UN staff call for ERSG to go

Dozens of national staff working for the United Nations Peace-building  Mission in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) yesterday started an indefinite peaceful protest action against the draw-down plan of the mission which includes dismissing some workers. The striking workers, who chanted and held placards in front of the  UNIPSIL headquarters in Freetown calling on the Executive Representative of the UN Secretary General, Jens Anders  Toyberg-Frandzen to go, accusing him of “discriminating” against local staff and being “disrespectful” to them. The ERSG, according to them, told them to start job-hunting because their  services would soon be no longer needed, a move they say poses a threat to peace consolidation in the country. In a position statement, signed by the Chairman of the National Staff  Association, Abu Badasi Sesay, they also say the planned laying-off of local staff lacks consideration for the November elections which  they say will require more work hence more workforce. The statement also says that UNIPSIL lacks a clear elections strategy with just over two months to elections, and calls for the reversal of a 30% cut to the mission which they say only affects them, with expatriate staff allegedly receiving increased security and fuel allowances regardless. Posts, they say have been abolished in an “abrupt” fashion endangering the welfare of those locals who work in them. No member of the UNIPSIL management would speak to us. However, the Deputy ERSG, Nega Berhanemeskel, later addressed the striking workers  and suggested a meeting with their executive, something they rebuffed saying he should address the whole staff. A spokesman of the workers, Alhassan Kargbo told Politico they would resume their action this morning. © Politico 14/09/12