Earlier this year, leading international Human Rights organizations reported the purportedly illegal detention and mistreatment of a group of Somali asylum seekers in Ukraine. On January 19, 2012, Amnesty International (AI) announced that about 60 Somali nationals, including 20 children, went on a hunger strike to protest against their “pointless” detention, one of many in a row for some detainees, at the Zhuravichi Migrant Accommodation Centre in northwestern Ukraine. According to AI’s later reports, there were also 6 Eritreans among the protestors. The 60 Somalis are part of a larger group of 125 Somali citizens detained at the center since January 6th.  Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that around 80 of the Somalis notified UNHCR of their intention to apply for asylum in Ukraine and that the Somalis’ detention deprived them of the opportunity to file an application for a refugee status or appeal a rejection of their asylum applications by the State Migration Service.

AI believes that the detention of Somali nationals “for the purposes of deportation”, as stated in official papers, is pointless because according to records, no Somali or Eritrean citizens have ever been deported from Ukraine. AI stresses, “Everyone knows – the police, the ministry of internal affairs and the Somalis themselves – that they won’t ever be deported”. The reason is that Ukraine, as party to a few international conventions on human rights, is obliged not to return anyone to any country if there is a threat of serious human rights violations for the returnees. What usually happens to Somalis is that they are first detained for being illegally present in the country for up to a year, then released and given five days to reach the Somali embassy. Since there is no Somali embassy in the country, the former detainees are soon re-arrested and put in a detention center again for another year. HRW confirms this scenario for the majority of the detainees. AI concludes that since there is no prospect of deportation, detention “for the purposes of deportation” is “arbitrary and unlawful”.

What makes the situation even worse is that the Somali detainees maintain they were blatantly abused and tortured while at the detention facilities. For example, AI reports that some said “they had been placed in an isolation unit without a bed for several days, and that they received anonymous emails and phone calls containing death threats and racist abuse”. During the hunger strike, also according to AI, security forces attempted to end the strike by forcing the protesters to eat and filming them whilst eating. HRW points out that the Ukrainian authorities have previously been found responsible for torture under European human rights law by forcibly feeding detainees. It also adds that during the strike “a group of approximately 21 police officers, masked and armed with batons and tear gas,” came to the detention center to search detainees’ rooms and while searching hit some of the hunger strikers with batons. HRW sent a letter to the Ukrainian authorities urging immediate release of the detainees.

This case reveals a few of the many problems in the Ukraine’s legal framework and law enforcement. In a report in 2010, HRW found that “migration detention in Ukraine is often arbitrary and detainees do not enjoy reliable access to a judge or other authority, or access to legal representation to challenge their detention”. Besides, the report claimed that “asylum applications from detainees are frequently not processed”, “many claims are rejected as manifestly unfounded”, and that “a migrant or asylum seeker may be detained without any individual assessment of such necessity”.

Photo source: http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/news/2012/uk-supporters-ukraine-refugee-protest-picket-london-embassy-solidarity

First it looked unbelievable and yet very real when one of the local television stations during the 9:00pm o’clock news on 23^rd April continually showed scenes in which a police officer repeatedly squeezed the breasts of one of the opposition women leaders of Forum for Democratic Change. This was supposedly in an attempt to arrest and stop her from traveling to the venue where Activists for Change a political pressure group was re-launching their organization. It was this incident that has caused many well-known women activists and new ones as well to publicly protest the lack of respect in which Ingrid Turinawe, the survivor of the violence was handled. Many have summed it up as sexual assault and a brutal way in which any woman should never be treated.

Women activists however refused to be silent. The following day they mobilized and marched to the central police station in Kampala holding placards to protest what they called the police’s continuous brutality and demanded for the suspension of the police officer in question including the resignation of the Inspector General of Police for his apparent failure in handling peaceful demonstrations. Two of  the women striped to their bras as they informed the police of how they had brought  more breasts for them to press and squeeze if that was their new strategy of stopping them from peacefully assembling and expressing themselves. The behaviour of the police man in question has been regarded as humiliating by the minister of Ethics and similarly decried by other parties that have continuously called for respect of citizens’ right to free assembly. They also cautioned the opposition and civil society activists on remaining peaceful and within the confines of the law.

While Ingrid undergoes treatment for a swollen chest and a painful breast after the brutal handling, many Ugandans are locked in formal and informal debates about how far the government and the police will go just to stop the opposition. The incident happened at a time when a petition by the civil society leaders to the speaker of parliament is in the pipeline over what they have called ‘the systematic attempt by the state to use sexual assault as a political weapon’. In their plea, civil society leaders under the umbrella Uganda Governance Monitoring Platform want parliament to challenge all acts of brutality by men and women in uniform and also speed up the enactment of the Anti-torture bill, review the public order management bill and other bills attendant to the prevention of abuse of human rights.

Article 19 of the UDHR states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”. The ICCPR correspondingly reiterates the same in article 19 although in paragraph 3 it is mentioned of  how this particular right  carries with it special duties and responsibilities where it may therefore be subject to certain restrictions although shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary  for:

• Respect of rights or reputations of others;

• For the protection of national security or of public order or morals.

While I am certain the people behind these rights meant well, I fear it is these very restrictions provided for that could be abused especially by governments in young democracies like Uganda to meet their ends especially regarding freedoms related to information and expression through media.

