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TITLE: SIERRA LEONE HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES, 1993
DATE: JANUARY 31, 1994
AUTHOR: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
SIERRA LEONE
The National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC), which was
formed in 1992 after a military coup led by Captain Valentine
E.M. Strasser and a small cadre of soldiers from the Sierra
Leone-Liberia war front, continued to rule Sierra Leone. The
coup ended the government of President Joseph Momoh and his All
Peoples' Congress (APC) party, which had held power since
1978. Captain Strasser is Chairman of the NPRC and Head of
State. The Deputy Chairman of the NPRC, Julius Maada Bio, is
Chairman of the Supreme Council of State (SCS), which includes
NPRC members and other military officers, plus one civilian.
The NPRC and the SCS formulate government policy; day-to-day
government operations are overseen by the department
secretaries, who comprise the Cabinet.
Following the coup, the NPRC dissolved Parliament and political
parties and, ruling by decree, controlled all aspects of
government. The 1991 Constitution technically remains in force
under the NPRC, but its status has been diminished by a series
of decrees and public notices. On November 26, Captain
Strasser announced several important policy moves: a
unilateral cease-fire in the fighting with the rebel forces,
known as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF); an amnesty for
surrendering rebels and RUF sympathizers; and a timetable for a
transition to democracy, culminating in general elections in
late 1995. In December the NPRC released a "Working Document
on the Constitution" to serve as the basis for public debate
leading to a referendum on a new constitution in May 1995.
The Sierra Leone military forces (RSLMF), supported by Special
Army and Police Units (SAPPS) and the regular police force, are
responsible for both external and internal security. The RSLMF
continued active operations against the RUF forces, which are
supported by the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL).
The 1992 coup was in part motivated by dissatisfaction among
frontline troops (including Strasser), and the NPRC set as its
primary objective bringing the war to an end. Significant
progress was made toward achieving that goal in 1993, with the
recapture of large areas that had been subject to rebel
control. There continued to be reports of human rights abuses
on all sides in the internal conflict, including summary
executions and torture, as well as abuses by the police and
military against criminal suspects outside the war zone.
More than 70 percent of the 4.3 million population is involved
in some aspect of agriculture, mainly subsistence farming.
Although the country is rich in minerals, including
titanium-bearing rutile, gold, and diamonds, official receipts
from legal exports of gold and diamonds have decreased over
recent years; significant portions of these resources leave the
country outside legal, authorized channels. The major
diamond-producing area was under rebel control from late 1992
until late 1993, which further disrupted diamond earnings.
Despite the difficult security situation, the Government
adhered to an International Monetary Fund structural adjustment
program which has produced major improvements in the stability
of exchange rates and reduced inflation.
There were many human rights abuses, notably, but not only, in
the areas of fighting along the Liberian border, where the
RSLMF and rebel units committed extrajudicial killings and
torture. In August RUF rebels ambushed an aid convoy of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), killing two of
the relief workers and wounding a third before burning the
vehicles. Additionally, both the police and army summarily
executed criminal suspects and beat and otherwise abused
suspects during arrest and interrogation.
The NPRC continued to maintain firm control over government and
society with tight restrictions on freedoms of speech, press,
assembly, and association. Discrimination and violence against
women remained widespread.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including
Freedom from:
a. Political and Other Extrajudicial Killing
There were numerous reports of extrajudicial killings and
summary executions by military and the SAPPS, often in
connection with criminal arrests. Many reports suggest that
undisciplined military personnel inflicted civilian deaths
while engaging in looting, robbery, and extortion (see Section
1.g.).
b. Disappearance
There were continuing reports of the disappearance of suspected
NPFL rebels, captured in the conflict. The NPRC denied these
reports and took the offensive by announcing an amnesty program
for civilians and rebels returning from disputed territories.
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment
Although the 1991 Constitution prohibits torture, there were
reports of police and military mistreatment of detainees during
interrogation and arrest. The practice of mutilating prisoners
continued. In one well-publicized case, security forces cut
off the ears of two criminal suspects. Military personnel
sometimes physically abused civilians (see Section 1.g.). In
December the press reported an incident in which soldiers beat
and kicked a child in order to ascertain where the child had
obtained the military boots he was wearing. Officials
responsible for such abuses were sometimes punished.
