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Note: This document is from the archive of the Africa Policy E-Journal, published
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Africa: US Human Rights Report
Africa: US Human Rights Report
Date distributed (ymd): 980205
Document reposted by APIC
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: Continent-Wide
Issue Areas: +political/rights+ +gender/women+ +US Policy Focus+
Summary Contents:
This posting contains brief excerpts from the introduction and references
to the location on the World Wide Web of the Africa country reports from
the U.S. Department of State annual report on human rights practices. These
annual reports are mandated by congressional legislation and prepared by
the Department of State. The posting also contains a brief note on how
to obtain these and other documents on the Web by e-mail.
+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Excerpts from:
U.S. Department of State,
Overview to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor,
January 30, 1998.
INTRODUCTION TO THE 1997 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
I. The Universality of Basic Freedoms
In 1948, in the aftermath of the deadliest war in human history and
in the first chill of a new Cold War, delegates to the U.N. Commission
on Human Rights carefully crafted the language of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights--the first international agreement on the rights of humankind.
Working under the leadership of the head of the United States delegation,
Eleanor Roosevelt, they came from all continents, representing a broad
spectrum of cultures. The document proclaims the "inherent dignity
and...equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family."
The enduring strength of the Declaration is its universality. Its core
freedoms are the entitlement of all people, not just some groups or cultures.
...
On Human Rights Day, December 10, 1997, the international community
began a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of
the Universal Declaration by the General Assembly of the United Nations
without a single dissenting vote. In the following half century the Declaration's
principles have entered the consciousness of people around the world, providing
inspiration for laws, constitutions, and numerous efforts to safeguard
basic liberties. They have provided a universal yardstick for measuring
our progress and showing what remains to be done. ...
The universality of the Declaration's principles requires that we "expand
the circle of full human dignity to all people," as First Lady Hillary
Rodham Clinton stated in her speech at the United Nations on Human Rights
Day. Exceptions to the principle of universality threaten to undermine
the human dignity of all. Repressive governments and their apologists always
have rationalized why they should be exempted from the Declaration's principles.
From the tortured explanations for apartheid in South Africa to appeals
to the Burmese Government's slogan of "disciplined democracy,"
repressive governments have sought exceptions for themselves. A perennial
argument is that people in a given society are not yet "ready"
for democracy and human rights. ...
Some Western scholars have argued that advocates do more harm than good
to press democracy and human rights at the wrong stage of socioeconomic
development. Autocratic governments, so the argument goes, are insulated
from interest group politics and have greater freedom to impose economic
discipline on behalf of long-term development.
While some authoritarian governments may have maintained political stability
and produced economic gain in the short run, this short-term stability
has been purchased at the price of repression. These governments lack the
ingredients for continued success: the open information and incentives
for risk-taking produced by an open society, and the accountability that
comes with political pluralism and democracy--which fosters transparency
in the management of economic institutions. This involves the freedoms
proclaimed in the Declaration, including political and economic pluralism,
a free press, freedom of association, free and fair elections, and the
rule of law.
The argument that economic development must precede democracy and human
rights ignores evidence from recent history. The experiences of Poland,
Costa Rica, the Philippines, and Botswana demonstrate that the roads to
prosperity and democracy are one and the same. The evolution toward democracy
is a complex process involving many factors, with no particular order or
sequence of events that must be followed. International efforts to promote
democratization and basic freedoms are best addressed to as many institutions
of civil society as possible, including legislatures, judiciaries, executive
agencies, local governments, trade unions, press and media, and NGOs. Of
course, democracy cannot be imposed from the outside. It must find its
own roots within any given society. But as we look around the world, we
see those roots almost everywhere, even starting to develop under repressive
conditions in places such as China, Nigeria, and Burma. ...
II. Year in Review
A. Repressive Governments
Strong authoritarian governments in many parts of the world kept themselves
in power through the systematic abuse of the human rights of their citizens.
The dismal scenario is all too familiar. ...
In Nigeria despite General Sani Abacha's announced timetable for transition
to multiparty rule, there was no meaningful progress toward democracy.