The government three weeks ago tabled a bill which once passed into law would give the state legal powers to influence the content of what is aired and transmitted by all media houses. The new bill is intended to regulate broadcasting, telecommunication and postal service providers by creating a new body called the Uganda Communication Regulatory Body which in effect will disband the currently existing Uganda Communication Commission and broadcasting council. The proposed law would go a step further to tighten the process of acquiring licenses for radio and television operators. But more worrying for the state of media freedom in the country is the intention to hand to the government the power to control the operations of broadcast houses; for instance, for one to obtain a licence the bill sets a condition for the “provision of service on priority service to the government or specified organisation”. What this means is that government will make it a requirement that any broadcast house publishes its propaganda material or that of allied agencies as and when it deems fit. Another issue included in the bill is one related to prohibiting the publication of material which infringes on the privacy of any individual or which contains false information. The question which ensues is; what happens when “privacy” becomes an issue of public concern? The issue of slipping in a clause of false information and privacy has been often used by officials the broadcast council said and wealthy businessmen to silence critical reporting which could actually be true.

In 2004, the Supreme Court struck down the law against publication of false news, declaring it unconstitutional following a protracted appeal by two local journalists. The bill also hands down a fine of about 2 million Uganda shillings or a four year jail term upon conviction for anyone who intercepts government communication. While the proposal is silent about email communication, it worries journalists who for instance may report a story from a source who will not want his identity revealed about a curious radio communication issued by say the military. To sum it all, the bill is packed with just enough ammunition for state control, handing the government leeway to take full control of any communication station in Uganda for at least a year in the event of a state of emergency (as per article 101 of the constitution). Regarding private mail by post, the proposal hands the director general to examine the mail if the authority believes the article contains “prohibited subject matter” or items deemed threatening, obscene or of “grossly offensive character.” This has already attracted wide spread discontent as some people assert it as a gross invasion of privacy with intentionally vague wording to allow the authority free access to intercept individuals mail.

Yet another issue proposed is the mandatory registration of Television Sets (TV) by any person who owns one, failure of which elicits a fine not exceeding Shs 50,000/= or imprisonment for not less than one month. A media policy analyst found this rather unrealistic in county where TV coverage is still small with perhaps 20 people owning TV’s per every 1,000. Rather than encouraging people to acquire TV sets and access information, the fees would be a disincentive which deems this a poor decision taken. The contentious bill currently is before the parliament’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) committee awaiting scrutiny. However, this proposal shows how governments whose responsibility is to promote and protect such freedoms as rights to freedom of expression and opinion through in this case the media may go round to use certain clauses knowingly or unknowingly to their own end if not challenged.

By: Yossa Immaculate Daisy

International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrated every 8^th of March may have passed, but the opinions of listeners on one of the local radio stations I tuned in on that morning still lingers in my mind. For over 50% of the listeners to believe that the day is “not relevant” anymore but just another “public holiday” got me really perplexed, more baffling and saddening were the female voices who also thought so. It is then that I realized that even with all the information we have at our disposal, many people do not read and research; otherwise the genesis but more so the relevance of this day would not be questioned.

Recognized as a global day on which the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future are celebrated; inUgandait was made a national holiday 21 years ago. National celebrations often take place in a district carefully chosen by the government during which the general population is invited. It’s during this celebration that aside from the music presentations and drama/skits that characterize the day, many look back to examine milestones reached, challenges still faced and the gaps still existent regarding attaining gender equality, including the empowerment women. The theme this year of “connecting girls, inspiring futures” was thus timely in an era when girls strive to assert themselves in positions formerly classified as forbidden to them.

While we commemorated IWD which came at a time when Uganda as a country marked 50 years of independence, I took time to weigh the “pains” that the Ugandan woman still has to endure and the “gains” that have been made thus far as the government endeavors to create a gender equal society.

Gains

• The country has registered commendable progress in the area of political participation in decision making. The constitution ofUgandaguarantees gender balance and fair representation of marginalized groups. Article 33 of theUgandaconstitution guarantees women the right to affirmative action which action and policy extends to leadership of opportunities for women. In the current parliament, women make up 35% and women ministers also make up 35%. As a multi party democracy, a number of women are also actively involved in politics at party level and local councils from local council one to five in all districts of the country.

• Education is a basic human right and key to the empowerment of women.  Achieving gender equality in education in Uganda has been regarded as a human right. Benefits of education include; income growth, higher wages and social benefits which include reducing gender based violence, healthier and better educated families. The government of Uganda to this effect has enacted policies and actions to correct imbalances created by cultural and historical biases which disadvantaged women in the past. For example, initiating affirmative action for girls, introduction of Universal Primary and Secondary education  which have increased the enrollment of the girls in school and significantly reduced the gender parity gap in the education sector. A national strategy for girls education was also formulated which addresses gender issues especially those which cause girls to drop out of school.

• Specific legislations have also been enacted to offer an enabling environment for young girls and women to live free of violence and non discrimination. For example, laws on labour that promote women’s rights in the work place, including prohibition of sexual harassment; the succession act which allows for widows and widowers to inherit property of their deceased spouses and to enjoy parental rights over their children, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2010 which bans the practice of FGM, the Marriage and Divorce bill 2009 yet to be passed but currently re-tabled in parliament as cases in point.

• Great success has been made in reducing HIV/AIDS transmission at childbirth under the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme.

• Under expanding social protection, the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social development is currently providing direct income support in the form of senior citizen grants and a vulnerable family support grant for poor and impoverished households. The majority of the beneficiaries of this grant are older women without any other form of income security. The grant also supports these women to empower their granddaughters to access good quality health, education and sanitation services. These services are vital to their reproductive health and rights, human capital development, economic wellbeing and dignity thereby inspiring the girl child to effectively participate in and benefit from Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.

• In a bid to enhance women equality and development at the regional and global level, Uganda endorsed the protocol on the rights of women and the African Union solemn declaration on gender and equality. The country is also signatory to the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

• Employment of women in all key sectors of the economy has also greatly increased. Since independence, women have made breakthroughs in fields long considered outside their traditional roles as wives, mothers and caretakers. They are now in the fast lane of politics, business, media, academia, law, entertainment, sports among other areas.

