Mozambique: Nyusi wants independent Human Rights Commission – AIM report

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Mozambique: Nyusi wants independent Human Rights Commission – AIM report

8:46 CAT | 30 Nov 2020

Photo: Domingo

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday urged the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) to work in an independent and impartial manner.

He was speaking after meeting with several members of the CNDH, led by its chairperson, Luis Bitone, in the Presidential offices in Maputo.

He praised the CNDH for its work in combatting the Covid-19 pandemic, and in the attempts to ensure the pacification of the country.

Bitone stressed the work of the CNDH on the resettlement of communities affected by mining projects, and ensuring that they received due compensation. “We worked with Montepuez Ruby Mining (in the northern province of Cabo Delgado) and we accompanied about 400 cases. Right now we have reached agreement on compensation for the people who needed to be resettled”, he said.

He added that the CNDH had also visited Nampula province, because of the operations of the Irish company Kenmare Resources, which is exploiting titanium-rich heavy sands. “We built platforms of work, to solve the problems of the population”, said Bitone.

But he told the President that the CNDH faces obstacles, including outdated legislation. The lack of up-to-date laws, he said, makes human rights work difficult, notably by slowing procedures down.

The mandate of the CNDH allows it to demand that any state body suspected of violating human rights correct its behavior, but there are some entities that consider themselves above such criticism. Under such circumstances, he said, it would be difficult for a CNDH commissioner “to call a Minister to question him about something suspect”.

Other challenges, said Bitone, include the lack of visibility of the CNDH, and its lack of human, technical and financial resources. He said the annual CNDH budget, of less than 17 million meticais (about 233,000 US dollars) is insufficient to cover its duties.

Nyusi responded that the CNDH must impose itself in order to obtain the desired visibility, and must work with responsibility and impartiality.

The Commission, he insisted, must be independent of the government, of civil society, and of foreign partners, in order to avoid interference in its work. Those who claim to be helping usually demand something in exchange, he warned, “and these people may use human rights to achieve their objectives”.

“If you feel you’re being influenced for any reason, or because of incentives, you are not going to work”, said Nyusi. “You must always bear in mind that this country has an owner, and that owner is the Mozambican people”.

Only an independent CNDH would be able to serve the interests of the people, he added.

He urged the CNDH commissioners to treat all citizens equally. He reminded them that violence is not the only means by which human rights are violate. Hunger and unemployment also impact on human rights, Nyusi said.

Source: AIM