HRCU WEEKLY UPDATES: ISSUE NO.5/2021
The Human Rights Centre Uganda (HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND KEY EMERGING ISSUES WITHIN
THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS’ WORKING ENVIRONMENT
ISSUE NO.5/2021 | The Week of Monday 8th – Sunday
14th February 2021
INTRODUCTION
Dear Human Rights Defender, HRCU Partner and Reader,
HAPPY 44TH JANANI LUWUM DAY that shall be commemorated this Tuesday February 16, 2021 under the theme: LIFE IN ITS FULLNESS as cited in John 10:10b.
HRCU welcomes you to a new week and is glad to share with you some of the highlights from the previous week (Monday 8th – Sunday 14th February 2021) that presented some key developments and emerging issues with regard to the political, economic and social environment within which human rights defenders conduct their work.
Below is some of the information that was
compiled:
THE COVID-19 SITUATION AND NEWS IN UGANDA
Uganda hit the 40,000 figure of COVID-119
cases. As of Sunday February 14, 2021, there were 40,019 cases of COVID-19 reported in Uganda with deaths rising by 1
to 328 from 327 in the previous week
and recoveries increasing from 14,349 to 14,520.
Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uganda/
GOVERNMENT RELEASES PLAN FOR FULL
SCHOOL REOPENING
The Ministry of
Education and Sports on Thursday February 11, 2021 released the official
timetable for reopening of schools in a phased manner to manage the learners in
the face of Covid-19 as they close 2020 academic year. According to the
ministry’s schedule, the sub candidate classes of Primary Six, Senior Three and
Senior Five will report first on March 1 and study for 14 weeks, breaking off
on May 21.
Primary Four and Five
classes will study for eight weeks starting on April 6 after Primary Leaving
Examinations and end on June 4 to create space for lower primary pupils in
Primary 1, 2, and 3 to come in on June 7. “Primary 1, 2, and 3 will study for
eight weeks which end on July 24,” the ministry’s permanent secretary, Mr. Alex
Kakooza, said in a statement.
Mr. Museveni closed
all education institutions abruptly in March last year after the corona virus
outbreak. The institutions were in their first term of the academic year and
subsequently missed two terms in the year.
Mr. Kakooza said Senior One students are expected at school on April 12 to
study for 14 weeks which end on July 3 while Senior Two will report on May 31
after Senior Three and Senior Five classes have gone for holiday and study for
10 weeks which will be concluded on July 24.
Source: Daily Monitor, Friday February 12, 2021: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/government-releases-plan-for-full-school-reopening-3288872
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The
Question of Increasing Abductions: THEY ARE NOT MISSING; SECURITY HAS THEM –
SAYS MUSEVENI ON KIDNAPPED UGANDANS
President Museveni said
security agencies are responsible for the people who have in the past been
reported as missing. While addressing the country on Saturday February 13, 2021 on the
current security situation, Museveni said that because of the November 18 and
19 deadly protests that were sparked by the arrest of National Unity Platform
presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, security deployed heavily within the
Kampala Metropolitan Area and other parts of the country. He said the heavy
deployment was meant to ensure peace during the January 14 polls.
The President noted that the missing people were arrested by either the
Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), the intelligence wing of the UPDF
or by the commando units. “There were people who were arrested by CMI. They
were in 2 categories which involved 177 who were granted bail or released.
Another are 65 still being investigated. Their names should be made public so
that this talk of disappearance is answered,” he said. According to the
president, another group of people were arrested by the commandos from Kyotera,
Mpigi, Nakasongola and Kampala and noted these were 59 in number whereas 15
others arrested from Mukono have since been released.
President Museveni insisted that these people are not missing as it has
been reported but noted they are in safe hands of security. “Therefore, the
talk of disappearance should be ignored because it can’t happen under the NRM.
Even if a mistake is made it will be addressed and answered. There is nothing
we do and hide,” he said.
Source: Nile Post, Saturday February 13, 2021: https://nilepost.co.ug/2021/02/13/they-are-not-missing-security-has-them-says-museveni-on-kidnapped-ugandans/
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Uganda in the Post Election
Period; Election Petitions: SUPREME COURT OUTLINES TIMELINE FOR HANDLING
BOBI PETITION
The
Supreme Court has given strict timeline for handling the petition in which
National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi is
challenging the victory of Mr. Yoweri Museveni following the January 14
presidential poll. Chief justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo on Thursday February 11,
2021 directed Mr. Kyagulanyi’s lawyers led by Medard Sseggona to file all their
affidavits (evidence) by February 14, 2021 and serve the respondents’ lawyers
who are expected to respond by Saturday, February 20.
The
chief justice who is leading eight other judges to hear the petition said Mr.
Kyagulanyi will have up to February 23 to file a rejoinder. "On February
24, we will continue with the pre-hearing. You will have time to discuss all
the affidavit evidence and present to court on February 24 a joint scheduling
memo," he said.
Source: Daily Monitor, Thursday February 11, 2021: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/supreme-court-outlines-timeline-for-handling-bobi-petition-3287412
Access to
Justice, Fair Hearing; Right to Privacy and Right to Property: KYAGULANYI
PETITIONS COURT OVER SECURITY SIEGE AT NUP OFFICES
The National Unity
Platform party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has petitioned the High
Court seeking orders compelling security agencies to vacate the sieged party
offices in Kamwokya. In his application filed before the Civil Division of High
Court, Kyagulanyi who is also the former NUP presidential candidate says he has
since filed a presidential election petition challenging the victory of the
President-elect Yoweri Museveni. However, he says that some of the evidence
cannot be accessed due to the indefinite closure of the party offices since
January 16, 2021.
