What about my rights? asks sacked NSHR monitor

A DISMISSED human rights worker is taking the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) to court for unfair dismissal and denying him freedom of speech.

Mathias Munango, who was employed as a “human rights monitor” in Kavango, said he was fired in September without a disciplinary hearing and that NSHR Director Phil ya Nangoloh based the summary dismissal on a February 2002 warning that he should not to speak to the media. But Ya Nangoloh, speaking to The Namibian, has defended Munango’s immediate dismissal, accusing his former employee of “fraudulent behaviour”, dishonesty and misuse of the company vehicle.”We feel that we followed the procedure.He did dishonest things and we won’t accept that.I cannot accept that and [let him continue to] work with us,” said Ya Nangoloh.Munango said the NSHR gave him a “final” warning in February 2002 after a reporter at The Namibian had called to alert him and verify assertions of human rights abuses by members of the security forces.Ya Nangoloh said Munango was “not denied” the right to speak to the media, but “should have consulted NSHR head office” in Windhoek because that was the organisation’s policy.According to Ya Nangoloh, head office suspected Munango had spoken to reporter Max Hamata after the story referred to an unnamed human rights activist.Munango said that Hamata had told him the reference was not to him as a monitor but to one of his other human rights sources.The former NSHR employee said he would provide information to the court showing that Ya Nangoloh “is just running the organisation like his private firm”.He said Ya Nangoloh merely called him in to the director’s office and called upon the administrative officer to voice accusations that Munango had dropped the phone in her ear and that he had misused and damaged the company vehicle.Ya Nangoloh said Munango claimed to be on sick leave while visiting a girlfriend.He also said Munango had turned from a trustworthy employee to a dishonest one by the time he was fired.”We have strict discipline, we cannot warn a person many times,” he said.The NSHR said it would defend the case, which is set down for the Labour Court this February.But Ya Nangoloh, speaking to The Namibian, has defended Munango’s immediate dismissal, accusing his former employee of “fraudulent behaviour”, dishonesty and misuse of the company vehicle. “We feel that we followed the procedure. He did dishonest things and we won’t accept that. I cannot accept that and [let him continue to] work with us,” said Ya Nangoloh. Munango said the NSHR gave him a “final” warning in February 2002 after a reporter at The Namibian had called to alert him and verify assertions of human rights abuses by members of the security forces. Ya Nangoloh said Munango was “not denied” the right to speak to the media, but “should have consulted NSHR head office” in Windhoek because that was the organisation’s policy. According to Ya Nangoloh, head office suspected Munango had spoken to reporter Max Hamata after the story referred to an unnamed human rights activist. Munango said that Hamata had told him the reference was not to him as a monitor but to one of his other human rights sources. The former NSHR employee said he would provide information to the court showing that Ya Nangoloh “is just running the organisation like his private firm”. He said Ya Nangoloh merely called him in to the director’s office and called upon the administrative officer to voice accusations that Munango had dropped the phone in her ear and that he had misused and damaged the company vehicle. Ya Nangoloh said Munango claimed to be on sick leave while visiting a girlfriend. He also said Munango had turned from a trustworthy employee to a dishonest one by the time he was fired. “We have strict discipline, we cannot warn a person many times,” he said. The NSHR said it would defend the case, which is set down for the Labour Court this February.