SIIPHRAA WANTS JUSTICE FOR RIPEL WORKERS
Blanketing non-striking workers along with the striking workers of the Russell Islands Plantation Estate Limited (RIPEL) is not doing anyone justice – deceiving the general public.
General Secretary of the Solomon Islands Indigenous People’s Human Rights Advocacy Association (SIIPHRAA) told SIBC News in a recent interview.
Buddy Wickhams Noamasahu describes the recent eviction order issued by the court for RIPEL workers to vacate all RIPEL properties as a “public deception”.
“They are deceiving the public but the truth of the matter is that when the strike action occurred two groups have emerged, the striking workers and the non-striking workers and I’ve responded to that by way of responding to the eviction order which was issued. You never specified who to be evicted, instead just a blanket notice. Where are the non-striking workers where they refer to them as the ‘faithful workers’, the 190 plus non-striking workers, where are they? That’s the question.”
Mr. Noamasahu adds the eviction order should be tested in court.
“That order has never specified who to be evicted but for all to vacate the RIPEL premises and that’s the question I want to ask the RIPEL Management, the Government and whoever, where are the 190 non-striking workers. Legally, they own RIPEL, where are they? Why are you neglecting them? It needs to be tested in court to prove your eviction order.”