Pains the Ugandan woman still has to endure:-

• Maternal Health Issues. Uganda is still one of those countries in which pregnant mothers are unsafe. Every day an average of 16 women die in childbirth which is approximately 5,800 deaths each year from causes like hemorrhage, infections, anemia, high blood pressure leading to seizures and prolonged labour (UDHS). Loosing 16 women per day puts Uganda far off the millennium development goal five of reducing maternal mortality to atleast 130 by 2015.

• Gender based violence. The Ugandan woman is still widely abused, molested, oppressed, exploited and marginalized in many different ways.

• Female genital mutilation. As a cultural practice it is an unnecessary cruel and inhuman treatment that young girls are coerced into, leading to death through bleeding, infection and disease, and difficulty during child birth. The practice continues to exist even with existing laws that criminalize the practice. Hopefully, it will be completely wiped out with the current policies and actions being undertaken.

• High drop out rate of the girl child from school. The enrollment through universal primary and secondary education may be high; unfortunately not all of them complete their secondary education.

• Child mothers due to cultural practices that marry off girls at a very young age, for instance 12 years in some regions. This is one of the worst form of abuse because those expected to protect them, parents, do not.

• Health service delivery. The eve of IWD here inUgandasaw women activists tie themselves with sisal ropes on trees for thirty minutes in solidarity with the mothers of children suffering from the nodding disease syndrome. However, in a way they were also protesting government’s failure to handle and manage the disease which has so far killed over 200 children from northernUgandaand yet its root cause remains uncertain. The tying of the ropes symbolized what the parents have to go through as they tie their own children to trees in order to have them in one place to stop them from falling and hurting and injuring themselves each time they fall. This gesture shows a severe gap in health service delivery by the government whose mandate is to ensure peoples right to good health and access to medical attention

• The rural woman still bears the brunt of domestic chores single handedly. Sadly, inspite of doing so much her contribution is not usually recognized and honored, and she often times is not assisted by her husband. The women also rarely access same resources like their urban counterparts.

To those who thought the 8^th of March was just like any other day and felt the day was not worth celebrating and was of no relevance, I ask you to look around. You will be dazed by what you see and hear.

First tabled on the floor of parliament in 2009, the bill was shelved citing “time constraints” and “controversial” clauses in the bill by sections of the public who said it needed re-examination. However, many women will have something to smile about when this bill is finally passed into law. Currently retabled in parliament, the bill intends to reform and consolidate the law relating to marriage, separation and divorce; to provide for the types of recognized marriages inUganda, marital rights and duties, recognition of cohabitation in relation to property rights, grounds for breakdown of marriage, rights of parties on dissolution of marriage and related matters. The intention is to address the gender issues therein that affect family and married women lives. Other key issues the bill highlights are:

• Abolition of widow inheritance which had become an acceptable practice among many tribes in the country. Yet, this practice not only abused the freedom of such women to choose freely the person of their choice with whom to relate but also put their lives at risk of acquiring diseases especially HIV/AIDS.
• Bride price made optional. In a society where almost all cultures and tribes value and require a payment of bride price set by the family of the woman. The practice has over the years become a source of domestic violence in families in which women are beaten and treated with no respect because of the belief and idea that she is “property” of the man because she was “bought”. Making it optional therefore and its purpose reviewed would contribute to reducing on the incidences of violence against women brought about by payment of this bride price.

When publicized in 2009, it was received with widespread approval as well as criticism at the same time by different people. For the latter, moral and cultural issues needed to be protected while the former viewed the bill as the best thing that could save the Ugandan woman from oppression in marriage and go along way to promote and protect her rights as a woman. There were also those sections of the population who just needed to be sensitized about the bill, its provisions and overall intentions.

In a patriarchical society that Uganda still is, protection of women continues to be a necessity for their own advancement and their families. The bill would go along way to curb and subsequently prevent domestic violence against women. This bill once made law would also complement the already existing domestic violence act, in a country where over 60% of women have been subjected to domestic physical abuse and over 30% suffered from sexual abuse according to research by the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. The bill I believe therefore intends to protect women and their rights, build stronger families and facilitate peaceful co-existence between women and men.

Over the past several years, cases against women violence have hit the air waves throughout the world. So much attention has been given to the issue, with several organizations being established to empower women against physical and emotional abuse.

In Kenya, it is no longer women alone who are abused but the men too. A few days ago stories about men being physically abused have been reported by several news stations. In African society a man being battered by the wife should be unheard of because as young African men they are socialized to be the head of the family to always be in charge. Hence it is not easy for one to come out in public and say that he was physically or emotionally abused because of the ridicule that such a situation carries with it.

According to statistics by Maendeleo Ya Wanaume, an organization established to fight for the rights of men, nearly 460,000 men are battered in Kenya every year, according to them this is an increase by 160,000 from previous records in 2009. It is said that this is only records for those that reported the incidents, many cases have still not been reported.

In Kenya central province, in particular Nyeri county it has been said that women physically abuse their men. In fact many of the cases that have been reported that hail from this particular region have had very severe cases of physical abuse against men reported. One man’s face was slashed by a machete and the individual had to undergo surgery. In another case reported a man had hot water poured on him by his wife. It has gone to the extreme that some men have gotten their private parts cut off by their wives due to anger.

The physical abuse towards men in Kenya according to many women is due to irresponsibility of most of the husbands and this is also attributed to alcohol and drug abuse. In Nyeri County, many men have become alcoholics over the past few years. It has become a menace, men drink all night and sleep outside, some never come home to take care of their responsibilities .There has been several demonstrations by women who are wives and mothers because of the high alcoholism rate among their husbands and sons. This problem has resulted to men being unreproductive; many women in this region are not having children because of the men. Violence inflicted on men in the region has created a social stigma towards women who hail from Nyeri county, many men fear getting married to them. It has created a negative stereotype against these women.

Violence against men is present in many countries, across many different cultures, societies and classes but is rarely reported. Many men suffer in silence because of the stigma that they may face.

