African Union interpreters in Darfur strike over salary arrears

March 10, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — More than 150 Sudanese interpreters among them six foreigners working with the African Union mission in Sudan are on strike since last Wednesday 7 March over salary arrears.

The striking staff said that they have not been paid for the months of December 2006 and January and February this year.

In a letter addressed to the head of labour office in Northern Darfur State the striking interpreters demanded that their salary arrears be paid in one batch, and further demanded for salary increment.

The AU spokesperson in Khartoum, Nurredin Mezzni, recognized that the African Union was facing financial difficulties and other staff were also affected. He further indicated that the African body has now paid the salary up to January and exerted efforts to pay February.

In November 2006, the soldiers of the African peacekeeping mission in Darfur complained about the salary delay.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in a four year revolt in Darfur that has forced more than 2.5 million others to flee their homes and created what U.N. officials call one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

But more than two years after the mission began, violence has increased, with fractious rebels fighting each other. Despite an AU-brokered peace deal, a new rebel alliance has renewed hostilities with the government.

(ST)