Message to the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Anand Sharma

This message is for the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Anand Sharma, UPA Government, Opposition leaders, Members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, WIPO Member States, Chairperson, WIPO Coordination Committee, President of WIPO Staff Association and Staff Members of WIPO.

Since for the last two years, I have tried all available possible ways(registered mail, ordinary mail, emails, phones calls etc.) to convey my message to the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Anand Sharma seeking his personal intervenion to restore justice to me as I am a victim of Mr. Francis Gurry, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Geneva, Switzerland who terminated my contract on flimsy false allegations in the name of "strategic re-alignment of the organization". But all in vain.

Question arises why:
Simple reasons, I had raised my voice against the illegitimate and illegal practices (Long Short Term Contracts or Emnployment and others)in the World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva, Switzerland contrary to the standard labor laws exist in the United Nations Common System.

I am Ram Kishan Singh, an Indian national; Law Graduate from Delhi University, India had an opportunity to serve the World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva, Switzerland from February 1999 to Jan 2009, long period of ten years on short term ontracts. Please take a note 10 years continuously on Short Term Contacts, duration of the contract was 11 months and three weeks.

It is hard to believe that 10 and more years are treated as short term employment, but it exists in the World Intellectual Property Organization. Employees working on Long Short Term Contracts are deprived of family and children allowances, under paid (always, no job secruity etc. Along with others I found it illegitimate and illegal practice and had couraged to raise my voice against this practice and started demanding for regular contracts for all who were in the same situation for many years. Mr. Francis Gurry being a Program Manager to PCT and other departments (at that time more than 200 employees were on long short term contracts) taken it personally and had decided to terminate my contract on false allegations. On the behest of Mr. Francis Gurry, within six monhs period, all administrative manipulations and formaulatieis were executed to terminate my contract.

In advance, this issue was brought to the attention of Mr. Naresh Nandan Prasad, then Nodal Office to WIPO from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India (now Chief of the Cabinet to the Director General)and Mr. Swaspawan Singh, Permanent Representative to the Permanent Mission of India, Geneva (sisnce 2009, Consultant to Mr. Francis Gurry). In 2007 – 2008 on number of occasions in WIPO, this issue had been discussed with Mr. Naresh Nandan Prasad in the presence of Indian Officers and staff on temporary contracts working in WIPO. Mr. Prasad had agreed that many years can not be treated as temporary employment and had assured to me to discuss it with WIPO Management for regularization of contracts.

In December 2008, Mr. Prasad was in Geneva to attend a meeting in the World Trade Organization (in fact for his personal interest and not for the interest of nation) had assured me by email that the Ambassador, Mr. Swaspawan Singh has done the needful and soon positive news will be given to me. Before retirement in December 2008, Mr. Swaspawan himself had confirmed to me over phone that in the first week of January 2009 I will get my regular contract as agreed by Mr. Francis Gurry, DG.

To my surprise, on January 08, 2009 I received a personal letter from Mr. Francis Gurry that "WIPO does not need my services any more in future and my contract can not be renewed under the "strategic re-alignment of the Organization. Immediately, this was informed to Mr. Prasad and Mr. Swaspawan Singh (at that time he was in Delhi). But all in vail, as both had some manipulations with Mr. Francis Gurry. Since then I am struggling to get justice.

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By next week, some surprising facts will be brought to the attention of Government of India and WIPO Member States, WIPO Coordination Committee etc.to expose following:

1. Controversial appointments of Mr. Naresh Nand Prasad and Mr. Swaspawan Singh

2. Both for their personal benefits "employment in WIPO" helped Mr. Francis Gurry to be a Director General by putting the interest of India at stake.

3. One Senior Officer "Abused" the office of Prime Minister of India, to favor his loved ones.

4. What had happened with one Indian Sr. Officers during the last WIPO Assemblies.

5. Rules and regulations concerning to the foreign postings were flouted to favor Mr. Naresh Nandan Prasad.


Therefore, I seek your personal intervention to restore justice to me. I hope this time you will take it seriously.

Thank you,

Yours sincerely,

Ram Kishan Singh
+41 78 613 9599