Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) considered the decision by the Empowerment Removal Committee of the Sudanese government arbitrary, as it ordered dismissal of more than 4.000 Sudanese employees under the pretext of affiliating to the former regime. The organisation added that this arbitrary step was not subject to any judicial monitoring and violates administrative regulations.
Retaliatory motives behind the decisions
Since July 2020, the committee established by the chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan about a year ago to combat corruption, has unjustly issued dismissal decisions against 4,368 employees working in at least 39 government sectors, including those working in the judiciary and diplomacy, according to AOHR UK.
AOHR UK pointed out that the main reason behind these decisions is merely suspicion of belonging to the National Congress Party, which was dissolved after the revolution, despite the fact that most of those dismissed have no political orientation. It also added that there is evidence of personal revenge motives behind these decisions which will cost Sudan a lot, given that expertise in several fields will be lacking.
Societal exclusion and destabilisation
Such decisions aim to isolate a specific segment of the country at a societal and political level. It has not been proven that any of those dismissed was involved in any crime, and such decisions will hurdle the reconciliation process and undermine any efforts for stability or consensus.
AOHR UK pointed out that those dismissed suffered serious material and moral damage, including smear campaigns questioning their integrity and financial responsibility. Furthermore, they did not receive appropriate compensation for the damage they suffered and were denied their monthly pensions; resulting in being unable to pay their rent or their children’s school fees, and they got arbitrarily removed from the government’s health insurance system.
AOHR UK called on the Sudanese Supreme Administrative Court to enforce the law and expedite their decisions on the appeals submitted by those dismissed. AOHR UK also called on the court to be free from any political pressure and to refrain from being used as a repressive tool to achieve goals against the law.
Numbers of people dismissed in every governmental sector in all 13 states:
1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs – 134 persons
2. Ministry of Youth and Sports – 73 persons
3. Sudanese Oil Corporation – 28 persons
4- Giad Company – 87 persons
5. Electricity – 422 persons
6. Ministry of Finance – 51 persons
7. Dam implementation unit – 515 people
8. Minerals – 89 people
9. Specifications and Measures First batch – 37 persons
10. Cabinet – 54 people
11- Ministry of Justice – 307 persons
12. Public Prosecution – 21 persons
13. The Judicial Authority – 151 persons
14. Sudatel company – 168 persons
15. The Zakat Chamber – 224 persons
16- Khartoum Refinery – 38 persons
17.SODAPT – 111 persons
18. Sudamen Company – 13 persons
19. Sharif – 24 people
20. The Pipeline Company – 53 people
21- Secretariat General Of The Council Of Ministries – 204 persons
22- Nile Petroleum Company – 37 persons
23. Petrotrans – 5 persons
24. Health insurance – 26 persons
25. Ministry of Labor and Social Development – 21 persons
26. The National Pension Fund – 16 persons
27. National Population Council – 7 persons
28- Humanitarian Aid Commission – 42 persons
29. White strainers – 6 persons
30. Port Sudan Refinery – 2
31. Bapco Oil Company – 25 persons
32- Tobi Opco Oil Company – 19 persons
33. Popular Defense – 1157 people (Khartoum 277, and 888 from the rest of the states)
34. Sudan Airways – 30 people
35. Civil Aviation Authority – 56 persons
36. Petrolines Company – 23 persons
37. Rawat Company – 5 persons
38. Radio and television – 66 people
39. Duty Free – 24 people
