Locals say Nauru job sackings continue after protests

Transcript

A Nauru opposition MP Mathew Batsiua says there are mounting numbers of jobless on the island as sackings continue in the wake of last week's anti-government protests.

Mr Batsiua is on bail after taking part in the protests over the suspension of five opposition MPs from parliament more than a year ago.

Sally Round reports.

Mr Batsiua says several dozen people have been sacked and even people who were not protesting but believed to be sympathetic to the demonstrations have lost their jobs.

Mr Batsiua says it is part of continued quashing of dissent by the Nauru government.

Today there is an air of intimidation. People are afraid (for) their jobs. People who have participated in the process have been instantly dismissed without any explanation or without any due process for them to reply and defend themselves.

A local businessman Lockley Denuga says he has heard of three or four dismissals each in the past week from government entities including Nauru Fisheries, the Regional Processing Centre for asylum seekers, the phosphate mining firm RONphos and the port authorities as well as approximately 15 people from the Menen Hotel, including three of his nephews.

The managers, when we saw them, they said they breached the contract, which is non existent. They said they breached the contract for joining the riot, that protest at the government. Most of the other ones, especially the fisheries, no reason ,and all the other ones they have no proper reason. It's going haywire.

A front desk manager at the Menen Hotel who did not wish to be named says at least ten people contracted to provide security at the hotel were dismissed on instructions from the government for taking part in the protests.  The Nauru government has not responded to a request for comment on the dismissals.  But at the weekend it issued a statement on Tuesday's demonstrations

The Opposition is trying to score political points out of the incident which is a disgrace. It was a blatant criminal act in which ten police officers were hurt and needed medical treatment.  The Nauruan Government makes no apology for upholding law and order when its people are in danger and will continue to do everything it can to ensure such violence doesn't happen again.

It says there have been more attempts to destabilise the government with the suspended MPs again using the foreign media to spread lies and mistruths.  Meanwhile two other opposition MPs Squire Jeremiah and Sprent Dabwido are in custody and due to appear in court on Tuesday in relation to the protests.