Wednesday, March 25, 2009

NGOs Defend Kamerhe

A group of local NGOs defends Vital Kamerhe and says that his dismissal as head of parliament would be a setback for democracy and human rights.
Along with our fellow citizens and international observers, we are monitoring with great apprehension the current political crisis engendered by the efforts of the AMP to force the resignation or dismissal of the president of the National Assembly. ...
This conflict has already given rise to human rights abuses by the government, such as the arbitrary arrest, on Sunday, March 15, of human rights defenders who were planning a demonstration to denounce the destabilizing actions against the parliament. ...
Contrary to the usual practice, representatives of the judiciary joined members of the government and deputies of the AMP in their decision to not attend the official opening ceremony of the parliamentary session. This absence calls into question the independence of the judiciary. The national broadcaster, RTNC, was also prevented from broadcasting the opening speeches. These incidents seem to indicate that if the AMP's efforts to force Mr. Vital Kamerhe to resign are not immediately stopped, they could create a climate conducive to the use of repression by the security forces and police. ...
In the two years of its operation, the legislative output of the current parliament has been quite remarkable. Parliament has voted for an impressive number of laws that are essential in creating an environment conducive to respect for human rights, as well as an independent judiciary and the promotion of good governance.... None of these accomplishments, however minimal they may be, would have been possible without a measure of institutional independence for parliament and without the individual freedom granted to each of its members, regardless of their political ties. Yet this very independence and freedom were directly threatened by the political action of members of the AMP against the president of the National Assembly and the parliamentary institution. ...
Several deputies have reported receiving individual threats in recent weeks, including death threats, if they do not follow the instructions given by political leaders of the AMP. Such tactics are in clear violation of the law and threaten democracy.

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