Prison conditions remained life threatening; deaths in prison
due to malnutrition and inadequate medical attention are
common. Detainee cells often lack beds or toilet facilities.
Overcrowding is the norm at Freetown's Pademba Road prison.
These prison conditions are of particular concern because
shortcomings in the legal system often result in prolonged
detention. Men and women are segregated in the prisons, but
separate facilities for incarceration of juveniles do not
exist. Homosexual rape is not uncommon.
Throughout the year, the Government granted the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to prisoners,
including some alleged rebel prisoners. Amnesty International
(AI) requested access to prisoners one time, and access was
granted. In May AI reported that some prisoners were being
held in secret and that boys as young as 7 years of age were
being incarcerated. The Government denied these charges.
d. Arbitrary Arrest, Detention, or Exile
There are inadequate safeguards against arbitrary or unjust
detentions and no provisions for their formal review in either
criminal or political security cases. The laws provide that,
after an initial 24-hour detention, detainees must have access
to legal counsel, families, and medical care, but authorities
rarely respect these provisions unless detainees can afford
legal counsel to demand compliance.
In political and security cases, police and security agencies
have additional detention authority. Under NPRC decrees, any
police officer or member of the armed forces, with approval of
the SCS or NPRC, may arrest without warrant and detain
indefinitely any person suspected of posing a threat to public
safety. In practice, soldiers commonly arrest or detain
civilians without charge. Relatives are not formally notified,
but the authorities generally respond to inquiries. Arrested
foreigners are often released but may not depart the country.
The Government provides legal representation for the indigent
only in cases of capital offenses. Lack of counsel in other
cases frequently leads to abuse. Many indigent detainees are
ignorant of their rights and assume, sometimes correctly, that
law enforcement or judicial authorities will be paid by the
accuser to rule against them. The Society for the Protection
of Human Rights provides free legal counsel to some indigent
detainees.
During the year, the NPRC reviewed the cases of individual
prisoners, resulting in the release of over 300 prisoners.
The first anniversary of the April 1992 coup saw the release to
house arrest of the more than 20 members of the former
government who had been detained at the time of the coup. In
December the Government announced that all suspected rebels had
been released from detention, and one political detainee was
released under the year-end amnesty.
No one was exiled by the Government, but some persons chose to
leave or, as in the case of some officials of the previous
regime, remain outside the country rather than face possible
retribution.
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
The NPRC has not fundamentally altered the previously existing
judiciary, but it has circumvented some of the authority of
judicial institutions by the use of special commissions of
inquiry.
There are three judicial systems: regular courts, local or
traditional courts, and courts-martial which try only military
cases. The judiciary is subject to political manipulation.
There is strong evidence that favoritism plays a role in court
decisions.
The regular court system is based on the British model and
consists of a Supreme Court, an intermediate Court of Appeals,
a High Court of Magistrates, and magistrates' courts. There
are criminal and civil courts. Decisions by lower courts may
be appealed. The courts frequently grant attorneys' requests
for adjournment or postponement; there are delays of up to
5 years in bringing cases to trial.
Indigenous elected ethnic leaders preside over local courts and
administer tribal law in civil cases, e.g., dealing with family
and property matters. These local courts are often the only
legal institutions in rural areas.
The court-martial system, based on British military codes and
the common law, provides for commander adjudication of minor
offenses. More serious offenses are deferred from field units
to force headquarters. There are allegations that enlisted
personnel subjected to punishment by field commanders have in
some cases appealed to friends in the NPRC and had sentences
overturned. During 1992, in an effort to curb military
excesses, a standing court-martial was established to try
military personnel for serious crimes (e.g., murder,
manslaughter or aggravated robbery). Death sentences
pronounced by this court must be reviewed and approved by the
Head of State. None of the death sentences given by the
standing court-martial in 1993 had been carried out by year's
end.
Under a December 1992 decree, the Government has the authority
to create a Special Military Tribunal to try "any person,
whether or not a member of the Armed Forces" who, in connection
with or in furtherance of any act of rebellion against the
NPRC, commits treason, murder, manslaughter, aggravated robbery
or any other serious offense under Sierra Leonean law. In 1993
the decree was amended to permit appeal of the Tribunal's
decisions to the courts.
