Human Rights Watch reports that African countries led by their authoririties are in the first line globally leading in committing atrocities against their civilians
Human Rights Watch has reported that African countries are leading in violations of human rights by wrongly arresting political opponents, critics, demonstrators and journalists with Kenyan police being reported to have killed 31 protesters last year.
While launching World Report 2025, at Novotel Hotel in Nairobi on Thursday 16th January, the group highlighted that armed forces and armed groups in some African countries have targeted civilians, killing them and driving them from their homes.
In Kenya, the group reported that even after President William Ruto disbanded Special Service Unit [SSPU] which was accused of extrajudicial killings and dumping the bodies in River Yalla, he yet again established another unit by the name Operation Support Unit, the unit; is believed to have been carrying series of abductions where 83 people are reported abducted and 23 of them missing
The team, said that, the figures are not accurate, only relying on Kenya National Commission on Human Rights [KNHR] which reported that 83 people were abducted and 23 were missing
“In reality, we don’t know the real number and only God knows what happened in Githurai 44/45; because numbers might be more than 26 and more than 20 in Rongai. There were bodies recovered from Quarry in Mukuru kwa Njenga others in Mathare and Kawangware. The numbers are shocking; but there’s a pressure from the executive and many organizations are also fearing to report the accurate figures,”. Associate Africa Director, Human Rights Watch Otsieno Namwaya was quoted stating.
He disclosed that in early 2023 President Ruto re-established operation support unit which replaced SSPU which he’d then disbanded, arguing that, this is the notorious team which has been abducting youths and throwing them randomly wherever they want.
“There’s another unit drawn from all security agents called operation action team and is controlled and directed by NIS,” Namwaya further disclosed.
READ ALSO: https://safinews.co.ke/tea-farmers-accuses-ps-ronoh-for-interfering-with-their-sector/
By making these revelations, this independent international organization called Kenyan Independent Policing Oversight Authority [IPOA] to speed up the investigations and bring the tormentors into book for the victims and their families to get justice
Additionally, Kenya is also captured turning of unsafe havens—contrary as it used to be-hosting refugees following the recent abductions of activists from foreign countries, some of whom have been deported to Turkey and Uganda.
Mausi Segun, Head of the Human Rights Watch Africa Division, said armed conflict is not the only form of rights violation on the continent; adding that when someone is taken by unidentified persons, put in undocumented facility and kept incommunicado, some disappearing completely, that’s a violations of human rights in nature
“On top of all of that, you have civic space restriction abuses, including intolerance for freedom of expression, intolerance for freedom of association and assembly,” Segun said. “Protests are being clamped down on, and people who are pushing for their rights or even commenting on government policies and measures are being hunted down. Here in East Africa, we are seeing very disturbing trends towards abductions.” She remarked
The report says that in Sudan, the war between the armed forces and the rebel Rapid Support Forces has displaced 12 million people, destroyed infrastructure and blocked humanitarian assistance
Ethiopia, rights group investigators found that government forces in the Amhara region committed widespread attacks against medical professionals, patients and health facilities.
Elizabeth Kamundia, Deputy Director of disability rights at Human Rights Watch, said conflict and violence are causing a rise in physical and psychological issues.
“We have seen a rise in the number of people acquiring injuries that lead to disabilities,” Kamundia said. “We’ve seen increased psychological distress and mental health impacts on people, families and communities as a result of war and conflict. We’ve seen difficulties with access to medication for people who have mental health conditions, and therefore, they are forced to stop their treatment.
She appealed to relevant authorities to provide psychosocial support programmes for all affected people across the globe and offer special humanitarian support before succumbing from the blunt of trauma
The HRW report also focuses on the seemingly endless conflict in the Congo, where civilians are killed, women raped, and attacks on camps for the internally displaced push more people into neighboring countries.
Congo has accused Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, an allegation Rwanda denies.
Clementine de Montoye, Human Rights Watch senior researcher, said the expansion of conflict worsens civilians’ harm, adding, “we are not seeing significant signs of pressure on the different parties to the conflict to reduce violations and harms to civilians.”
The report says that countries in West Africa ruled by the military — like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — have cracked down on opposition and dissent, freedom of expression, and backsliding in the fight against corruption.
It notes that in Southern Africa, Mozambique is grappling with post-election violence in which hundreds of people have been killed.
Human Rights Watch’s newly-released World Report reviewed human rights records of more than 100 countries, including 25 in Africa
Nice one.