Africa human rights record shameful

By Mboneko Munyaga
24th January 2016
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Looked at from the standpoint of the failure to address rampant poverty, it can be rightly said that
the whole of Africa is one tragic pot of human and peoples' rights violation, defined here as any
act by the state or group of people that threatens the right to life.
Impunity in Africa is the order of the day, with the ever widening socio-economic gap leading to
even more political rights issues such as corruption, plundering of natural resources and freedom
of expression and association for which many governments respond with high handed measures
if not outright repression and blatant violation of human rights.
At its 57th ordinary session in Banjul, the Gambia last November, the African Commission on
Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), adopted recommendations from the forum of NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs), which showed troubling human rights concerns in 23
countries, almost half of the African Union (AU) member states!
The countries were: Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Burundi, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan,
Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, the Gambia (hosts), Angola, Lesotho,
Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic, Cameroon, and
Congo.
But, it doesnt mean that countries not mentioned in the NGOs report are better off. For instance,
of the five East African Community (EAC) member states, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda are
out but all the three countries also have serious human rights issues.
Tanzania for its part, has never taken serious measures to repeal or amend the 40 oppressive laws
identified by the commission of former Chief Justice, Francis Nyalali.
All the three countries have serious issues concerning police brutality, muzzling political activity
and not allowing level playing ground for all political parties. So, in reality, human rights health
in Africa is a very relative question.
It is fair to say the disease afflicts all countries and that Human Rights Defenders (HRD), who
include journalists, should double their efforts although theirs is indeed a very difficult job that
very often endangers their own lives.
The meeting also adopted four country review reports from Algeria, Burkina Faso, Kenya and
Sierra Leone. In the case of Kenya, HRDs want the country not to enact laws that barred NGOs

from receiving funding from abroad, ensure the safety of HRDs and accept requests for visits
from the ACHPR and UN Special Rapporteur.
Other issues concerned freedom of expression and the media, ensure access by Kenyans to
international human rights and criminal justice mechanisms and condemn and punish attacks
on journalists and other defenders of human rights.
If African countries truly be democracies, it is hard to imagine a government that would not
have as its top priority all the human rights concerns mentioned above.
In my opinion, human rights abuse should be recognised and condemned as the number one
enemy to human and economic development. No country can develop while run under a general
state of fear and almost medieval grip on power.
I think Africa should promote greater interaction and more movement of people across the
continent.
Many leaders tend to be despotic because they feel entitled to do whatever they want without
accountability to anyone, partly due the misconceived notion of non-interference in the domestic
affairs of other states.
Gladly, that notion is being challenged as the AU has resolved to send a peacekeeping force to
Burundi without even waiting for invitation from Bujumbura.
It is the way Africa should act more without any exception in the application of the principle.
For instance, a peacekeeping force could also be sent to economic and military power house
South Africa if xenophobic killings and attacks consistently target other Africans. If that is not
possible, Burundi should perhaps also be left alone.
East African News Agency
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
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