Nyojah Rogers Ali Adam has worked as an operations technician and operations manager in the Real Estate Department at the University of Oslo (UiO) for thirty years. In ten of these years, he was exposed to serious racist harassment from several colleagues, as he told news in December. “Damn monkey”. “Operation manager for negro work”. “Black stupid man”. Appellations. It is five years since he first came forward and told Universitas about the racism he was exposed to at UiO. But Nyojah Rogers still dreads going to work. Because he feels that he has been frozen out and punished for reporting. Headmaster: – Takes self-criticism After news wrote about the case, Headmaster Svein Stølen contacted Nyojah Rogers and said he wanted to say sorry. – It is important to say that we are very sorry that employees at the University of Oslo experience or have experienced racist or other types of harassment. It is not acceptable, says Stølen to news. UiO broke the law when they did not do enough to prevent the racist harassment Nyojah Rogers was subjected to, concluded the Equality and Discrimination Ombudsman (LDO) in 2017. The rector then issued a written apology to everyone who has been subjected to harassment at UiO, where Nyojah Roger’s name was not mentioned. But now the headmaster has apologized to him personally. – I can take self-criticism on that, I could have done that before. SILENT ON RACISM ISSUE: Svein Stølen is rector at the University of Oslo. Although Stølen has received permission from Nyojah Rogers Ali Adam to comment on his case, he does not want to say anything about it. Photo: Ragnhild Aarø Njie / news news has asked the rector a number of questions about how Nyojah Roger’s case has been followed up. They won’t he won’t answer. – I believe that it is not right as an employer to comment on or discuss individual cases and individuals, says Stølen. Nyojah Rogers: – Very disappointed Nyojah Rogers says he is very disappointed that the principal will not say anything about his case. – It is almost as if they are hiding. I can’t understand it. I have given them the freedom to comment. I want to hear what they have to say. We are in an open society. news asked UiO to be present when Nyojah Rogers was to receive the apology. UiO also said no to this. Nyojah Rogers feels that he has been punished for reporting. He says that the tasks and contact with colleagues are almost non-existent. FEELS DISCOURAGED: In December, Nyojah Rogers told news that he has been put away alone in a room without proper ventilation and with a lot of noise. He believes he is being punished for reporting racism. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae / news So for Nyojah Rogers, the apology has little meaning, unless it is followed up with action. – What has he done, concretely, to improve my situation? Zero. They have done zero. He feels shunned and trapped in the office, alone with his own thoughts. It makes it difficult to look forward to the future. – I don’t know if I can ever get back to a normal life. Has guidelines against harassment Rector Stølen is silent on Nyojah Roger’s case, but will talk about the work being done against racism at the university. Over 210 employees, most of them in management positions, have been sent to courses in equality and non-discrimination at LDO, he says. – I think we can always get better at everything we do. There will be few notifications. I hope that there are good conditions for people of all ethnicities at the University of Oslo. That’s what I want and that’s what we’re working towards. He also says that the university updated its guidelines against harassment in 2019. UiO’s ethical guidelines also state that racism is not accepted. – There has been much greater awareness among managers and among employees, says Stølen. Still hearing racist slurs Nyojah Rogers does not recognize that there has been “greater awareness” of racism at the university. According to him, employees with a minority background in the Real Estate Department constantly experience having racist insults thrown at them. Some of his colleagues told Universitas anonymously about this together with him in 2017. But Nyojah Rogers was the only one who complained about UiO to the LDO and came forward by name. – Some of them have quit. They have gone and not returned. I am one of those who have endured the longest.
ttn-69
– The apology is just for decoration – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
