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Siera Leone nurses strike over racism, sexual abuse in hospital searches

Some 100 nurses at an Italian-run Emergency Hospital at Goderich on the outskirts of the Sierra Leone capital went on an open-ended strike over what they claimed was racial and sexual abuse.

Waving placards which read "Don't touch our breasts", "Stop racism" and "Workers are not slaves", the strikers accused hospital management of instructing body searches on all workers to curb thefts.

Head of the nurses' union Christiana Kallon accused the Italian management of "constantly putting us under degrading conditions ... giving authority to security guards to search our panties and breasts for stolen drugs."

"What broke the camel's back was when orders were given for panties and breasts of all junior staff to be searched before we leave the compound," she said.

"We were molested to such a point that some of our colleagues were put in the nude to be searched for what they say were their material resources including fuel.

"They think our breasts are meant to pump in fuel!" she blasted.

Hospital coordinator Merja Hewitto promised to investigate the claims and said that "anyone found wanting will be disciplined accordingly."

She admitted it was normal routine for workers at the hospital to be searched but said it was always carried out in a respectable manner.

http://news.muzi.com/news/ll/english...shtml?cc=10540

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Agitate until we create a stable society that benefits all our people.
Instigate the nation until we remedy the injustices of society.
Motivate our people to set a meaningful path for coming generations.
Educate our people to free our minds and develop our consciousness

Mwongozi Cudjoe (Chedmond Browne)
Chairman of Free Montserrat United Movement