems facing southern employees of AYAT, and to demand equal treatment with their northern colleagues.
But AYAT Company has portrayed the story in a different way.
Reached by Sudan Tribune, the company’s Chief Logistic and Security Officer YahYah John Majak condemned the actions of the four employees and claimed that the company had sacked them because of their “misbehavior” towards the company’s policy. He accused the four staffers of attempting to organize a “stealth coup” against their northern colleagues who run the company in Juba by threatening their lives
Majak confirmed to Sudan Tribune that the company had reported the case of the protesting staff members to South Sudan President Salva Kiir and the governor of Central Equoatoria State. He said that military officers were sent to contain the situation and they arrested the four staff members, adding that all of them were released a day after.
The company’s official said that AYAT had decided to terminate the service of the four employees.
AYAT has previously signed a contract of 56 billion Sudanese pounds to construct roads and bridges linking the contested oil-producing area of Abyei to other villages in the vicinity.
However, the company was steeped in controversy in October 2009 when the local administration of Abyei region instigated legal proceedings against three of its staff members who stood accused of embezzling 29 billion Sudanese pounds.
(ST)
talentboy2
Southern employees of north Sudan construction firm sacked in Juba
Some southernness leaders acted like coward, why did they arrest these patriotic citizen of south Sudan. They have seen something suspicious going on in their company, it’s has to be follow up careful rather than act cowardly. These leaders are there working for their pocket not for south sudan people or their own children, they will regret when the Arab become an other economic dominant of the south like they did in last 50 years of Sudan indipendent.
Goss should not employed dump people who can not see what behind the mask, otherwise we should be acting dominant in the south like they did in Cartum (Khartoum). Southerness become recessive and norh become what so-called superior.
Stop being so incompetent.
That how economic is played, they have to employed northernness to return their money to mujadin, so that their economic keep strong trend.
Take my words.
Young engineer from Aalustralia
Critic_Ngueny
Southern employees of north Sudan construction firm sacked in Juba
Dear all
My question is,who jailed them and sacked them at the same time? Are they not in their own country?Yes they are but why?We don’t want to be second class citizens in our own country.The land of the black people.
Critic Ngueny from Bor town ,ready to bombard Arabs with the words of the most destruction(WMD)
Akolde Nhiak Jinub
Southern employees of north Sudan construction firm sacked in Juba
Yes, AYAT is a secretive so-called Company (NCP — NISS agents in Khartoum), doing nothing other than measuring all distances, and taking GPS for SAF strategic plans against South Sudan in the event of Separation vote during the referendum comes Jan. 2011.
There is NO good that can come from Khartoum, but bad things all times. Look, they assume to constructe roads and build bridges, some of which take more than five years to finish, but they are not doing any tarmac roads, which may need this much time.
The Wau — Raja road, remains incomplete for years. Rumbek — Bentiu road is just a gone story.
Ten kilometers road within Rumbek town, is just another organised dust to the residents of Lakes state capital Rumbek. A pledge by the so-called President of Sudan Bashir, which can never materialize!! What lie that a president can his citizens within his country. Three years down the road, the pledges by President Bashir is nothing other than a mouthpiece lie!!!
Look at the Jonglei roads, that remain a night mare, with tactics of delaying funds ain Khartoum; apart from bringing in unqualified engineers despite the fact that the company has thousands of machines at its disposal for construction!!
AYAT is bullshirt shadow company. Let’s have them get out of here — South Sudan.
So with those dirt, they are still going beyond, to dismissing staff members when they have detected a secret agent(s) of Khartoum’s monstors — SAF & NISS.
Gen. Kiir, what is your involvement in this case!!!??? You are the President, what is your role in quarrels!!!?????
Akolde, Rumbek South Sudan