 |
Kathmandu,Saturday May 13, 2000 Baishakh 31, 2057.
|
Resolve TIA strike
The Civil Aviation Authority must put an end to the prolonged suspension of
the 27 striking employees of Tribhuvan International Airport. It must either prove they
are guilty and dismiss them or reinstate them on the ground that the investigation of the
High Level Commission into the December 24 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 was
inconclusive.
Altogether 60 people, including high ranking Civil Aviation and police
officers had been suspended immediately after the hijack took place. Except for the 27 who
are not ‘high ranking’ officers, all have been reinstated. Why? Why should they
not also be reinstated when the lack of evidence has become so evident. There must be a
decision based on the Commission’s report which, though rather vague in that it did
not hold anyone responsible, did nevertheless recommend departmental action and other
forms of punishment including suspension. Did that not wrap up the investigation then, as
we were given to believe when the report came out? It is difficult to understand the
rationale behind the continued suspension of these employees unless they are still under
investigation. But it is not difficult to understand that these employees cannot be put in
a limbo perpetually because that will be an injustice on them. In these circumstances, the
ongoing sit-in at TIA is a natural response of employees who are concerned about their
fate. Although demonstrations and other protest programmes are not allowed in front of
TIA, the more relevant issue at hand is the future of these people who may just be
scapegoats in the making.
Government intervention has now become necessary. Either there should be
proof of culpability that will allow prosecution of implicated employees or all 27 of them
must be reinstated on grounds of insufficient evidence. The time to decide has now come.
The political fallout of the hijack may now have been resolved to the satisfaction of both
Nepal and India. It is also heartening to note that security arrangements at TIA are being
beefed up, but it is equally saddening to note that TIA employees who could very well be
innocent—at least the principle of law says that one is innocent until proven
otherwise—are having to suffer. If investigations are to continue, let them. But
then, what about the suspension orders which, by its indefinite nature, is costing many of
these people their livelihood? The Civil Aviation Authority as well as the government must
think about this seriously. For even as the guilty must be punished, the innocent must not
be victimized.
Other Stories
|
