The Inter African Network for Human Rights and Development (AFRONET) having observer status with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, and currently coordinating and managing the Southern African Human Rights NGO Network (SAHRINGON) and participating in the 32nd Ordinary Session of the ACHPR, wish to bring to the attention of the Commission the Human Rights situation in the Southern African region.

The SAHRINGON through Afronet and representing human rights NGOs of the network and of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and;

Appreciating, the rich normative human rights protection system and framework that exist and the commendable role and efforts of the ACHPR in the promotion and protection human rights in Africa,

Note with deep and great concern the increase in human rights abuses in violation of the provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, which all states in the sub region have ratified.

SAHRINGON, through Afronet note not only the slow pace of democratic governance methods and institutions but also call on the African Commission to note the effect of those constraints on the human rights situation, manifesting themselves in the following rights violations:

Ø One, there is an alarming increase in HIV/AIDS infections and deaths as a result of the continuous inability of governments to ensure access to treatment and the un-affordability of drugs that will alleviate and ensure a healthy and longer life span for people living with HIV/AIDS. However, as a consequence most PWAs are left destitute and vulnerable to a hastened death. Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Swaziland are considered amongst the countries in the world, with the highest rates of infections.

Ø Two, the prolonged struggle for acquisition of land, as it has manifest itself in Zimbabwe and the unsuccessful land distribution policies as is the case with the willing –buyer- willing seller principle in Namibia where it has not yield the desired results and the majority of the disadvantaged people in Namibia still do not have access to land and therefore still remain largely vulnerable and poor, remain utterly wanting of our attention.

Ø Three, despite the prospects for peace, and the efforts by the government to secure lasting peace, we remain utterly concerned about the debilitating human rights situation left by the protracted and violent conflicts in Angola and the Democratic Republic Congo. The deplorable socio economic conditions therefore remain wanting and call for a humanitarian intervention from other member states, civil society and the governments of these two countries to restore these rights.

Ø Four, the ecological limitations and the dependence on agriculture has been the consequence of the continued increase in the problems of starvation in the region. Malawi, Zambia, Swaziland, Angola and Mozambique have all been hit hard by poor rains and as a result of the drought situation prevailing in those countries people have been without basic foods to sustain themselves since this crisis started.

Ø Finally, the continued hype around election irregularities, illegitimate governments and corruption are all symptomatic of the breakdown on the democratic governance processes in the region and Zambia, Zimbabwe, the third term issue in Malawi are some examples of these realities.

Within the framework of the African human rights protection system and the realization for an increase need to continuously set the agenda for African democracy as a network we request the African Commission and its Special Rapporteurs:

Ø To commend and urge the Heads of State and Governments to be more pro- active in dealing with issues relating to agricultural development and sustenance.

Ø To share and express our concerns to the governments of Southern Africa to delineate an increase commitment to human rights issues particularly within the spirit of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the aspirations of the NEPAD document.

Ø To call on all governments in Southern Africa to ratify and domesticate the Protocol on the Establishment of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, the Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the AU convention governing the specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa.

Ø To call on all the SADC governments to submit all it’s pending initial and periodic reports to the ACPHR.

Ø To submit and raise our human rights concerns at the next session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

Thank you Mr Chairman for this opportunity and the attention.
18/10/02