WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE SYRIAN EMBASSY IN ARMENIA?
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.12.2008 18:22 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Syrian Embassy in Yerevan has officially refuted
information that the Embassy staff addressed the RA Foreign Ministry to
complain about sexual harassment and inadequate behavior of Ambassador
Abdul Hammed Sallum.
The message received by PanARMENIAN.Net says that the Embassy staff
denies having any problems with the Syrian diplomat.
"This information is false. All we have witnessed is deferential
attitude and courtesy. We regret that former employee circulated her
personal complaint," the message says.
On December 11, PanARMENIAN.Net received the following letter:
"We, the staff of the Syrian Embassy in Armenia would like to draw
your attention to an urgent issue, which has aroused vast grievance
among the employees of the Embassy.
When each of us was accepting their job at the Embassy of Syria in
Armenia, he or she was happy because they thought that they would
have to deal with serious diplomats from whom they could learn a great
deal, as well as would be able to meet their financial needs. It was
the case until 20 days ago.
Before then the working atmosphere at the embassy was mild and
friendly. The employees would work with the diplomats as with
friends. None of our rights was ever violated: the employees of the
embassy had never seen the Ambassador in underwear, female employees
had never received dating proposal from the Ambassador who threatened
them to fire immediately if they rejected. Shortly after working for
two weeks the new Ambassador dismissed the cook (female) working in
his house, as if upon her own resignation note.
The resignation note had not been written by the cook and the
reason could not be mentioned naturally. That immoral decision
was made knowing that the woman was the only one working in the
family. Moreover, just for the sake of diplomatic correctness the
author of the decision did not even wish to receive and talk to
that woman for the last time who had lost her job by a pen stroke,
who was highly virtuous, possessed higher education degree and who
fulfilled all her duties. The reason for dismissal was claimed to be
the absence of knowledge of Arabic.
Now most of the employees of the Embassy who are citizens of the
Republic of Armenia and have high sense of dignity are under the threat
of losing their jobs. Those who gave us our jobs at the embassy were
also ambassadors, and not knowing Arabic has had no role in losing
jobs so far.
We request considering all the information we have provided since it
is truthful. We have high hopes that friendly relationships between
our countries will never allow that Ambassador Abdul Hammed Sallum
change the Embassy staff due to personal needs.