Embassy Employees Were Fired on Political Grounds
HRLHA - January 16, 2008
The Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti has fired ten of its employees for allegedly denying their supports for political agendas presented to all embassy workers at a meeting held in September last year.
According to HRLHA reporter in Djibouti, those fired employees were first forced to take a two-month annual leave immediately after the divisive meeting. On their return to work in December after the two-month forced leave, ten employees were notified that they had been fired. Among those who have lost their jobs are: Muhammad Hasan (Oromo), Idriis Muyye (Oromo), Asifayyo (Oromo), Abarra Zawdu (Amara), Mabratu Bekele (Amara), Mariyye Dagne (Amara) and Marid GebreSillasie (Tigre).
The big question has been how the embassy dared take such an action against its employees in a foreign land without even facilitating ways in which they could move back to their country. As a result of this action, not only the ten former employees of the embassy, but also about 45 members of their families have been subjected to multiple social and economic problems, our reporter in Djibouti confirmed.
According to some insiders, there have been heated controversy and disagreement going on between Ambassador Shamsaddin Ahmed, whose ambassadorial position is symbolic, and Liul Tesfaye, a Security Officer with the Embassy and agent of the Ethiopian ruling party, EPRDF. The controversy has further heated up especially since the ten former employees of the embassy were fired, the insiders added.