In a separate set of quasi-judicial proceedings, NPRC-appointed
commissions of inquiry, investigating corruption under the
previous Momoh regime, held public hearings during 1993. At
year's end, the commissions continued to submit findings to the
NPRC. After reviewing the findings, the NPRC issues a "white
paper" containing decisions on sanctions against officials of
the previous regime found to have engaged in malfeasance. The
NPRC has taken such actions as confiscating or ordering
restitution of property and banning some persons from future
public office.
f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or
Correspondence
While the 1991 Constitution prohibits arbitrary invasion of the
home, NPRC Decree 25 had given broad authority to military and
police personnel to enter and search any premise without
warrant. During April the NPRC published amendments to the
Decree, curtailing that authority. However, officials still
have wide authority under other NPRC decrees to monitor actions
or conversation within homes, to prevent a person from acting
in a manner prejudicial to public safety, to impose
restrictions on employment or business, to control association
or communication with other persons, and to interfere with
correspondence.
In practice, there were numerous occasions of abusive treatment
of ordinary citizens by ill-disciplined soldiers and police,
both within and outside of the war zone. These abuses included
forced entry into homes, robberies, and assaults, some of them
fatal. Offending soldiers have frequently been punished when
caught; several remained under death sentences for the most
serious crimes (see Section 1.e.).
g. Use of Excessive Force and Violations of Humanitarian
Law in Internal Conflicts
There were serious violations of human rights in the conflict
centered in the eastern and southern provinces along the
Liberian border. There, RSLMF forces fought the Revolutionary
United Front forces, which are supported in part by Charles
Taylor's NPFL forces from Liberia. The RSLMF was also involved
in fighting bandits and groups of military deserters. This
conflict involves different ethnic groups and has resulted in
an unknown number of deaths. Some estimates indicated that
more than 8,000 civilians have been killed since 1991 and that
hundreds of thousands of people within Sierra Leone and
adjacent countries have been displaced.
Government forces took severe action against suspected rebels
and their supporters. There were credible reports of summary
executions of prisoners by RSLMF troops. Troops also engaged
in public humiliation and torture of captives, including by
disfigurement, beatings, and parading captives naked. Some
RSLMF troops displayed human skulls on military vehicles.
Many reports indicated that RUF rebels took similarly severe
action against civilians and RSLMF soldiers. In August the RUF
attacked an ICRC aid convoy, killing two ICRC workers and
wounding a third. Also, there were reports that the RUF
leaders in Kailahun District executed 16 of their own troops
and 5 noncombatants for allegedly plotting to overthrow RUF
leader Foday Sankoh. In December RUF forces reportedly killed
about 20 civilians in two villages near Pujehun. They also
pressed youths aged 12 to 15 into combat service.
At times, the RUF controlled parts of the eastern areas along
the Liberian border, but by the end of the year government
forces had regained the initiative, and RUF did not control any
specific areas. In early December, the NPRC declared a 4-week
cease-fire, but, due to numerous new RUF attacks on government
forces during the month, the cease-fire was not extended when
it expired.
The RUF does not appear to promote a coherent political
philosophy. Most of its members are of the Mende and Kissy
ethnic groups, but other members of those groups have not been
immune from RUF aggression.
Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
Although the Constitution provides unequivocally for freedom of
speech, NPRC decrees permit the Government to abridge freedom
of expression if it deems national security to be endangered.
Criticizing government leaders or offending the dignity of the
State are criminal offenses. In practice, freedoms of speech
and press were severely circumscribed.
In May the NPRC repealed the section of its 1992 decree that
had empowered the Government to prohibit attempts to influence
public opinion in a manner likely to be prejudicial to public
safety, public tranquility, or public order. However, a
restrictive set of conditions for registration of newspapers
instituted in February reduced the number of newspapers by more
than 50 percent and silenced some of those most openly critical
of the Government.
At the end of 1993, there were 10 active newspapers, 2 of which
were controlled directly by the Government. The Government
warned and castigated editors who published articles
displeasing to the NPRC. It detained several editors for 1 to
3 days and suspended one newspaper for several weeks. The
then-deputy Chairman of the NPRC kicked one journalist because
of an offending article. In these circumstances, editors
continued to exercise self-censorship.
