The Civil Liberties
Organisation (CLO) South East Zone joins the rest of the world and human rights
community to mark this year’s Human Rights Day.
For the records, Human
Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December. It commemorates the day on
which, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. In 1950, the Assembly passed resolution 423 (V),
inviting all States and interested organizations to observe 10 December of each
year as Human Rights Day.
The theme for this
year’s celebrations is tagged “Stand up for someone's rights today”. This
year, Human Rights Day calls on everyone to stand up for someone's rights!
Disrespect for basic human rights continues to be wide-spread in all parts of
the globe. Extremist movements subject people to horrific violence. Messages of
intolerance and hatred prey on our fears. Humane values are under attack.
The United Nations
Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon while talking on the theme said:"Upholding
human rights is in the interest of all. Respect for human rights advances
well-being for every individual, stability for every society, and harmony for
our interconnected world .We must reaffirm our common humanity. Wherever we
are, we can make a real difference. In the street, in school, at work, in
public transport; in the voting booth, on social media.
UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in his own comment said:
"It’s time for each
of us to step up for human rights. There is no action that is too small,
wherever you are, you can make a difference. Together, let’s take a stand for
more”
For us in Nigeria and
the South East in particular, the day calls for serious concerted efforts to
reawaken the zeal and spirit of activism and conscientious objections on the
need to hold governments accountable. For those in government to realize that
they are not doing the masses any favour by doing those things they were
elected to do in the first instance.
Nigeria under President
Buhari is experiencing the worst economic situation otherwise called recession
in the annals of the country’s history. Things have gone from bad to worse but
Mr. President and his people in government are still insulated from the harsh
realities of the situation.
There is no economic
direction or blueprint while the country is going down in every indices of
development. Unfortunately, while this administration is most loathed, the
power brokers and party machinery are not even interested in making amends,
rather it has been a situation of ‘we must rule you by force’ going by the kind
of ‘war’ often unleashed on the electorates at any of the staggered elections held
so far in Edo, Ondo and rerun slated for Rivers today.
The kind of killings
perpetrated so far under this administration is mind boggling while the
disrespect to the rule of law and court orders has reached its apogee. The
continued incarceration of Citizen Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB members is a sore
numb that will not only mar whatever goodwill the Buhari administration might
garner but will end up leading to somebody’s albatross someday.
The South East
remains the most marginalized geopolitical zone in the country. The
recent release of the Police recruitment exercise, the allocation of capital
projects for the zone in the 2016 fiscal year among others are all indicative
provocative statement that the zone is a conquered territory and will remain so
for a long time in the future.
The governors of the
five South East States are also not helping matters. Their non-unification in
speaking with one voice towards achieving regional development and breaking the
chains of oppression from the central government is quite pathetic and
unfortunate.
Some of the governors
are also trying to make impact in governance while some among them still give
us a scenario of “the more you look, the less you see ‘ and the ‘abracadra’ of
governance by media hype, lies and half-truths.
Rochas Okorocha of Imo
has been sending cold shivers down the spine of Ndigbo based on his governance
style of ‘build and destroy to begin again’. Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi
Ugwuanyi of Abia and Enugu States can be said to be finding their levels after
19 months in the saddle.
Chief Willie Obiano of
Anambra State represents the pack of those who are rated the best from outside
based on his packaging but on the inside it’s a mere ridiculous dance in the
name of governance if not for the hype of those who are benefitting directly or
indirectly from his government.
Of serious issues in the
administration of Obiano is the return of the state to borrowing status, non
tolerant of criticism or divergent opinions, returning the state to the
crippling of local government system, haphazard attention to issues of
environment, proliferation of arms and gun culture, excesses of Ocha Brigade,
menace of revenue touts, litany of abandoned road projects among others.
The police in South East
most especially in Anambra have continued in their tradition of cash and carry,
astronomical bail fees, multiple toll collection check points and recruitment
of jobless youths in blocking Okada riders for arrest for a fee among others.
Case of torture still
abound from various detention centres of the military, police, paramilitary,
vigilante and all other quasi enforcement groups.
The Enugu Electricity
Distribution Company (EEDC) has been distributing darkness instead of providing
light. The deliberate hoarding of prepaid metres and continued resort to
estimated billings makes the company the most exploitative firm in the public
service realm.
There is a long way to
go for the redemption of our country, our region and our states. There are also
specific roles expected from all of us at every sector and strata if we are to
make a positive difference.
It is not enough to
bemoan our collective fate while docility pervades the entire space. It is a
call for us to stand up for what we believe in and work to make a difference.
Mahatma Gandhi aptly
admonished us to “Be the Change we wish to see in the World”
Meanwhile, watch out for
our comprehensive report/ document on the state of Human Rights and Governance
as part of the CLO Annual Report and Human Rights Day presentation.
Comrade Aloysius Attah
Chair, Civil Liberties
Organisation(CLO)
South East zone
08035090548
attahcomrade@yahoo.com
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