Livewire – Amnesty International blogging for human rights

By Francis Makanda Sakwa, Amnesty International Kenya ‘Gender Defender’ and resident of Mathare slum, Nairobi

I live in an informal settlement. I work, pay taxes, and use the money I earn to raise my children and support my family. Mine is a voice that isn’t often printed in my country’s newspapers, or heard by my Government. But did you know that in sub-Saharan Africa three out of every four people living in a city or town live in a slum, like me? That is a staggering statistic: three-quarters – a clear majority – of Africa’s urban people live in homes that are built without planning or other permission. This is a massive hidden crisis for our cities and our governments.

Us ordinary Kenyans living in informal settlements face many challenges. The authorities fail to adequately provide us with essential services, such as water, sewers, roads, schools, health clinics and police posts. But the biggest violation of our human rights we face is the threat of forced evictions.

In early November, supported by Amnesty International, I travelled with slum dwellers from Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, Zimbabwe and Chad to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in The Gambia. We went united to ask for help in demanding an immediate end to forced evictions in Africa. Continuar leyendo ‘Slum residents address Africa’s human rights body to demand end to forced evictions’ »

By Ameen Ayodele, campaigner, Amnesty International

This week, Amnesty International staff, members, and activists around the world came together as one voice to demand better human rights protection for people in the Gambia.

While the Gambian government celebrated the anniversary of President Yahya Jammeh’s 1994 coup d’etat on Thursday, The Gambia Global Day of Action staged events in 18 cities worldwide and involved the public and members of 87 NGOs.
Continuar leyendo ‘Coming together as one voice for the Gambia’ »

By Colby Goodman, Amnesty International’s Control Arms Campaign

October 7, 2009 – On a day the New York Times exposed more details about Guinean security forces recent use of weapons against thousands of peaceful protestors, Amnesty International participated in what turned out to be an electrified briefing at the United Nations (UN) about preventing the use of arms for serious human rights violations and the need for an Arms Trade Treaty.

Continuar leyendo ‘UN discussions on an Arms Trade Treaty’ »

Amnesty International’s section in Burkina Faso organised a press conference for the Gambia Day of Action on 22 July. During this event, we denounced arbitrary arrests, impunity, migrant’s rights abuses, political harassment, and the lack of freedom of the press and urged Gambian authorities to respect human rights.

There were 12 media correspondents present at the press conference. These included Editions le Pays (newspaper), l’Evênement (newspaper), Radio Ouaga FM,Canal 3 (TV), and Sidwaya (state run newspaper).
Continuar leyendo ‘Burkina Faso – Calling for more justice and freedom in Gambia’ »

We had a meeting with official of the Swedish foreign ministry on the 22 July. About 15 Gambians in Stockholm participated in our journey to the foreign ministry. I and three other Gambians were allowed in to meet Madam Karin Bolin, Department Sectary in charge of West Africa. She is also EU desk officer.

We presented the public statement to her and talked about the human rights abuses and violations in Gambia. We also gave her highlights on the lack of press freedom and the case of Chief Ebrima Manneh and Kanyiba Kanyi among others.

I gave my own case also during my arrest with the Amnesty International team in Gambia in October 2007.