The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that over 8,000 cases of human rights abuse are pending action across the country. Of the nearly 11,000 such cases collectively recorded in all the provinces over the past three years, only 2,632 saw prosecution. Most of the others remain in limbo because there has been no follow-up by the relevant provincial departments which are supposed to take action on the directives of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights.
This shows the low priority we attach to ensuring that human rights are not violated with impunity as they are now, compounding the country’s already negative image. Part of the concerned ministry’s mandate is to obtain information, documents and reports regarding complaints and allegations of human rights violations, refer and recommend investigations, and even develop and conduct information programmes to foster public awareness of human rights, laws and the remedies available against violations.
The human rights minister has complained that his ministry is short of funds. In fact, the authorities’ lethargy in bringing human rights violators to book is aggravating the situation. By failing to make such cases a priority, the state is turning a blind eye to transgressions, an attitude that can only embolden potential perpetrators.
Thorough and prompt investigations and successful prosecutions are key to discouraging and preventing crime of any sort. In a country where there is already poor public awareness about basic human rights, it is incumbent on the state to step up its eff-orts to prosecute human rights violators. The law-enforcement personnel must be encouraged to treat such abuse as a serious crime, and investigations must be thorough enough to enable prosecution. It is only then that the government will be able to send out a clear signal that such violations will not be tolerated.
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