Niger: Human Rights Scorned in 2000

Copyright 2001 Financial Times Information

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Global News Wire

Copyright 2001 Panafrican News Agency

Panafrican News Agency (PANA) Daily Newswire

December 11, 2001

LENGTH: 255 words

HEADLINE: HUMAN RIGHTS SCORNED IN NIGER IN 2000

BODY:

Niamey, Niger (PANA) - The rights and freedoms of the citizens and
communities were significantly scorned in Niger in 2000, according to the
Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Niger (ANDDH).
ANDDH reported that there was a "serious infringement" of the rights to
life, health, education, work, physical integrity and other rights. The
most affected rights were the freedom of the press, movement and
demonstration, it noted.
These "harmful deeds were perpetrated by members of the government, civil
servants and organised groups. They were also due to conflicts within and
between different communities which plunged whole families into mourning."
According to the association, the crises within the army and the revision
by the government of the law implementing and regulating the National
Commission for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (CNDH/LF) contributed
to the infringement.
The revision was meant to reduce the independence of the commission, it
charged.
ANDDH made several recommendations, including the ratification of the
status of the international criminal court and the additional protocol to
the African Charter of People and Human Rights in order to improve the
situation of the human rights situation in Niger.
It also recommended a "fair and equitable application" of the texts related
to the right to demonstrate, maintain order as well as those dealing with
the freedom of the press, the access to public media and the "revision of
all the anti-constitutional laws."

JOURNAL-CODE: WPNA

LOAD-DATE: December 13, 2001