The March 15 elections were deeply flawed. In April the Government issued
Decree Number 7, which allows for the removal at will of any elected official
by the Head of State. Other elections were postponed. The winner of the
annulled 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood K.O. Abiola, remained
in detention on charges of treason, as did other prominent politicians
and pro-democracy activists. Abacha announced on November 17 that he would
release some political detainees but at year's end he had not done so.
Security forces continue to commit extrajudicial killings, use excessive
force, torture, harass human rights and prodemocracy groups, and sexually
abuse female suspects and prisoners. Prison conditions remain life threatening.
Government tribunals operating outside the constitutional court system
undermine the judicial process. Restrictions on freedoms of speech, the
press, assembly, and association continue. ...
B. Countries in Conflict
Conflict posed an increasing threat to civilians in a number of countries
in 1997. In the Great Lakes region of Africa Hutu insurgents in Rwanda,
Burundi, and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) have organized
alliances that include the openly genocidal ex-FAR and Interahamwe, and
the Burundian Palipehutu. The security-conscious governments in the region
are sharing arms and intelligence. There are extremely serious abuses on
all sides. In the DROC the human rights situation has remained extremely
volatile, despite the departure of former President Mobutu. Many serious
problems remain, especially allegations of civilian massacres during President
Kabila's campaign to take power, which the U.N. has sought unsuccessfully
to investigate.
The alarming brutality of the massacres and sexual violence against
women in Algeria commanded the world's attention. At the end of the year,
as many as 1,000 civilians were being killed each month. Civil war, as
well as slavery and forced conscription of children continued in Sudan.
The Government continued to use extrajudicial killings, disappearances,
torture, and the harassment of suspected opponents to stay in power. Military
forces summarily tried and punished civilians. ...
V. Women
Celebrations of the Universal Declaration's 50th Anniversary at the
close of 1997 proclaimed the human rights progress of women worldwide while
calling attention to the many obstacles that remain to be overcome. In
1997 women took action to increase and protect their human rights. The
momentum of the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995
continued to encourage governments to fulfill their commitments to take
progressive actions to secure rights for women. The Conference's call to
action motivated governments and NGOs to increase programs and activities
focused on women's human rights.
Women's NGO's around the world led the way in 1997 by taking issues
to their governments and to international organizations. Due to their strong
advocacy, governments and international organizations, such as the U.N.,
have become more responsive. NGO's, governments and international organizations
formed partnerships to explore women's issues and bring about change. ...
Women around the world continue to face enormous obstacles that prevent
their participation in political and economic life. In large part due to
governments' laws and practices, women are disproportionately poor, denied
the right to privacy, discriminated against in employment opportunities
outside the home, and forced into sexual slavery. Throughout 1997 many
laws designed to protect the human rights of women remained unenforced.
Continuing legal obstacles remain to women's fair and open ownership of
land and inheritance rights. ...
Violence against women, both inside and outside the home, remains a
widespread and entrenched violation of women's human rights around the
world. Domestic violence continues to be a problem in virtually every country.
The continued violent and harmful practice of female genital mutilation
violates women's human rights with devastating physical health and psychological
consequences. Increasing numbers of women and girls are trafficked and
exploited for the purpose of prostitution, domestic servitude and forced
labor. Women's voices often remain silenced. In short, despite the strides
taken by women, governments, and international organizations in 1997, there
is much work to be done to assure that women's human rights are respected
throughout the world.
VI. Worker Rights
An international consensus exists, based on several key International
Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions, that certain worker rights constitute
core labor standards. These include freedom of association--which is the
foundation on which workers can form trade unions and defend their interests;
the right to organize and bargain collectively; freedom from gender and
other discrimination in employment; and freedom from forced and child labor.
Notwithstanding this consensus, free trade unions continued in 1997
to face harassment and repression in many countries. The ILO's annual review
of worker rights complaints led it to adopt "special paragraphs"
condemning violations by Burma, Iran, Morocco, Nigeria, Sudan, and Swaziland.
...