The Maendeleo Ya Wanaume organization in Kenya is attempting to deal with the physical and emotional abuse against men by making it public that many men are being abused. The organization recently called upon all the men to boycott eating food in their houses for one week and eat in restaurants in support of violence against men.

Many cases that have been uncovered of violence and are reported are never taken seriously, it takes up to one month to arrest such women and let justice prevail. This is quite the opposite when it comes to cases of women violence that are reported, the law acts very fast in such cases.

Violence against men is a silent cry in most areas, men would rather die in silence than speak out. Every human being has a right to be protected against violence irrespective of gender, race or colour. It may be right to say then that enough is not being done to curb this vice against men, something should be done

By: Yossa Immaculate Daisy

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a cultural ritual practiced in a number of countriesUgandainclusive. In this part of the world, it is practiced in three main tribes of the Pokot, Sabiny and Tepeth all found in the eastern part of the country. It is one of those rituals “believed” to initiate all girls from childhood to adulthood. The practice is a form of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment that young girls undergo without their will and consent which puts their lives at risk.

Girls as young as 12 years once circumcised are married off to older men. Additionally, because of the way it is done, the practice is said to reduce or   worse still permanently terminate a woman’s sexual feelings during intercourse. Situations where girls die have also been brought to light from this process. These often times are through infections due to the rudimentary way of doing it and the unclean knives/blades used. Other causes of death have been instances where the victims loose too much blood and yet not given the necessary medical care. Unfortunately, this practice has persisted because of the cultural attitude of the people that does not value education for the women and therefore girls are unable to continue with school. The high levels of illiteracy among women and their poor economic status doesn’t make matters any better.

Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Day of zero tolerance to FGM on February 6^th.2012. The theme was “community approach, community involvement in the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation”. Through community involvement it is envisaged that peoples attitudes will change towards a culture that is supportive of the social and economic empowerment of girls and women, remarked the UNFPA country representative inUganda. It is similarly hoped that communities and leaders would realize that it is education not genital cutting that should be the new alternative for measuring the value of girls and young women. Once girls choose to go to school where they are able to get more information, in the long run they are in a better position to resist this practice. They become exposed to the realities and realize that FGM is harmful and ends their educational life.

Through dialogue by means of educating the very people who practice it to teach against it, some milestones are being reached in these communities inUganda. They make use of the very people who are part of such societies but have snubbed such archaic practices to talk about the dangers of FGM. Sensitization has also been another avenue through which the communities are reached. Through partnerships like the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Devolvement in Uganda and UNICEF, UNFPA as cases in point, support is given for community activism to accelerate FGM abandonment. Media campaigns and workshops with key stakeholders like community leaders, religious leaders, influential elderly women and former mutilators has seen much change in the practice through these people. Personal testimonies from those who opted not to undergo FGM have also worked to avert those who would have embraced this practice.

FGM is a practice that needs to be wiped out. It not only degrades a woman but restricts her from enjoying other rights that she is entitled to as a woman.

On the 29th of August, Birom Christians were recorded eating Muslims they had killed and roasted.

Christians reportedly converged on Muslims observing their Eid annual holy devotion. Christian youth surrounded the praying Muslims and attacked them.Alledgedly the youth burned nearly 60 cars, killing, roasting and eating the several of the Muslim victims.

There was no usual requested security at this particular venue, which is considered a necessity in the very polar town of Jos.

Zainab Usman, translating the video said: At a point as the flesh is being roasted, someone says in Hausa language “…ni zuciyan na ke so…” meaning: “I want the heart”, while another person goes further to ask “…ka sa gishiri?” meaning: “…did you put some salt”?

The crowd was visibly excited throughout the incident, as can be seen in the video.

There must be accountability and culpability for the actions of these youth.

These issues must be addressed be it by the government or community. Nigeria’s government is so entrenched in corruption and the personal usurping of Nigeria’s wealth, that they have left conditions beyond words as this incident demonstrates.

WARNING: The following videos contain extremely graphic content, viewer discretion is advised.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3GKm8ik4_o&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fresults%3Fsearch_query%3Dbirom%2Bchristians%26oq%3Dbirom%2Bchristians%26aq%3Df%26aqi%3D%26aql%3D%26gs_sm%3D3%26gs_upl%3D9409l13486l0l13949l16l14l0l9l0l0l266l1130l0.1.4l5l0&has_verified=1

Human rights are well regarded as those absolute fundamental freedoms to which a person is inherently entitled simply because one is a human being. The right to a peaceful assembly and association and right to freedom of movement are just a few of those rights as stipulated in Article 20 and 13 respectively of the UDHR.

 Uganda is one of the countries state party to the UDHR and the binding treaties of the ICCPR and ICESCR. To this effect, the 1995Ugandaconstitution carefully tackles within all the chapters and specifically chapter four is devoted to human rights.  These cover the civil political as well as social economic and cultural rights.

 While this earns the government a plus, the comprehension among Ugandans of their human rights let alone what human rights are is another subject altogether. While the elite may probably prove otherwise, the illiterate who make up over 50% of the population may show otherwise. The few translations of the constitution in the local languages hasn not made matters any better. How then can the general population hold the government in the respect of human rights accountable remains a paradox? It’s thus left to a few individuals who include lawyers, members of academia and other elite. Institutions like the Uganda Human Rights Commission and other International Agencies like Amnesty International and Human Rights watch come in to play a number of roles which range from supervisory, advisory, oversight and monitoring state obligations to human rights promotion and protection among other duties.

