UNRWA employees march in Gaza to protest ‘failures’

By Mohammed Majid, Ola Atallah

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Hundreds of employees at Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have taken part on Monday in a march in the Gaza Strip to protest over what they described the “failure to meet their demands” by the UN body.

The protesters have held banners that read "I have the right to live in dignity," "where is the job security?", and "cutting services is a plot on the refugees issue."

Suhail al-Hindi, Chief of Staff Union of the agency in the Gaza Strip, called during a speech on the sidelines of the march, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to "open an urgent investigation into the reasons behind this problem --services cuts-- and behind the deteriorated living conditions of refugees and workers in Gaza and the West Bank."

He also warned that his Union will continue to protest against the UN body’s administration.

The UN staff has also staged a one-day strike in the all UN institutions in the Gaza Strip.

The strike included schools, health clinics, centers of projects, and emergency relief services, and the Gaza-based regional office of UNRWA.

According to a statement, issued by the same Union on Sunday, the strike came as a reaction to cuts on the services that were provided to the staff.

The Union called also on the UN body to cancel the decision of freezing jobs in Gaza and to increase their salaries.