Some workers have already started to receive their terminal notification letters since last week.
‘'Some local and international staffs have already received their separation letters and the process is still going on,'' Tribunal's Spokesman, Roland Amoussouga told Hirondelle News Agency without giving further details on the exact number of those who have already received their letters.
He said a total number of 349 staff members have been earmarked for separation from both, the Kigali and Arusha offices, leaving the UN court with 693 staff by the end of September.
‘'This is to inform you that your fixed-term appointment with the ICTR will not be extended beyond its current expiration date of 30 September, 2009,'' a letter signed by Georges Kabore, Chief of Human Resources and Planning Section, reads in part.
A copy of the letter which Hirondelle was in possession of categorically stressed: ‘' Fixed-term appointment does not carry any expectancy of renewal or of conversion to any other type of appointment.'' It also asked those earmarked for retrenchment to report to the Human Resource Section at least two weeks before 30 September to complete check-out formalities.
‘'The shop is closing and our hands are tied,'' remarked the ICTR Staff Association President Optatus Nchimbi when asked to comment on the issue.
The United Nations Security Council ordered the Tribunal to close its business by December, 2009 but ICTR President, Judge Denis Byron last month asked the Council to extend judges contracts and increase four more judges for the Appeal Chamber so that the completions strategy could be smoothly accomplished.
About 11 cases involving 24 accused are yet to be disposed off and most of which are in the stage of drafting the judgments, five cases are on trial stages and 13 fugitives are still on the run. It is expected that several judgements will be delivered between now and mid next year.
NI /SC/GF
© Hirondelle News Agency