Republished November 07, 2017 - 7:38 AM
Original Publication Date November 07, 2017 - 4:36 AM
BANGUI, Central African Republic - A company working in Central African Republic on a U.N. contract says it has fired a driver who took bribes to transport Muslim civilians to safer parts of the country amid rising sectarian violence.
Dubai-based ECOLOG International said Tuesday that it has terminated the employee implicated in the matter.
A U.N. document obtained by The Associated Press last month said Muslim civilians had been found aboard a convoy in August.
Others based in the town of Bangassou confirmed some had paid $100 each for a ride to the capital. Taking money from civilians for transport aboard U.N. convoys is forbidden by U.N. policy.
ECOLOG, which has a $53 million contract with the U.N. mission in Central African Republic, said it has increased its training of employees on U.N. policies.
"We have since strengthened our processes for educating all employees on U.N. policies, including individual commitment from our drivers to not carry unauthorized passengers and the serious consequences of non-compliance," said Pierre Die Chachay, Ecolog's Vice-President for Marketing and Communications. "Ecolog operates in some of the world's most challenging environments and we expect the highest ethical standards from all of our staff."
News from © The Associated Press, 2017