CHOGM : Human Rights Agenda Set

by Jude Igbanoi published on December 9, 2003 in allafrica.com

Lagos

The National Human Rights Commission and Legal Resources Consortium in collaboration with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative organised a two day forum on Human Rights last week at Rockview Hotel, Abuja. JUDE IGBANOI was at the forum. Essentially designed as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting currently holding in Abuja, the forum drew participants from all the Commonwealth nations and Human Rights Organisations from member countries.

The opening was graced with the presence of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, GCON with Mr. Sam Okudzelo, Senior Advocate of Ghana and former President of the Ghana Bar Association.

In his welcome address, Managing Partner, Legal Resources Consortium, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda reiterated that the need to focus attention on human rights issues in Commonwealth countries. He reminded delegates from the 54 Commonwealth countries present, of the deplorable human rights condition in some Commonwealth countries and the need to take positive and affirmative action to redress the situation.

Alhaji Bukhari Bello, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission set the scene for the forum in his address. The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation represented by his Special Assistant Professor Akinseye-George unfolded before the delegates, the Ministry's national agenda on human rights in a keynote address.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria in his opening remarks commended Legal Resources Consortium and the National Human Rights Commission organizers of the forum for their initiative as human rights violations continue to be a cause of concern around the world. Maja Daruwala, Executive Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative gave the closing remarks signaling the formal opening of the forum.

WORKING SESSIONS

Presentations in this segment were made by Mr. Hanif Vally of the Commonwealth Secretariat UK, Mr. Richard Bourne of the Commonwealth Policy Study Unit, UK and Dr. Sam Egwu of AFRIGOV, Nigeria. They introduced participants to the Commonwealth in the context of the commitments made to human rights contained in its fundamental principles and declarations. It was chaired by Justice Uche Omo, Chairman Governing Council of National Human Rights Commission.

Another session was chaired by Mrs. Paschaline Fonuy Tar of Cameroon. Speakers included Layode Fayemi of the Centre for Development and Democracy and Mrs. Maja Daruwata of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, India. They spoke from the perspective of promoting democracy and development in the Commonwealth.

The afternoon session focused on the role of NGOs and national human rights initiatives in obtaining consensus on human rights issues in the Commonwealth. The chair for this session was Hon. Abdul Oroh, Vice Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights. Key presenters were Justice Emile Short, Chairman Human Rights Commission, Ghana, Mrs. Gugu Moyo of the Zimbabwean Human Rights Forum and Ambassador Segun Olusola of the African Refugee Foundation. The Zimbabwean situation engaged the attention of participants during this session, especially as it relates to its suspension from the Commonwealth. A very pathetic picture was painted by representatives of NGOs from Zimbabwe, Australia and Sierra-Leone of deplorable human rights conditions in those countries.

DAY TWO

The second day of the forum commenced with a session on setting and sustaining a human rights agenda for CHOGM and strategies for pushing forward the Forum's agenda. Speakers were Mrs. Rudo Chitiga of the Commonwealth Foundation, UK, Ced Simpson of the Association of Commonwealth Secretaries, New Zealand and Dr. Chemula Divine Bamda, Chairman of Cameroon Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms.

Being the very first of its kind in the Commonwealth agenda, the forum shows a lot of promise judging from the fact that almost all the Commonwealth countries were represented. However, whether CHOGM will accommodate the radical issues that the forum seeks to address is a matter of conjecture. Short of storming the CHOGM main assembly, the Human Rights Forum in a power communiqu‚ forwarded to CHOGM, an aggregate of the burning human rights issues which seem to cut across Commonwealth countries. The thrust of these issues were :

The need to de-professionalise human rights advocacy and get other professionals apart from lawyers actively involved in the various countries;

The need to see sustainable development in economy and democracy as the driving force in human rights advocacy;

Its regret that of the 54 Commonwealth countries, only 17 have National Human Rights Commissions;

The need for genuine cooperation between stakeholders, NGOs and governments in advancing human rights ideals;

The need to acknowledge the fact that though human rights issues differ from country to country, there is a common denominator;

The fact that human rights are universal though their application and implementation may differ from country to country.

Common human rights issues in most Commonwealth countries were identified to border on poverty, racism, immigrants and refugees, sustainable economic development, democracy and freedom of speech. The forum ended with a resolve to draw the attention of CHOGM to these fundamental issues willy-nilly. As would be expected of the ever radical and vibrant Nigerian human rights community, Nigerian delegates used the forum to advance their crusade against the refusal of the British government to repatriate the Abacha loot back to Nigeria even when Switzerland has done so, the continuous retention and pampering of the Liberian warlord Charles Taylor in Nigeria against the wishes of Nigerians and Liberians, the seeming lip service the Nigerian government pays to corruption and the right to self determination of the Niger/Delta communities.