In the face of the hard financial times as we came to the close of 2011, characterized by skyrocketing prices of essential commodities especially fuel in Uganda, pressure group-organization Activists for Change emerged. The purpose was to mobilize the masses for collective action as a signal to the government to act. This was pushed by the government’s apparent laxity to get a solution to the high increase in fuel prices which affected almost every other sector of the economy and livelihood of the general population. A pressure group, comprised of members from different political parties mainly from the opposition, they launched the walk to work campaign. Through this drive, they urged citizens from all parts of the country to peacefully walk to work as opposed to using commuter taxis or their personal vehicles because of high fuel prices. The mass following the activists received during this campaign was seen as a security threat and an attempt to “overthrow the government”. Critics wondered how civilians walking to work unarmed would overthrow a government but more perplexing was how walking to work became a crime, as people were arrested for this act of walking to work. We wondered then what had happened to freedom of movement (Article 13 of the UDHR) especially in ones own country.

 Then came 2012- the economic situation hasn’t changed much. A4C which stands for Activists for Change as they are now popularly known thought of other means of educating the masses about the government’s role in the face of hard economic times. Through their networks, this time round they mobilized the masses to convene at different venues/locations for a peaceful talk and to dialogue about the issues affecting majority of them including corruption, inflation among other issues. As has been the case, the police first came out strongly to condemn the gatherings stating that they had not been notified. Even upon receiving written notifications, they said it was not enough as approval it was later learnt needed to be sought before they could go ahead. With knowledge of their rights, the activists did not give up as they continually stated it was their right to peacefully assemble and to associate.

 After a long rigorous process to convene as planned, the green light was finally signaled and a couple of the meetings organized were held successfully under tight security of the police. Critics then wondered what was wrong after all if all went on well. This was until, they were warned about the information that they pass across during the gathering which if not revised, the “associations” and “assemblies” would be stopped or even worse they would be held accountable. All these events have served to question the role of the state-in this case Uganda in promoting its citizens human rights, the rights to free movement and free association as well as protecting these same  rights.  Shouldn’t there be a meaningful system in place to guarantee citizens rights without being pessimistic and wiry of the opposition? InUganda’s case, the system may be in place but its role is yet to be feasible especially when seen through the lens of young multi-party politics.

By: Sule Muhammed Lawwal

Friday 20^th January, 2012 was a day that cannot be easily forgotten as Boko Haram struck the State Security Service (S.S.S) Head Quarters in Kano and other police stations in the state. The attacked was carried out by suicide bombers in cars who drove into the building, collapsing it. It was reported that only one out of the two cars succeeded in entering the building as the other was fired at with several shots. The driver was shot to death when he tried to escape. The attackers also entered the nearby police barrack disguised in police uniform and started shooting policemen and their family members killing several persons. The death recorded in the attack was estimated to be about 200 with a majority of them civilian passerby and bystanders.  The Street Journal Magazine in its online report published a letter written by Boko Haram to Kano leaders in 2011 August to warn them to cease persecuting its members and also to free those in detention or otherwise face an impending attack. Below is the content of the letter:

BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHIM
FROM: JAMA’ATU AHLISSUNAH LIDDAWATI WAL-JIHAD

TO:

1. DR. RABI’U MUSA KWANKWASO, GOVERNOR OF KANO STATE,

2. ALHAJI ADO BAYERO, EMIR OF KANO,

3. ALHAJI ABBAS SUNUSI, WAMBAN KANO AND

4. ALHAJI YUSUF MAITAMA SULE, DAN MASANIN KANO

ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAHATULAHI WABRAKATUH

Glory be to Allah and may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon the seal prophet (SAW).

The present security situation in Maiduguri, the continuously attack of security agents, ward heads, politician and the subsequent bomb blasts in some part of the country, including Force Headquarters suicide bomb attack, who is responsible and why?

Every one may say it’s unfortunate, uncalled for or what have you. But TRUTH IS SACRED AND WILL REMAIN THE TRUTH EVEN IF PEOPLE DON’T LIKE IT.

You all saw on AL-JAZEERA TV how unarmed men, youths, women, cripple and even under age were asked to lie on the ground and were shot on the head and chest by security agents. You all saw our leader MALLAM MUHAMMAD YUSUF with handcuff and shot severally. You all saw how both MASJID AND THE HOLY QUR’AN were being destroyed.

What is our crime? What damage have we caused or cost the Nigerian government? What led to our attacks in Bauchi, Wudil, Gombe, Yobe and Maiduguri two years back? Is sticking to the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Hadith a crime? Is funeral rite a crime?

The reasons are clear:

1. The Nigerian Government is a KUFUR system serving BOTH UNITED NATION (UN) AND CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN)

2. “We the Jama’atu Ahlisunnah Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad are MUSLIMS and are from the NORTHERN part of the country who spent eight years agitating for ISLAMIC STATE, STRIVING TO BRING BACK THE LOST GLORY OF UTHMAN DAN FODIO.  WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT? It is just to go back to the ways of our creator (ALLAH) where justice, discipline, good morals, love and care, peace and progress etc will prevail.

Having got the clear picture of what happened, it has come our notice that the present Police Commissioner, Director State Security Service (DSSS) and Ward Heads have jointly started arresting our members IN YOUR STATE (KANO) known to you or not, a situation which we will not take lightly by the grace of ALLAH. We want to make it clear that the country called Nigeria belongs to Allah; same thing Kano and we are SERVANTS OF ALLAH. Therefore our members should be allowed to stay where ever they wish. WE DID NOT TOUCH YOU; THEREFORE OUR MEMBERS (MUSLIMS) SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED.

These same security agents’ attitude made MAIDUGURI, which is known as home of peace before to be what it is today because they know it is not their home town. Therefore this UGLY ATTITUDE MUST be checked and stopped with immediate effect and all those arrested should be released immediately, otherwise, I SWEAR WITH ALMIGHTY ALLAH who created Heaven and Earth! Who Sent Prophet upon Prophets right from ADAM (AS) to MUHAMMAD (SAW)!! Who Sent down ATTAURAH, AL-INGIL, AZZABUR and the HOLY QUR’AN!!! We may be forced to DEPLOY OUR MEN TO YOUR STATE KANO AND MAKE IT WORSE THAN MAIDUGURI BY THE GRACE OF ALLAH.

