AU studies San rights

THE African Union’s human rights arm has launched a study on the plight of the San communities in Namibia.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Speaker of Parliament Theo-Ben Gurirab in Windhoek yesterday, Andrew Chigovera, who is leading a delegation of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, said the study aimed to look in detail at the lives of the San people in Namibia. Chigovera, a former Zimbabwean Attorney General, said the San people represented the most vulnerable section of society.Key focus areas will be access to fundamental freedoms and rights such as education, land, socio-political and economic rights.Most importantly, Chigovera said, the team would critically examine how the Namibian Government had addressed the plight of the San community.This would include any policies and laws Government had put in place to help the San people.As part of their research, the AU team will meet Government and civil society leaders.So far, the team has met officials from the Ministry of Justice.Next on the list are the Ministries of Education and Agriculture.Gurirab told Chigovera that Government was ready to assist the commissioners with whatever needed to be done.Gurirab reiterated Government’s commitment to human rights and basic freedoms of the Namibian people.The Speaker expressed concern about the level of compliance by other AU member states on human rights issues.Chigovera conceded that compliance varied greatly from one country to the other.”For instance, some 16 or 17 countries have never submitted any reports regarding progress on human rights issues in their countries since the establishment of the human rights arm, while others do so irregularly,” he said.In terms of the AU’s Charter on Human Rights, member states are compelled to submit reports every two years.Chigovera, a former Zimbabwean Attorney General, said the San people represented the most vulnerable section of society.Key focus areas will be access to fundamental freedoms and rights such as education, land, socio-political and economic rights.Most importantly, Chigovera said, the team would critically examine how the Namibian Government had addressed the plight of the San community.This would include any policies and laws Government had put in place to help the San people.As part of their research, the AU team will meet Government and civil society leaders.So far, the team has met officials from the Ministry of Justice.Next on the list are the Ministries of Education and Agriculture.Gurirab told Chigovera that Government was ready to assist the commissioners with whatever needed to be done.Gurirab reiterated Government’s commitment to human rights and basic freedoms of the Namibian people.The Speaker expressed concern about the level of compliance by other AU member states on human rights issues.Chigovera conceded that compliance varied greatly from one country to the other.”For instance, some 16 or 17 countries have never submitted any reports regarding progress on human rights issues in their countries since the establishment of the human rights arm, while others do so irregularly,” he said.In terms of the AU’s Charter on Human Rights, member states are compelled to submit reports every two years.