The ILO also expects to consider a new Convention in 1998 to eliminate
the most intolerable forms of child labor. As the 1997 Country Reports
make clear, the exploitation and abuse of society's youngest and most vulnerable
members continues all too frequently around the globe. Public outrage over
the use of unpaid or cheaply paid children to produce goods for export
prompted a reaction by consumers in several developed countries, including
boycotts and selective buying campaigns. In the United States, public reaction
contributed to congressional enactment of the "Sanders Amendment,"
emphasizing an intent to bar goods made by forced or indentured child labor
from entering the U.S. market. To accelerate international efforts to end
child labor and move children out of harmful work situations and into education,
a growing list of countries contributed to the ILO's International Program
on the Elimination of Child Labor. ...
John Shattuck
Assistant Secretary of State for
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
January 30, 1998
The full Department of State report, as well as country-specific chapters,
can be found at
http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/
Reports on specific African countries are located either in the Africa
section or the Middle East and North Africa section. The full URLs are
given below for the convenience of those who might want to go directly
to or retrieve specific chapters only. Each URL should be typed on one
line in your browser.
North Africa
Algeria (60k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/algeria.html
Egypt (77k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/egypt.html
Libya (38k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/libya.html
Morocco (59k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/morocco.html
Tunisia (56k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/tunisia.html
Western Sahara (9k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/wsahara.html
West Africa
Benin (27k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/benin.html
Burkina Faso (29k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/burkinaf.html
Cape Verde (16k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/capeverd.html
Cote D'Ivoire (40k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/cotedivo.html
Gambia (33k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/gambia.html
Ghana (56k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/ghana.html
Guinea (51k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/guinea.html
Guinea-Bissau (23k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/guineabi.html
Liberia (57k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/liberia.html
Mali (31k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/mali.html
Mauritania (62k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/mauritan.html
Niger (40k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/niger.html
Nigeria (105k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/nigeria.html
Senegal (33k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/senegal.html
Sierra Leone (69k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/sierrale.html
Togo (38 k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/togo.html
Central Africa
Burundi (40k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/burundi.html
Cameroon (52k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/cameroon.html
Central African Republic (37k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/car.html
Chad (33k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/chad.html
Congo - Brazzaville (26k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/congorep.html
Congo - Kinshasa (51k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/congodr.html
Equatorial Guinea (34k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/eqguinea.html
Gabon (24k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/gabon.html
Rwanda (32k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/rwanda.html
Sao Tome and Principe (13k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/saotomep.html
Southern Africa
Angola (47k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/angola.html
Botswana (27k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/botswana.html
Lesotho (30k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/lesotho.html
Malawi (33k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/malawi.html
Mauritius (16k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/mauritiu.html
Mozambique (74k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/mozambiq.html
Namibia (35k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/namibia.html
South Africa (53k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/southafr.html
Swaziland (36k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/swazilan.html
Tanzania (51k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/tanzania.html
Zambia (41k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/zambia.html
Zimbabwe (54k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/zimbabwe.html
East Africa
Comoros (15k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/comoros.html
Djibouti (34k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/djibouti.html
Eritrea (26k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/eritrea.html
Ethiopia (51k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/ethiopia.html
Kenya (87k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/kenya.html
Madagascar (27k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/madagasc.html
Seychelles (20k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/seychell.html
Somalia (24k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/somalia.html
Sudan (52k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/sudan.html
Uganda (71k): http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report/uganda.html
For those without access to the Web, files on the Web are available
by e-mail using mail servers set up for the purpose. For example, to get
the report on Rwanda by e-mail, the following command can be sent to
[email protected]:
send http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report
/rwanda.html
To get the report on Nigeria by e-mail, the following command can be
sent to
[email protected]:
get -t -u -a http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997_hrp_report
/nigeria.html
Response time from these servers may vary. Do not include signatures
or other text in the body of your message. More information on the Web
by E-mail can be found in the APIC background paper "Africa on the
Internet." For a copy by email send the message "send inet"
to [email protected]. To get
only the section on the Web by E-mail, send the following command to [email protected]:
get http://www.africapolicy.org/bp/inet3.html
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the Africa
Policy Information Center (APIC), the educational affiliate of the Washington
Office on Africa. APIC's primary objective is to widen the policy debate
in the United States around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa,
by concentrating on providing accessible policy-relevant information and
analysis usable by a wide range of groups individuals.
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