This is exactly same open letter we wrote to the then president, Late Umaru Musa Yar’adua, security chiefs and the people of Borno State two years back, which they thought was a joke. TO ALLAH WHO MADE ME WE ARE NOT JOKING.

We appeal that you read this LETTER without prejudice for you to really understand the message we are trying to pass across.

May ALLAH grant us the understanding of the religion as preached and practiced by the prophets and their rightly guided companions.

It was reported that pleas from the leaders in replies to the above letter convinced the sect to restrain until last Friday before they finally attacked the city. They argued their members were still under attack in Kano.

Another online report by Nigeria Exchange states that the Boko Haram was founded by Muhammed Yusuf (1970-2009) in 2002 in Maiduguri in Borno state. The sect leader argued that western education should be avoided and this led to his eventual expulsion from preaching in two mosques. In the first seven years of its existence, the sect was peaceful in its activities until 2009 when members who were going to bury their dead were stopped on the road by a security agent for not wearing helmets which were mandatory for motorcyclists in the state. The members were shot as they tried to resist the securities, no death was reported.  Muhammed Yusuf made a statement that proclaimed that since they were no longer secured as members of the state, they would henceforth commence protecting themselves.

A few days after his statement, violence broke out in Bauchi state and it was reported that members of the sect were involved. The violence spread to Maiduguri and the government of the time under President Umar Musa yar’adua gave the order to deploy police and military. The sect members had no access to sophisticated weapons and were extra judicially killed by the police as reported by Aljazeera and several other news agencies. The sect leader was also arrested by the army and handed over to the police who later killed him. His in-law Baba Fuggu reported himself to a police station and was also killed. His family members were later compensated by the state with N100, 000,000.

The sect went underground for a while only to return more sophisticated, killing several persons in and outside Borno state. They attacked people who they believed to have betrayed them in the state and also Muslim clerics who preached against them. They attacked Christians as well.

People now blame the sect members without actually looking at what instigated these sinister attacks. In Nigeria, there are so many religious group that preach several ideologies and deviations from the conventional preaching of Christianity and Islam but were normally not taken seriously because their activities pose little or no threat to the country. It was reported that Boko Haram preached against the theory of Evolution by Charles Darwin which they believed is against the Islamic teachings of human creation by Allah and also preached against those who become atheist on attaining some level of western education. They propagated the establishment of schools where learning would be in line with Islamic teachings. Below are the activities of the sect reported by Nigerian Exchange:

 Timeline of Boko Haram attacks and activities

• January 2012: Boko Haram launches bomb attacks and heavy gun battles in Kano targeting the police headquarters. Over 150 people reported killed.
• January 2012: President Goodluck Jonathan says Boko Haram has infiltrated government, including the executive, national assembly and the judiciary.
• January 2012: President Goodluck Jonathan declares a state of emergency in 15 local government areas in Borno, Yobe and Plateau states and also orders the closure of Nigeria’s land borders in the north.
• December 2011: Christmas Day bomb attack on Saint Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger state, near Abuja. One policeman is killed in a failed bomb attack on a church in Jos, Plateau state.
• November 2011: Boko Haram announces that it will not hold talks with the government until all members of the sect, who have been arrested, are released.
• November 2011: Series of bomb and gun attacks in Yobe and Borno states
• September 2011: Babakura Fugu, brother-in-law to late Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, is shot dead two days after attending a peace meeting with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. Boko Haram denies any involvement in the incident.
• August 2011: UN headquarters in Abuja is bombed. Boko Haram claims responsibility for the suicide bomb. 23 people killed.
• July 2011: Federal government states that it will create a panel to initiate negotiations with Boko Haram.
• August 2011: Federal government rejects negotiations with Boko Haram.
• June 2011: Muslim cleric critical of Boko Haram, Ibrahim Birkuti, is shot dead by two gunmen on a motorcycle.
• June 2011: Police headquarters in Abuja is bombed
• May 2011: Bomb attacks in several states after President Goodluck Jonathan’s inauguration
• December 2010: Attack on Army barracks in Abuja.
• December 2010: Bombings in Jos, Plateau state and Maiduguri,Borno state kill about 80 people.
• December 2010: Governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Borno state and seven others shot dead by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members
• September 2010: Boko Haram members attack a prison in Bauchi and freed hundreds of prisoners, including about 100 members of the sect.
• July 2009: Boko Haram attacks Maiduguri police stations. Hundreds are killed
• July 2009: Mohammed Yusuf, leader of Boko Haram, is captured by the Nigerian army and handed over to police. He is found dead later and the police claims he was killed while trying to escape. Residents and human rights groups claim that he was assasinated.
• June 2009: Boko Haram members refuse to follow a motor-bike helmet law. Clashes with joint military and police occur, and 17 Boko Haram members are killed. Mohammed Yusuf releases a video recording to the president where he threatens revenge attacks.
• 2007: Buju Foi, an influential Boko Haram member,is appointed by Borno state governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, as commissioner of religious affairs.
• 2002: Boko Haram is founded

The style of attacks employed by the sect is guerrilla warfare and their enclaves are very hard to find. The government may attempt to quell the violence through dialogue or otherwise crack down on the sect which will ultimately take more lives. Whichever the approach, the government of Nigeria should be pro-active in engaging such groups in dialogue. It should initiate a policy of total re-orientation. There is a need for the provision of employment opportunities and there also needs to be a re-evaluation in regards to human rights to nip the escalation of violence in the bud.

By: Sule Mohammed Lawwal

The week long strike by the Nigerian Labour Union ended on Monday 15th
January, 2012. Exactly one week after the strike started the negotiation between the labour union and the government ended with N97 as the new price for P.M.S.

