The Secretary

African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District

Western Region P.O. Box 673 Banjul

Kairaba Avenue

Banjul

The Gambia

 

 

COMMUNICATION

Pursuant to Articles 55, 56 and 58 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights;

Regarding the actions of the Sierra Leone Government, a member state of the African Unity and a state party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, having ratified the Charter on  21^st of September 1983;

Involving the widespread and systematic land grab,  contamination of  water and air; the deprivation of food sources; and the climate of terror, fear and intimidation that has been visited upon the Malen Land Owners Association (MALOA) communities in violation of their rights to housing, food,  health and a healthy environment;

Alleging violations of Articles 2, 4, 14, 16, 18, 21, and 24 of the African Charter, in addition to violations of corresponding provisions of the:

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) U.N. Doc. A/810, 71 (1948)
• the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), U.N.T.S. 195 (1966) (ratified by Sierra Leone, 02/08/67)
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), U.N. Doc. A/6316 (1966) (ratified by Sierra Leone, 23/08/96)
• International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), U.N. Doc. A/RES/44/25, 1989 (ratified by Sierra Leone, 18/06/90);
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, U.N. Doc. A/RES/34/180 (1980) (ratified by 21/09/98)

Seeking consideration of the communication by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights under Articles 55 and 56, and special attention by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the A.U. and an in-depth study by the African Commission pursuant to Article 58, based on the “series of serious” and “massive” violations alleged;

Noting that domestic remedies do not bar the communication but because of the futility of legal system in Sierra Leone in addressing human rights violations resulting from the operation of Multinational Corporation. However the Constitution of Sierra Leone establish jurisdiction of the courts to entertain human rights cases.

 

 

Brought by the Human Rights Defenders Network – Sierra Leone, a non-governmental, nonpartisan and voluntary civil society organisation concerned with the promotion and protection of human rights defenders in Sierra Leone, and The West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, a coalition of non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights defenders in West Africa.

Signed,

                                                     

                                                                                       

Alphonsus B.M. GBANIE                                                                 Abdoul Gadiry DIALLO

Executive Secretary                                                                       Coordinator

Human Rights Defenders Network-SL                                     West African Human Rights Defenders Network

145 Circular Road                                                                           Regional Secretariat 14BP:152

Freetown                                                                                          Lomé

Sierra Leone                                                                                    Togo

Email: info@hrdn-sl.org/abmgbanie@hrdn-sl.org                            E-mail: roaddh@gmail.com

Tel: +232 78 213688/+232 77 398 893                                            Tel. +228 22 20 12 38

Date: 25^th August 2016                                                                    Date: 25^th August 2016