"Many of our communities have been battered by war and torn asunder by
conflicts and in the debris of injustice many of the perpetrators of
some of the most heinous crimes of war have seemingly gone unpunished.
So many of our communities need peace, but they need justice as well,"
said Justice Monageng.
She noted that the state of the rule of law in some African countries
left a lot to be desired despite the adoption of constitutions that
explicitly protect human rights.
She urged civil society, intergovernmental organisations and
governments to vigorously pursue efforts towards the emergence of an
African continent where impunity would not be tolerated but where
justice and democracy would be guaranteed for its millions of citizens.
Justice Monageng said civic society and other human rights defenders
should therefore continue to hold governments to account on the
standards they have signed onto.
"There is thus an obligation upon governments to translate these purely
legislative instruments into pragmatic gains – and this a duty of
government- not a choice. The trumpet has sounded- not as a call to
arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we
are; but as a call to continue to bear the hard grind of realising the
promises of the (African) Charter and the Universal Declaration on
Human Rights," she said.
The 14-day 45th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR is being held under the theme: Human Rights, Our Collective Responsibility.
MISA
Post published in: Politics