UNAMID’s local staff protest over unpaid dues

June 5, 2016 (El-FASHER) – A committee representing dozens of former Sudanese staff of hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has protested on Sunday in front of the mission’s premises in North Darfur capital, El-Fasher for non-payment of financial dues owed to the former staff members affected by the ongoing streamlining process.

The Chairman of the Dismissed Staff Committee, Hafiz Abiad, told Sudan Tribune that his committee represents 262 Sudanese staff who were dismissed in Nayla, Zalngei , El-Geniena and El-Fasher.

“The protesting staff demanded to be paid their pensions’ entitlements which was agreed on with UNAMID in March and to receive their dues in US dollars,” said Abiad adding that the mission did not pay their benefits at the beginning of June as previously pledged and promised to pay the staff entitlements after three months, which was rejected by staff.

“After four hours of peaceful protests, UNAMID agreed to negotiate with us on Tuesday in the presence of a government mediation team” he said

In February, former local staff of UNAMID in North and Central Darfur states organized peaceful protests in El-Fasher and Zalingei to demand financial dues, which the mission refused to recognize.

In March, UNAMID dismissed media reports that the mission deliberately refused to pay the financial dues of Sudanese staff whose jobs were cancelled to cut expenses.

“In meetings between UNAMID’s Human Resources Section and concerned staff members, prior to their separation from the mission, the issue of compensation for overtime services performed was discussed thoroughly,” explained UNAMID in statement issued in March.

The mission’s statement further noted that since most of the concerned staff members had performed overtime work and had not availed of compensatory leave due to them, “the mission’s management decided that they would receive cash remuneration for their overtime hours in lieu of compensatory time off,”

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in the western Sudan’s region.

It is the world’s second largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.

(ST)