Having listened to the reports of various human rights organisations in the East and Horn of Africa, we, more than 100 delegates from 17 different countries* to this international human rights defenders conference, have agreed to make the following appeal to the governments of Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia, relevant representatives of civil society and other concerned actors to make every effort to improve the disturbing state of human rights in the region:
The ’Civil society at a crossroads: Sustaining human rights organisations in the East and Horn of Africa’ conference has brought to the surface cases of murder, torture, harassment, unjustified interrogation, expropriation of assets, travel restrictions and violations of the rights to privacy, all against human rights defenders in this region. We note that women’s rights defenders, and defenders of minority rights, including religious, ethnic, disability and sexual rights, are targeted and thus in need of particular protection. Arbitrary interference in the activities of human rights organisations and harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders must end. We call upon the governments in question to respect every citizen’s right to be a human rights defender. This right includes, among others, the right to freedom of expression, assembly, association and movement.
In addition, the conference has noted the following country-specific human rights violations:
· In Somalia, in recent months, harassment of the media and human rights defenders, and extrajudicial killings of unarmed civilians in Mogadishu and surrounding areas have increased to reach unprecedented levels. We are deplored by the many attacks on journalists and media institutions, including yesterday’s indefinite closure of Shabelle radio. We urge the international community to contribute to bring peace and stability back to Somalia and the region at large. Furthermore, we demand that all perpetrators of human rights atrocities are brought to justice and that all victims are compensated.
· For the Sudan, and with particular reference to Darfur, we demand that the gross violations of human rights must end. The named perpetrators must be surrendered to the International Criminal Court and brought to justice. We call upon the Government of the Sudan to fulfil its international obligations and cooperate with the international community in its attempt to make the Sudan comply with international standards of human rights. In addition, every effort must be made to prevent the current crisis in the national unity government from deteriorating into a resumption of the conflict in the Sudan. The National Security Forces act and all other legislation that remains in conflict with the national constitution and international human rights standard must be amended.
· With reference to Uganda, acts and clauses restricting the rights and freedoms of civil society in general, human rights organisations in particular, must be lifted. In addition, we demand that every effort is made by all parties involved to keep the peace process in the north progressing, but that a holistic approach is further developed and applied to meet also the victims’ longterm interests.
· With regard to Ethiopia, we demand that all political prisoners, prisoners of conscience and imprisoned human rights defenders be released immediately and unconditionally. In addition, the perpetrators of human rights violations, including those responsible for the killings after the 15th of May 2005 election, must be brought to justice. As an equally urgent matter, the conflicts in Oromia, Ogaden, and other parts of Ethiopia also need peaceful resolutions.
· With reference to Eritrea, we demand that the government respects international covenants. In particular, we require that the security and working conditions of human rights defenders, including journalists, are fully respected and that the restrictions on their freedom of expression, association, assembly and movement are lifted.
· For Kenya, we refer to the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights’ recent report and demand that the police forces’ excessive use of violence, including the documented killing of several hundred young men in recent months, must be properly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.
In conclusion, we hail the struggle of human rights defenders and organisations throughout the region to protect and promote human rights. We thank the organisers and the sponsors of this conference.
* Belarus, Bosnia Hercegovina, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, and the UK.
