Djibouti: Government repression of teachers continues to worsen | WPN World People News

Teachers’ union reaches out to Education International for support amid ongoing government measures to remove educators from the classroom and the civil service list, including the union’s general secretary and other high-level members.

Farah Abdillahi Miguil, General Secretary of the SYNESED

The Syndicat des enseignants du second degré (SYNESED) has roundly condemned the government’s continued repressive measures against teachers in a message sent on 9 June to Education International’s (EI) General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen.

Teachers sacked and removed from the civil service, ignoring all procedures

Farah Abdillahi Miguil, General Secretary of the SYNESED and a founding member of the “Save Education” collective, has expressed outrage that despite repeated protests, 63 teachers have been sacked and struck off the civil service list, in violation of all the procedures in place.

Miguil is among those dismissed, as well as other union leaders, including: Abdillahi Adaweh Mireh, inspector, founding member and spokesperson of the Collective; Youssouf Moussa Abdi, Educational Advisor and founding member of the Collective; and Omar Ismael Omar, teacher and founding member of the Collective.

Miguil has thanked EI and its General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen for supporting the teachers’ cause.

“The fight for our rights will continue despite the obstacles,” he said.

EI: violation of Djibouti teachers’ human and trade union rights

On 15 April, in a letter addressed to the President of the Republic of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, van Leeuwen condemned the “threats of removal from the civil service hanging over 63 teachers and other education staff (educational advisors, inspectors and Ministry of Education agents), in violation of all current rules and administrative procedures”.

He added that “these latest serious attacks on freedom of association have further heightened EI’s concern, and that of its two affiliates in Djibouti, the Syndicat des professeurs des collèges et lycées de Djibouti (SYNESED) and the Syndicat des Enseignants du Premier Degré (SEP), over the deterioration of the teachers’ situation. More than 83 teachers have seen their salaries suspended since October 2013, in violation of all procedures and the general statute governing civil servants.”

EI’s renewed appeal to public authorities

Education International has renewed its appeal to the Djibouti authorities to:

- lift all the arbitrary sanctions immediately and unconditionally and suspend the illegal procedures for striking teachers and education staff off the civil service list.

- transfer to the teachers and education staff concerned the salaries unpaid since October 2013 as soon as possible;

- respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of teachers, students and trade union activists, in accordance with international standards;

- open an independent commission of inquiry to shed light on the circumstances of the death of Mahamoud Elmi Rayaleh;

- establish the conditions to guarantee respectful and fair dialogue with all civil society agents, including teachers and the organisations that represent them.

Education International will continue to give its support to Djibouti’s teachers and will follow developments in their situation closely.

Source: Education International