Six sacked for demanding their rights

NORTHERN PROVINCE GICUMBI — The Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) sacked six employees working at the Gihembe refugee camp on accusations of agitating for their rights, sparking a row among district labour officials over what they called an unfair dismissal. Devote Jamaa, Innocent Kabona, Emmanuel Habyarimana, Samuel Benimana, Silivie Gatesi and Venantie Nyirandemanyi were reportedly fired last week after they reported to the district Labour office the violation of their rights by their employer, JRS. Their employer, they allege, had refused to grant them annual leave, work contracts and social security. The fired workers on Wednesday appealed to the Gicumbi district Labour office to intervene and possibly facilitate their reinstatement. Olivier Gakuba, the Gicumbi district Labour Inspector, said the JRS’s decision contravenes labour laws. ‘JRS dismissed these employees instead of respecting their rights as stipulated in No.175 of Labour Laws, which require employers to consult the Labour inspectorate over disputes arising between them and employees before dismissing them’, said Gaskuba. According to Gakuba, the district had earlier intervened in the complaints of the affected workers over the violation of their rights. The district Mayor, Bonane Nyangezi wrote to JRS administrators urging them to respect the rights of workers. According to a letter No. 1002/07.0405/02 which was seen by The New Times, the Mayor directed JRS administration to grant workers their annual leave, as is the norm, contribute towards social security payments for each employee and provide those who had completed three months probation period, with job contracts. The letter was copied to the Governor of Northern Province, Boniface Rucagu, the district Labour inspectorate and the now fired employees. Maurice Mwizerwa, a secondary school teacher at the refugee camp, who is also a representative of JRS at the labour inspectorate, says JRS wants its entire staff to receive uniform salary structure as refugee employees justifying this move by saying that ‘refugees are supposedly paid peanuts with no any other benefits’. ‘If an employee tries to report the matter to the labour inspector, JRS will immediately dismiss such an employee’, said Mwizerwa. One of the dismissed staff, Nyirandemanyi, whose case with JRS is before Gicumbi Court of Higher Instance, said JRS, had reduced her monthly salary from Rwf100,000 to Rwf50,000 without providing an explanation. ‘When I wrote a letter to JRS demanding for an explanation, they chose to dismiss me without any terminal benefits’, said Nyirandemanyi. The director of JRS at the Refugee camp Dona Day Don Harvey declined to comment on this issue. ‘JRS performs humanitarian duties at the refugee camp on behalf of UNHCR, who are in a position to answer you’, said Harvey. Ends