India is trying to resolve a crisis that began after seven Indian employees of infrastructure giant IL&FS were taken hostage by local workers in Ethiopia over unpaid wages.
Sources said that both sides are trying to resolve the situation on a priority basis which began on November 24. The crisis came to light after one of the hostages took to Twitter to spread information.
“We have taken this matter up on priority with both the Ethiopian authorities and IL&FS management with a view to resolve this expeditiously. We are doing our best to ensure a settlement of this matter,” said a source familiar with the issue.
Reportedly, IL&FS employees are being held hostage as the new management of the infrastructure giant is not allowing remittance of money.
“We are seven Indian employees from IL&FS who are under house arrest in camp by local staff in Ethiopia for the last seven days due to non-payment of local salaries,” said Sukhvinder Singh Khoker one of the Indians under house arrest in Ethiopia. He said that the Indians have also gone without salary for several months.
The Indian national sent similar messages on social media to several leading political figures including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
The seven employees under house arrest work for ITNL-Elsamex Jv Bure (a joint venture between IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd and Elsamex S.A.). Earlier reports had suggested that the Ministry of External Affairs had sought a detailed report on the case from the Indian embassy in Addis Ababa.
