UN denies deploying heavy machinery against national staff demo
August 13, 2012 (WAU) – As South Sudanese United Nations staff strike demanding better conditions on Monday the United Nations Mission in South Sudan has had to deny it deployed two heavy artillery vehicles to control the process in Wau, Bahr el Ghazal State.
The main demand of national staff is that they are paid in US dollars rather than South Sudanese Pounds which have decreased in value due to high inflation since the turn of the year.
Some demonstrators told Sudan Tribune that they believed the armed vehicles stationed outside the UNMISS compound in Wau in order to threaten, what they said was, a peaceful demonstration. The demonstrators claimed anti-riot police and heavy machine guns were deployed in a bid to intimidate them.
A UN security officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the vehicles were deployed to protect UN properties and any possible violence from the 400 protestors who arrived at the gate of the compound early on Monday morning.
However, UN security officer, Mr. Palco Mavanga Boss denies the allegations and said the machines were not place outside the front gate because of the demonstrators.
The two vehicles had been due to patrol the Mapel–Tonj road but were unable to leave due to number of demonstrators at the gate.
Organisers say that all South Sudanese National UN staff under General service (GS) Service Contractor (SC) contractors have opted to withdraw their labour due to international body’s refusal to pay them in US dollars.
According to a letter from the National Staff Federation, South Sudanese UN staff have been asking to be paid in dollars like their international counterparts since 2009 and have not received a salary review or increment since South Sudan’s independence last year despite.
UNMISS was created after South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July 2011 replacing the UN Mission in Sudan, whose mandate was not extended at the behest of Khartoum.
An oil dispute between Juba and Khartoum led to the stoppage of South Sudanese oil production in January depriving the government of 98% of its income and triggering a economic crisis in the young nation.
The statement from the National Staff Federation said that payment in dollars was needed to counteract skyrocketing of commodities prices due to the increase in transports.
South Sudan relies heavily on imports and has been inflation has been exacerbated by increase in fuel costs and the Sudan’s closure of the new international border due to security issues.
(ST)