In October the authorities arrested five employees of a
Freetown newspaper and six others, who have played roles in
Sierra Leone politics in the past, after the newspaper
published an article from a Swedish newspaper alleging
corruption in the NPRC Government. The newspaper's office was
ransacked. The Government released seven of the detainees a
short time later, but four journalists remained in jail for
more than 2 weeks. They were then released on bail equivalent
to $200,000 each, an extremely high sum by Sierra Leone
standards. The newspaper has not published since the incident.
One of the capital's two radio stations is government
controlled and reflects only the views of the Government. The
other is operated by Christian missionaries and broadcasts
religious programming and Voice of America news. A third radio
station operates in one of the provincial cities. The
Government owns and operates the only television station, which
resumed broadcasting after a hiatus of several years.
Academic freedom does not appear to have been impaired by the
NPRC. There were no reports of educators being detained or
threatened for their teaching activities, and university
students who staged protests over campus issues were not
subjected to government retribution.
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
Although the 1991 Constitution provides for freedom of assembly
and the right of citizens to form economic, social, and
professional organizations, freedoms of assembly and
association were not respected. All political parties remained
banned.
Under antidisturbance decrees, the NPRC may grant broad powers
of arrest to public, military, or other authorized persons in
any area or situation in which, in its opinion, there is likely
to be difficulty in preserving "public safety" and "order." In
practice, the NPRC permitted peaceful demonstrations.
c. Freedom of Religion
Freedom of religion is provided for by the 1991 Constitution,
and historically the ruling government has displayed religious
tolerance. Muslims, the largest religious group (comprising
about 60 percent of the population), Christians, animists, and
adherents of other faiths practice their beliefs freely; they
may publish and distribute religious materials and conduct
religious education without government interference.
Although most clergy are indigenous, foreign Christian
missionaries are active and there is a small number of Muslim
clerics from other countries.
d. Freedom of Movement Within the Country, Foreign
Travel, Emigration, and Repatriation
There are currently no legal restrictions on travel within the
country; however, for a substantial portion of 1993 three of
the eastern districts were closed to civilian travel due to the
rebel incursion. Military and paramilitary checkpoints also
delayed travel, with soldiers frequently demanding money,
transport, or goods. NPRC decrees permit senior police and
military officers to stop and question any person.
The Government requires all citizens to carry a national
identification card which must be presented on demand to
security personnel at checkpoints. However, as the Government
was unable to provide cards for everyone, the requirement was
only selectively enforced.
Exit visas are required for anyone, except diplomats, seeking
to travel outside the country. There are no restrictions on
emigration or repatriation.
Continuing conflict in the primarily agricultural eastern and
southern provinces at times internally displaced as many as
400,000 Sierra Leoneans during 1993, reducing food production
and placing a severe strain on the local economy. In addition
to the internally displaced, an estimated 300,000 Sierra
Leonean refugees sought refuge in Guinea and Liberia. There
was considerable movement among the internally displaced Sierra
Leone populations and the Liberian refugees in response to the
ebb and flow of the civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Sierra Leone continued to be host to thousands of Liberian
refugees, although the number declined from 14,000 at the end
of 1992 to an estimated 10,000 at the end of 1993. The United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provided relief
aid to 6,000 refugees at the Waterloo refugee camp near
Freetown. The Government did not force refugees to repatriate
to countries in which they fear persecution.
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens
to Change Their Government
Citizens do not have this right. Captain Strasser and a small
group of military officers control all institutions of
government, and the NPRC appoints all senior government
officials. The NPRC appointed an advisory Commission for the
Return to Democracy, and the Commission submitted the draft of
a new constitution to the NPRC for review. In December a
"Working Document on the Constitution" was released to serve as
the basis for public debate leading to a referendum on a new
constitution in May 1995. The NPRC timetable announced in
December also calls for nonpartisan district council elections
in November 1994; the formation of political parties in June
1995; and general elections late in 1995.
Meanwhile, the ban on political parties remained in effect, and
the Government qualified implementation of these steps by
stating that the border fighting must end before elections
could be held.
Women are poorly represented in government. In December the
NPRC appointed a woman as undersecretary in the Department of
Education, the highest position held by a woman in the
Government. A few senior civil service and judicial positions
are held by women.
Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and
Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations
of Human Rights
Local human rights groups are allowed to operate. The League
for Human Rights and Democracy, a local organization, studies
all human rights issues but concentrates on issues related to
freedom of the press and conditions of prisoners. Its
effectiveness is hampered by government intimidation and a lack
of resources. In at least one instance in 1993, the League's
director was summoned by police for questioning regarding his
activities.
The Government allows visits by international human rights
organizations. The ICRC visited prisoners in Pademba Road
prison and in various military barracks where suspected rebels
are sometimes detained. Amnesty International had access to
prisoners in 1993 (see Section 1.c.).
Section 5 Discrimination Based on Race, Sex, Religion,
Disability, Language, or Social Status
Women
Although women have equal rights under the Constitution, in
practice they face both legal and societal discrimination. The
rights and status of women under traditional law vary
significantly, depending upon the ethnic group. The Temne and
Limba tribes, for example, accord more rights to a woman to
inherit her husband's property than do the Mende, who give
preference to male heirs and unmarried daughters (in that
order).
In the broader society, women do not have equal access to
education, economic opportunities, health facilities, or social
freedoms. In rural areas they perform much of the subsistence
farming and all of the child-rearing and have little
opportunity for education. The average schooling level for
women is markedly below that of males. A 1991 U.N. study
showed that females receive one-fourth the schooling of males;
only 6 percent of women are literate. At the university level,
men predominate. There is at least one recently formed rights
group which has as its purpose improving economic opportunities
and access to health services for women.
Violence against women, especially wife beating, is common.
The police are unlikely to intervene in domestic disputes
except in cases of severe injury or death. Few cases of such
violence go to court. The issue is not recognized as a
societal problem and receives no high-level attention by the
Government. Rape is a problem in Sierra Leone.
Children
The Government recently signed the U.N. Convention on the
Rights of the Child and in 1993 began addressing, with the help
of nongovernmental organizations, the integration of "boy
soldiers" back into society. Many underage boys had been
allowed to join military operations early in the war.
There are reported instances of ritual murders of boys and
girls, as well as of adults, associated with animist religious
groups in the provinces. These murders have been widely
reported in the press and openly discussed in public. The
Government arrests and prosecutes suspects in ritual murder
cases.
Female genital mutilation (circumcision), which has been
condemned by international health experts as damaging to both
physical and psychological health, is not addressed in Sierra
Leonean law and is widely practiced on girls at a young age,
especially in traditional tribal groups and among the less
educated. According to an independent expert in the field, the
percentage of females who have undergone this procedure may be
as high as 80 percent.
National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Discrimination between people of different tribal groups is not
officially sanctioned, but tribal loyalties remain important
factors in government, military, and business transactions.
The Momoh government was accused of discriminating in favor of
persons of Limba descent (Momoh's ethnic group). The NPRC is
heavily Mende in composition, and many high-level appointees
are from that ethnic group. Complaints are common of
corruption and ethnic discrimination in government
appointments, contracts, military commissions, and promotions.
Residents of non-African descent face institutionalized
political restrictions. Current law restricts citizenship to
people of Negro-African descent following a patrilineal
pattern, effectively denying citizenship to many persons,
notably in the Lebanese community, the largest affected
minority. Residents of non-African descent are often victims
of harassment.
People with Disabilities
Questions of public facility access or discrimination against
the disabled have not become public policy issues. There are
no laws that mandate accessibility to buildings or provide for
other assistance for the handicapped. There does not appear to
be discrimination against the handicapped in housing or
education, but, with the high rate of unemployment, few
handicapped people are found working in offices or factories.
The difficulty the handicapped face in finding employment
places many facilities and services beyond their financial
means.
Section 6 Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
Unions have continued their activities under the NPRC. The
1991 Constitution provides for the right of association, and
all workers, including civil servants, have the right to join
trade unions of their choice. Unions are independent of the
Government. Individual labor unions have by custom joined the
Sierra Leone Labor Congress (SLLC), and all unions are members
of the SLLC. Membership is, however, voluntary. There is no
legal prohibition against the SLLC leadership holding political
office, and leaders have held both elected and appointed
government positions.