The leader of the labour union Adulwaheed Omar announced the suspension of the strike, also requesting the release of those detained as a result of their involvement in the protest.

The week has come and gone but the memory will remain indelible in the minds of many.

Those who lost a family member and those injured will not quickly
forget it.

Some families of those lost in the protest had already declared they are
leaving justice for God, while the D.P.O who was involved in the killing of
Ademola Adetirin in Lagos is said to be in detention already.

Technological advancement has really helped to improve the safety of human
rights as several abuses were captured on phones and cameras by bystanders.
It’s a great development in the report of human rights abuse around here.

The creation of awareness by local media in native dialects will go a long way to
also encourage non-violent protest and the training of the police in community
relation and social involvement.

http://voiceforhumanrights.org/opinion/

By: Sule Muhammed Lawwal

The Nigerian Labour Congress (N.L.C) commenced its proposed strike against the government removal of fuel subsidy, 9^th January, 2012.

The strike is dominated by general protests for rights in the capital city and the entire nation of Nigeria.

The protesters are not the poor masses alone but musicians, writers, ex-government officials and law makers.

The subsidy is said to be ill timed even if its intention is for the growth and development of the country.

The labour leader, Abdulwaheed Omar announced that six persons were killed in Maiduguri and three in Lagos totaling nine in total. Abdulwaheed Omar stated that it is wrong for things like this to occur in a democratic nation.

In an earlier protest, two persons were killed in Kwara state including Muyideen Mustapha, a student who just concluded secondary school at Command Secondary School, Maitama and Abuja.

Arrests and detention of activists and the masses have been continuing as the protests rage.

Critics argue that the subsidy removal should have come when the refineries in the country were working. Domestic refining of crude oil is at a maximum and proposed private refineries are near completion to reduce its impact on the masses.

Many Nigerians view this newly enacted policy as cruel and against their rights as citizens of Nigeria and an oil producing country.

By: Sule Muhammed Lawwal

On 31 Saturday, December, 2011 the community of Ezillo was attacked by a neighbouring village named Ezza.

The village of Ezillo was invaded by gunmen around 5:00 in the morning taking the villagers unaware.

Several houses and cars were reportedly burnt down and several people were wounded and are now receiving treatment in hospitals within and outside the state.

Over fifty persons were confirmed dead in the attack including women, children and  a police Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) in charge of the police station in Ezillo.

The dispute was reported to have started in 2008 and was thought to have been resolved through negotiation until recently.

Both the villages of Ezillo and Ezza are located in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

Numerous families lost their relatives in the attack.

One victim lamented his entire family was wiped out along with his certificates burnt along with their home. He claimed several bodies and stranded persons were still in the neighbouring bushes.

http://voiceforhumanrights.org/opinion/

The sister of Feroz Ahmad Malik mourns his death as the funeral procession makes its way through the city of Srinagar. Feroz was killed when authorities indiscriminately opened fire on the city. His death led to massive protests in Srinagar.

The summer of 2010 produced Pakistan’s worst flooding in 80 years. More than 1,500 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been stranded by the flooding.

Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest to the confiscation of his wares and constant harassment by authorities. Bouazizi’s death became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution inciting demonstrations and riots throughout the region in protest to social and political issues. The public demonstrations eventually led president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali  to step down on 14 January 2011, after 23 years in power.

Officials in protective gear check for signs of radiation on children who are from the evacuation area near the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant in Koriyama, Japan, following the earthquake and tsunami in March.

Bibi Aisha an Afhan woman was disfigured after fleeing her husband’s home. Aisha’s father promised her to a Taliban fighter when she was 12 years old and she was married at 14. After being abused by her husband’s family, she fled to her parents home. In the middle of the night a group of men showed up at her parents house and forced them to give her up. The men took her into the mountains and cut off her nose and her ears, leaving her to die. Aisha was rescued by and taken to a shelter run by the aid organization Afghan Women For Women.

Police spray Ugandan opposition party leaders with colored water during demonstrations in the capital Kampala. President Museveni, in power for 25 years, accused the opposition of trying to spread chaos to avenge their defeat in February’s disputed presidential elections. The tactic of spraying paint at protesters is fairly common in Uganda, spraying protesters a distinctive color makes it difficult for people to escape the authorities.

A student demonstrator is punched by a police officer while participating in a protest in Chile. The student demonstrations in Chile began as a protest over the costs, profits, and fairness of higher education. They continued to attract other segments of Chilean society venting frustration over wages, health care, and other issues.

Pamphlets are hurled by workers and teachers of public education toward congressmen during a protest against a new law on public education during a session of the Chilean congress in Valparaiso on April 20, 2011.

The worst drought in 60 years hit the Horn of Africa region in 2011. Thousands of Somalians fled their homes in search of water, food and aid. Mihag Gedi Farah, a seven-month-old child, is held by his mother in a field hospital of the International Rescue Committee in the town of Dadaab, Kenya.

Women flee the bombing at Oslo. Anders Behring Breivik was the orchestrator behind the pair of attacks in Oslo that killed at least 92 people. Brevik left behind a detailed manifesto outlining his preparations and calling for a Christian war to defend Europe against the threat of Muslim domination.

Occupy Wall Street began September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City’s financial district. The movement has since sparked Occupy movements in numerous cities across the United States and the world. The protests are against social and economic inequality, high unemployment, greed and corruption. The slogan of the movement “We Are the 99%” refers to the growing disparity in income and wealth between the wealthiest 1% and the rest of the population in the U.S.

After a peaceful demonstration at UC Davis, a video spread of an officer in riot gear blasting pepper spray into the faces of seated protesters. In the video, the officer a member of the university police force, sprays the seated students in a sweeping motion while walking back and forth.The incident incited a massive public outcry.

The national security team receives an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House on May 1. Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011 by a United States special forces military unit.

