Jonglei Workers’ Union dissolved, leadership arrested
Civil servants protesting in Bor, Jonglei State in 2021. (File photo)
Authorities in Bor town, Jonglei State, on Friday dissolved the Jonglei Workers’ Union and arrested the body’s senior leadership a day after civil servants in the town went on a sit-down strike over unpaid salary arrears.
Abraham Mading Amer, the deputy chairperson of the union, told Radio Tamazuj Saturday that the state government’s decision to dissolve the union and arrest its leaders was effected while the body was organizing a peaceful demonstration over unpaid arrears on Friday afternoon.
He identified the arrested as the union’s chairperson, David Mayen Deng, Secretary-general Samuel Majier Loch, and Ruben Matiop of the teachers’ union respectively.
“They were arrested by the police on Friday at 1 pm while at the state education ministry premises trying to organize a peaceful demonstration over the issue of our salaries,” he said. “They are still at a police cell now (Saturday). Our union was also dissolved. The governor and his security committee made all these decisions.”
“The state government is doing this because they want to silence us and do not want us to complain about our rights,” he added.
Mading said they had already filed a complaint in Juba regarding the dissolution of the union.
Ibrahim Geu, the union’s spokesperson, called for the release of the detained officials, saying the detention was aimed at intimidating them.
For his part, Ter Manyang, the executive director of the civil society organization, Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), condemned the arrests, saying it is a human rights violation and demanded that the detained officials be released.
“Arresting people for demanding their rights is unlawful. The government is worsening the situation by arresting them so I am calling for their release because they are demanding their salaries,” he said. “Also, dissolving the union by the government because these people protested is not procedural.”
Attempts to reach Governor Denay Jock Chagor, his information minister, Samuel John Manyuon, and the state police for comment were futile.
On Friday, Jonglei State Information Minister John Samuel Manyuon acknowledged the civil servants’ demands and said they would work with the state workers’ union to address the worker’s demands.
“As the state, we admit their rights and we have some challenges that is why there is a problem in payment,” he said. “We are working to address these concerns through the workers’ union. So, our appeal is that they should not go on the streets and present their demands in a nonviolent way because it is their right.”
Jonglei civil servants down tools over unpaid arrears
Civil servants in the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, have gone on a sit-down strike over unpaid salary arrears.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Ibrahim Dhieu, the spokesperson of the Jonglei Workers’ Trade Union, said they took the industrial action Thursday because the state government misappropriated monies meant for their salary arrears.
“We are on strike. The state hospital and all other government institutions are closed. The state government continues denying our rights,” Dhieu said. “The whole state did not receive salary arrears for May and June. Apart from these, all counties also need salary arrears for last September and October while Akobo County alone has an extra month of April which is not paid."
He added, “We do not understand what the state has been doing with our money yet the rest of the states received theirs. Also, the government has formed a committee to oversee payment but that committee is meant to embezzle money because it is made up of individuals who are not in government and it can not reach out to counties due to the floods."
Samuel Majier, the union’s secretary-general, called on the national government to intervene, saying state authorities failed to heed their demands.
“Money has been wired to the government of Jonglei two weeks ago but they do not want to pay us. Again, in the ongoing payment, they pay some ministries and counties but they reject others. As civil servants, we want to be paid uniformly. So we want the national government to look into this issue,” he said.
Civil servants in the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, have gone on a sit-down strike over unpaid salary arrears.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Ibrahim Dhieu, the spokesperson of the Jonglei Workers’ Trade Union, said they took the industrial action Thursday because the state government misappropriated monies meant for their salary arrears.
“We are on strike. The state hospital and all other government institutions are closed. The state government continues denying our rights,” Dhieu said. “The whole state did not receive salary arrears for May and June. Apart from these, all counties also need salary arrears for last September and October while Akobo County alone has an extra month of April which is not paid."
He added, “We do not understand what the state has been doing with our money yet the rest of the states received theirs. Also, the government has formed a committee to oversee payment but that committee is meant to embezzle money because it is made up of individuals who are not in government and it can not reach out to counties due to the floods."
Samuel Majier, the union’s secretary-general, called on the national government to intervene, saying state authorities failed to heed their demands.
“Money has been wired to the government of Jonglei two weeks ago but they do not want to pay us. Again, in the ongoing payment, they pay some ministries and counties but they reject others. As civil servants, we want to be paid uniformly. So we want the national government to look into this issue,” he said.
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