Under the Trade Union Act, any five persons may form a trade
union by applying to the Registrar of Trade Unions, who has
statutory powers under the Act to approve the creation of trade
unions. Applications may be rejected for several reasons,
including an insufficient number of members, proposed
representation in an industry already served by an existing
union, or incomplete documentation. If the Registrar rejects
an application, his decision may be appealed in the ordinary
courts, but such action is seldom taken.
Approximately 60 percent of workers in urban areas, including
government employees, are unionized, but unions have had little
success in organizing workers in the large agricultural and
mining sectors.
Unions have the right to call a strike without exception, but
the Government may require 21 days' notice. In September
teachers staged a strike demanding salary increases. The NPRC
did not interfere, but NPRC decrees, which prohibit disruption
of public tranquility or of supplies, could be employed to
prevent a prolonged strike. The Sierra Leone Labor Congress is
reviewing the labor law and hopes to have legislation approved
in 1994 that would prohibit firing of a union member for
participation in a legal strike.
Unions are free to form federations and confederations and
affiliate internationally. The SLLC is a member of the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, and there are
no restrictions on the international travel or contacts of
trade unionists.
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
The legal framework for collective bargaining is the Regulation
of Wages and Industrial Relations Act. Collective bargaining
must take place in trade group negotiating councils, each of
which has an equal number of employer and worker
representatives. Most enterprises are covered by collective
bargaining agreements on wages and working conditions. The
SLLC provides assistance to unions in preparing for
negotiations. In case of a deadlock, the Government may
intervene.
There is no law that prohibits retribution against strikers;
however, if an employee is fired for union activities, he may
file a complaint with a labor tribunal and seek reinstatement.
Complaints of discrimination against unions are made to the
Industrial Court for arbitration. Individual trade unions
investigate alleged violations of work conditions and ensure
that employers take the necessary steps to correct abuses.
There are no export processing zones.
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
Under the Chiefdom's Council Act, compulsory labor may be
imposed by individual chiefs, requiring members of their
villages to contribute to the improvement of common areas.
This practice exists only in rural areas. There is no penalty
for noncompliance. The International Labor Organization's
(ILO) Committee of Experts repeated its earlier request to the
Government that it amend provisions of this act that violate
ILO Convention 29 on forced labor.
Although the NPRC does not require compulsory labor, a decree
requires that homeowners, businessmen, and vendors clean and
maintain their premises. Failure to comply is punishable by
fine or imprisonment. Determinations of such cleaning and
maintenance may be made by any health officer, police officer,
or member of the armed forces. The last Saturday of every
month is declared a national cleaning day, and there were
instances of security forces beating citizens to ensure
compliance.
d. Minimum Age for Employment of Children
The minimum age for employment is officially 18 years, but in
practice there is no enforcement because there is no Government
entity specifically charged with this task. Children routinely
assist in small family businesses, especially those of vendors
and petty traders. In rural areas young children work
seasonally on family subsistence farms.
Because the adult unemployment rate is high (60 percent in some
areas), few children are involved in the industrial sector.
There have been reports that young children have been hired by
foreign employers to work as domestics overseas at extremely
low wages and in appalling conditions. Following an
investigation, the Government announced that the Department of
Foreign Affairs would review overseas work applications to
ensure that no one under 14 was being employed for this purpose
and to enforce certain wage standards.
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
There is no legislated minimum wage. Purchasing power
continued to decline, and most workers have to pool incomes
with their extended families and engage in subsistence food
production in order to maintain a minimum standard of living.
The Government's suggested standard workweek is 38 hours, but
this is not mandated and most workweeks exceed 38 hours.
The Government sets health and safety standards, but the
standards are outmoded and often not enforced. The Health and
Safety Division of the Department of Labor has inspection and
enforcement responsibility, but inadequate funding and
transportation limit its effectiveness. The SLLC is currently
negotiating with the Government to update these standards.
Health and safety regulations are included in collective
bargaining agreements, but there is no evidence of systematic
enforcement of those safety standards. Trade unions provide
the only protection for workers who file complaints about
working conditions. Initially, the unions make a formal
complaint about a hazardous work condition. If this is
rejected, the unions may issue a 21-day strike notice. If
workers remove themselves from dangerous work situations
without making a formal complaint, they risk being fired.
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