On 17 February 2011, major political protests began in Libya against Gaddafi’s government. By March of 2011 the country had descended into civil war. A rebel fighter celebrates as rebel forces fire a rocket toward the positions of troops loyal to Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi.  On 20 October 2011, Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebel forces in his home town of Sirte.

Sources: Buzzfeed.com, Global Post

RWANDA.— Former mayor Gregoire Ndahimana, who was one of the most wanted suspects in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes against humanity and genocide.

“The chamber … found Ndahimana guilty of genocide and extermination by aiding and abetting as well as by virtue of his command responsibility over communal police in Kivumu,” the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda said in a statement.

He was mayor of Kivumu at the time when the Nyange church was bulldozed and 2,000 Tutsis who had been seeking refuge there were killed.

The court argued the slaughter “reflected broad coordination” among several groups.

Militia, police, civil and religious authorities alledgedly participated in the massacre in bulldozing the church.

Ndahimana had been eluding authorities for nearly 15 years until 2009 when he was captured in the Congo.

“The conviction of Mr. Ndahimana is of particular significance, because as mayor of Kivumu he had authority over the police, and yet failed to prevent the massacre of more than 1,500 people who sought refuge and protection,” the US State Department said in a statement.

Ndahimana is the third person that has been tried and convicted by the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for the killing at Nyange.

UGANDA.— Enock Nsubuga has been sentenced by a Ugandan court for the brutal murder of gay rights activist David Kato.

The 30 year sentence was passed down by Justice Joseph Mulangira after Nsubuga admitted to have murdered David Kato.

Before he was murdered in January, Kato had been featured in an anti-gay tabloid, The Rolling Stone.

Kato’s name and photograph were included in a list of the African nation’s “top 100 homosexuals.” The front cover of the magazine read “Hang Them” with a picture of David Kato in the background.

According to Kato’s lawyer, the activist had feared for his safety prior to his death, even alerting authorities about his concerns.

Enoch Nsubuga, 22, said that he attacked Kato after Kato made sexual advances towards him.

According to Nsubuga, Kato promised to pay him money for having sex with him.

Nsubuga told authorities that he became upset when Kato did not pay, he then took a hammer from the bathroom and beat Kato to death.

Kato’s twin brother John Mulumba Wasswa said that he approved of the sentence.

“It was obvious that he was responsible … I did not expect anything else to happen,” Wasswa said.

The case drew worldwide condemnation and concern for gay rights.

Homosexuality is illegal in most countries in Africa. In Uganda, homosexual acts are punishable by anywhere from 14 years to life in prison.

According to rights activists, few Africans are openly gay, fearing imprisonment, violence, and discrimination.

KENYA.— Two people were killed and five others injured when several grenades were thrown into an eastern Kenyan church.

Rev. Ibrahim Makunyi, the head of the church, said the house that belonged to an church elder near the entrance of the church had been bombed.

The pastor said the first grenade did not explode but the second one did, killing a seven-year-old boy and another church member.

“I thought it was an electric fault, but when I rushed to the scene, I found the injured writhing in pain while one of those killed lay in a pool of blood,” said the pastor.

“One of the dead is a member of the choir, and the other is the son of the church elder,” Rev. Makunyi said.

One of the victims died at the scene, the other was taken to Garissa Provincial General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Those injured were rushed to the provincial hospital where they are currently undergoing treatment.

Mary Nginya said that after the explosion she heard attackers say “It is just the beginning,” in Swahili.

Authorities have begun an investigation, no arrests have been made.

Charles Owino, the national police deputy spokesman, said that “those responsible for the attack could be [religious] rivalry” since Garissa is a predominantly Muslim town.

Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula condemned the attack saying it further validates Kenya’s military operation against Somalia’s Al-Shabaab militants.

“The attack should serve to convince anybody who had questioned our operation in Somalia that there is need to fight extremists within the region, even as we call for thorough investigations, it is almost certain who is behind the attack,” Mr Wetang’ula said.

Source: allAfrica

ANGOLA.— At least two dozens protestors were arrested after a protest turned violent in Luanda, Angola. The detained demonstrators are reportedly being held incommunicado, their whereabouts are unknown.

The protest was organized  by a youth movement, the youths were unaffiliated with any major opposition parties.

Reportedly, the protest ended when the police began beating protestors.

The protesters had gathered in Luanda’s Independence Square to call on President José Eduardo dos Santos to step down after 32 years of rule, news reports said. Police then allegedly began to attack the demonstrators after a group attempted to march to the presidential palace to demand the release of Pandito Nerafa, one of their leaders who had been abducted at gunpoint earlier that day by security forces.

According to bystanders the Angolan security forces also attacked several journalists covering the demonstration.

The journalists attacked were identified as Alexandre Neto, a journalist with the Portuguese radio-service of Voice of America, cameramen Hugo Ernesto and Nicolau Chimbila of Portugal’s state broadcaster RTP, and reporters Coque Mukuta of Radio Despertar and Ana Margoso of Novo Jornal.

Neto told the Committee to Protect Journalists that police and unidentified men in plain clothes pushed him down, and took his bag which held his cell phone, camera, passport, and driver’s license, the items were not returned.

Security agents also attacked Portuguese journalist Antafnio Cascais, as he was leaving his hotel to walk toward the demonstration. Local journalists claim the agents knocked Cascais to the ground, searched his pockets, and confiscated a digital camera and two phones.

CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita made the statement, “We condemn the security forces’ use of violence and intimidation to prevent journalists from covering anti-government protests. The authorities must return all confiscated journalistic material and pay compensation for damaged equipment. They should also hold to account all those responsible for the violence against the media.”

Human Rights Watch claims the attacks on journalists appear to have been an organized attempt to prevent media coverage of the violent crackdown.

The protest was the second time since March that Angolan authorities have used violence to stop journalists from covering public protests calling for democratic reforms.

Source: All Africa