DefendDefenders Newsletter - December 2018
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Wednesday January 16, 2019 - 19:50:17 in Wararka by
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Dear Friends and colleagues,
Happy new year! I hope you found time to rest, regain energy and spend time with your loved ones over the holidays, and that the new year started in a positive and confident manner. As we leave 2018 behind us, I wish to take some time to reflect on DefendDefenders' achievements and human rights activities over the past month – the month that commemorated the anniversaries of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs).
| In ourHuman Rights Day video, I stressed that HRDs are a part of a global movement, which I find immensely important to state as we enter the new year – as HRDs often experience isolation and defeat due to their human rights work. In December, we organised our annual flagship event,Claiming Spaces for HRDs, in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brought together more than 100 Kenyan HRDs with the aim to raise their capacity and improve their protection through networking and information sharing. At the event, opened by the Ambassador of Sweden to Kenya, H.E. Anna Jarfelt, we launched a report onMarginalised HRDs in Uganda, Kenya, and TanzaniaIt is vastly important to collect data and raise awareness about these vulnerable groups, as a baseline for further action to ensure their protection. The report presents practical recommendations to duty-bearers and relevant actors, which I hope you will take into consideration. I was honored to attend human rights events in Helsinki, Finland – on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – giving me the opportunity to raise the profile of HRDs in the East and Horn of Africa, and to meet with inspiring HRDs from all over the world. December accentuated that human rights challenges do not cease over the holiday. The critical political situation that blossomed in Sudan over the past weeks is a reason for concern, with human rights breaches steered by the authorities. On the other side, we saw the progressive human rights developments continue in Ethiopia, giving me confidence for the future of the country – which will be a focus for us over the course of 2019. I wish to reiterate DefendDefenders’ motivation and dedication to regenerate and enhance our human rights work in 2019. That said, human rights require joint actions and dedication, in which I look forward to work together with you all to enhance our impact and ensure the protection and promotion of HRDs. Are you ready to fight for human rights in 2019? We are. Yours sincerely, Hassan Shire Executive Director, DefendDefenders |
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Joseph Parsambei
Joseph Parsambei is the founder and Executive Director of the Tanzania Pastoralist Community Forum (TPCF), a network of organisations dedicated to theprotection and promotion of pastoralist and indigenous rights in Tanzania. As a lawyer, his outstanding human rights work focuses on forced displacement of marginalised communities, as well as addressing their lack of inclusion in the justice system. Joseph has devoted himself to cases concerning indigenous peoples’ and pastoralists’ land rights, as well as environmental cases. For more information about the human rights work of Joseph Parsambei, see thevideo interviewandour website. "They didn’t even want to arrest me – they just want to shoot me. This was because of my clear, frontline defence of my community. I do it to defend community and my own livelihood. I am a lawyer, I don’t run from the law”- Joseph Parsambei |
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DefendDefenders updates
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From our network: Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network (PAHRDN)
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| Updates from the sub-region |
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Burundi
As a part of the crackdown on civil society and theban on local and international NGOs, severalhumanitarian organisations are being forced to leavethe country. ABurundian court has acquitted three civil rights activistswho had been handed 10-year jail terms for undermining state security, their organization said on 27 December. Emmanuel Nshimirimana, Aimé Constant Gatore, and Marius Nizigiyimana, members of the campaign group Parcem, had been planning a human rights workshop when they were arrested in June 2017. "Justice has recognised that our colleagues are totally innocent," said Faustin Ndikumana, head of Parcem, who said the verdict was overturned on appeal.
Ethiopia
TheEthiopian defense forces (ENDF) allegedly shot and killed seven peoplewhile injuring many. There has been allegations ofextensive torture in detention centers, and human rights organisations have prompted the importance of the government to ensure accountability for human rights violations.
Eritrea The border between Ethiopia and Eritrea was partially closed by Eritreafor Ethiopian travelers as of late December, which was opened last year as a result of the reconciliation process between the two countries. Kenya In December, several incidents ofpolice and military harassment towards Kenyan environmental activistsoccurred, especially in Lamu county, with many being arbitrarily accused of having links to Al-Shabab. Thekilling of a young man resulted in human rights demonstrationsin Mombasa, protesting against the increased number of police killings of young people. Rwanda Freedom of expression which is still largely under attack in Rwanda, witnessed a positive turn as Diane Rwigara, an opponent of President Paul Kagame, wasacquitted of charges of inciting insurrection. Somalia/Somaliland Ismail Sheikh Khalifa, Chairman of an organisation-Human Rights Journalists and also a prominentjournalist, was seriously injured in a bomb attack. Attacks against journalists remains a serious problem in the country, illustrating the crackdown on freedom of expression and human rights. Over the past weeks,Somali security forces carried out systematic arrestsand opened fire on protesters in Baidoa. South Sudan The Media authority hasprevented South Sudanese media houses from covering Sudan’s protest, infringing on their press freedom rights.Sexual violence continues to be a major problem, carried out by official security forces – several human rights organisations and NGOs urged the authorities to investigate the violations. Sudan The political unrest escalated over the past month, and the government crackdown on public demonstrations has resulted in an estimated40 people being killed. Sudanese police andmilitary fired live ammunition and arbitrarily detained protesters, in addition todisrupting the Internet service, including social media, and censoring many newspapers. Tanzania AKenyan HRD was detained by Tanzanian authoritieswhile protesting for the release of a Kenyan trader. Uganda Ugandansecurity officers have been arrested for abducting Rwandese refugees. TheUnited Kingdom condemned the Ugandan Governments’ arbitrary arrestsand crackdown on civil society and protesters, especially the abduction and violence concerning Bobi Wine.Ugandan youth took to the streets to demonstrate UK's decision. |
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DefendDefenders seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders throughout the region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights. DefendDefenders focuses its work on Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia (together with Somaliland), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Visit us atwww.defenddefenders.org |
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DefendDefenders Newsletter - December 2018
Dear Friends and colleagues, Happy new year! I hope you found time to rest, regain energy and spend time with your loved ones over the holidays, and that the new year started in a positive and confident manner. As we leave 2018 behind us, I wish t