Interim Report - Report No 214, March 1982

Case No 1037 (Sudan) - Complaint date: 07-MAY-81 - Closed

1. 575. The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) sent a complaint of violation of trade union rights in Sudan in a letter of 7 May 1981. It forwarded additional information in a communication dated 16 June 1981. In letters dated 2 September and 18 October 1981, the Government requested certain further information. On 4 November, this information was requested from the complainant organisation. No reply has been received by the Office.
2. 576. Sudan has not ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); it has ratified the eight to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. The complainant's allegations

1. 577. In its letter of 7 May 1981, the WFTU states that the Government has embarked or a wave of repression and violation of trade union nights including dissolution by administrative decree of the agronomists' trade union and dismissal from work of its leadership. It also states that the Government dismissed a number of medical officers and doctors on political grounds, including Dr. Abdul Wahab Sinada, Dr. Yahya Omer Hamza and Dr. Faisal Mohamed El Kadl.
2. 578. In its further communication dated 16 June 1981, the WFTU states that the Government has recently dismissed 20 teachers, 30 health service workers, 6 customs officers, 4 officials from the Ministry of Finance, 18 from the Ministry of Information, 9 water and electricity supply department workers (including Mahgoub Sied Ahmed, the Sudanese Workers' delegate to several ILO Conferences) and 6 postal workers (including Hassan Gasin El Sied). It adds that following the dismissal of 31 railway workers, the relevant union declared a general strike and on 30 May 1981 the Government dissolved it by administrative decree and persecuted its leaders.

B. The Government's reply

1. 579. The Government stresses the necessity of having the precise names of the persons (workers and employees) listed in the complaint, other than those already mentioned. Otherwise, it states, it seems very difficult to carry out the necessary investigations.

C. The Committee's conclusions

1. 580. The Committee notes that the Government does not reply specifically to the two allegations, that of dissolution by administrative authority of the agronomists' trade union and the railway workers' union and that of the dismissal of over 124 workers - apparently all public servants serving in various ministries or in schools and the railways - although it intimates that investigations will be carried out once it has the precise names of those persons allegedly dismissed.
2. 581. Noting that the complainant itself states that the medical officers and doctors, including three named doctors, were dismissed on political grounds, and that it has provided no indications as to whether the persons in question were trade union members, the Committee recalls that it is competent only to examine allegations of violations of trade union rights. It accordingly considers that this aspect of the case does not call for further examination.
3. 582. Although the complainant does not specify that the other dismissals were due to membership of trade unions or participation in trade union activities, the Committee notes that they allegedly took place in the framework of a wave of anti-union repression. It would accordingly appreciate receiving the Government's general comments in this connection even if it has not carried out detailed investigations as yet. The Committee therefore requests the Government to send its observations on the dismissals referred to in the complainant's second communication and points out that the names and occupations of two of these workers were given as well as the number and occupations of the other dismissed workers, facts which should aid inquiries by the Government.
4. 583. The Committee acknowledges that the complainant does not supply specific details as to the dissolution by administrative decree of two trade unions in May 1981, but would nevertheless request the Government, in view of the seriousness of this allegation, to send its observations thereon as soon as possible.

The Committee's recommendations

• The recommendations of the Committee
  584. 584 In these circumstances, the Committee recommends the Governing Body to approve this interim report, in particular the following conclusions:
       • (a) As regards the dismissal of medical officers and doctors including three named doctors, the Committee considers that this aspect of the case does not call for further examination.
       • (b) While acknowledging that the complainant does not supply specific details as to the dissolution by administrative decree of two trade unions or as to the dismissal of over 124 public servants during "a wave of anti-union repression", the Committee requests the Government, in view of the seriousness of these allegations, to send its observations thereon as soon as possible.