Kyagulanyi has sued
together with David Lewis Rubongoya, the party secretary-general and Joel
Ssenyonyi the party spokesperson. They have filed their case against the Chief
of Defense Forces General David Muhoozi, Inspector General of Police Martin
Okoth Ochola, Commissioner of Police Moses Kafeero and the Attorney General
seeking that the court to rules that the actions of security officers under the
control of the security commanders in closing and blocking access indefinitely
to the offices of NUP on January 16, 2021, to date constitutes an outstanding
infringement of the right to freedom of association, right to a fair hearing,
and the civic rights enshrined in the Constitution.
Source: The Independent Thursday February 11, 2021: https://www.independent.co.ug/kyagulanyi-petitions-court-over-security-siege-at-nup-offices/
Access to Justice: ACHOLI
CULTURAL INSTITUTION CRITICIZES DOMINIC ONGWEN CONVICTION BY ICC
The Acholi Cultural
Institution has criticized the recent conviction of former Lord’s Resistance
Army-LRA rebel commander Dominic Ongwen. Ongwen who commanded the LRA’s Sinia
Brigade was found guilty of 61 out of the 70 counts of war crimes and crimes
against humanity for which he faced a trial before the International Criminal
Court.
Ongwen was found
guilty of leading attacks against the civilian population in Pajule IDP camp on
October 10, 2003, Odek IDP camp on April 29, 2004, Lukodi IDP camp on May 19,
2004, and Abok IDP camps on June 29, 2004, resulting in murder, attempted
murder, torture, enslavement, destruction of property, and conscripting
children under the age of 15 into the Sinia brigade among other charges.
But Ambrose Olaa, the
Prime Minister of Acholi Cultural Institution told Uganda Radio Network in an
interview on Wednesday February 10, 2021 that the conviction contributes to a
small fraction of what constitutes justice to the people of Acholi. Olaa notes
that what transpired in Acholi sub-region exceeded what the ICC looked at. He
says that the trial was based on a narrow timeframe, narrow geographical area,
and narrow definition of the victims of the conflict.
The judges found that
there was no evidence that supported the claim that Ongwen suffered from any
mental disease or disorder during the period relevant to the charges or that he
committed the crimes under any threats.
Source: The Independent, Thursday February 11, 2021: https://www.independent.co.ug/acholi-cultural-institution-criticizes-dominic-ongwen-conviction-by-icc/
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Uganda,
Donor Relations and Civic Space: NGO BUREAU ASKS DGF PARTNERS TO REMAIN
SILENT
The National Bureau
for Non-Governmental Organisations -NGO Bureau has asked beneficiaries under
the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) to remain silent amidst the ongoing
discussions on the government’s suspension of the facility. The Bureau, a
semi-autonomous body under the Ministry of Internal Affairs is mandated to
register, regulate, coordinate, inspect, monitor and oversee all NGO operations
in the country.
Speaking at a press
conference at the government-owned Uganda Media Center on Tuesday, Patrick Onen
Ezaga, the spokesperson of the Bureau said NGOs and Civil society organisations
supported by DGF should desist from making careless statements amidst ongoing
discussions within the government on the Shillings 500 Billion DGF support to
both State and non-state actors.
President Yoweri
Museveni ordered the suspension of DGF, the single biggest donor basket
established by Development Partners to provide harmonized, coherent and
well-coordinated support to state and non-state entities in the country. According
to Museveni, Ministry of Finance irregularly and unilaterally authorized DGF
funding to a tune of Shillings 500 billion to be operated exclusively by
foreign missions in Uganda. He says that the approval of DGF operations without
government oversight, tantamount to surrendering the sovereignty of the people
of Uganda to foreign interests.
Source: The Independent, Tuesday February 9, 2021: https://www.independent.co.ug/ngo-bureau-asks-dgf-partners-to-remain-silent/
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Human Rights and Infrastructure: ROAD
USERS IN KAMPALA RAISE RED FLAG OVER POTHOLES
Motorists in Kampala
are concerned about the appalling conditions of roads in different parts of the
city. The roads are characterized by wide and deep potholes that worsen
transport especially during rainy days. While pedestrians have labelled them
dangerous, motorists are on the other hand decrying the damage they pose on
their vehicles. Some of the roads have not been maintained while others have
had the potholes patched but they quickly resurface.
Roads where the
potholes are common include, Rashid Khamisi road which hundreds of taxis from
the new taxi park use to exit the city through Old Kampala to Sir Apollo Kaggwa
road. Similarly, Sir Apollo Kaggwa which also takes traffic from Namayiba bus
terminal and Namayiba taxi park is in bad shape having redeveloped potholes a
few months after it was renovated during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Source: The Independent, Thursday February 11, 2021: https://www.independent.co.ug/road-users-in-kampala-raise-red-flag-over-potholes/
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International
news: AT LEAST 331 HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS WERE MURDERED IN 2020, REPORT
FINDS
At least 331 human rights defenders promoting social, environmental,
racial and gender justice in 25 countries were murdered in 2020, with scores
more beaten, detained and criminalised because of their work, analysis has
found.
Latin America, the most dangerous continent in
the world in which to protect environmental, land and human rights
accounted for more than three-quarters of all the murders of human rights
defenders in 2020. In Colombia, where activists are routinely targeted by armed groups despite a 2016
peace deal, 177 such deaths were recorded, more than half of the global total.
The Philippines was the second deadliest country with 25 murders, followed by
Honduras, Mexico, Afghanistan, Brazil and Guatemala.
While the majority (69%) of those killed were
working on environmental, land or indigenous peoples’ rights, activists also
found themselves being targeted simply for providing Covid-19 relief to their communities, according to a report published on Thursday by the advocacy group Front Line
Defenders (FLD).
Source: The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/11/human-rights-defenders-murder-2020-report
UAE: RELEASE HUMAN RIGHTS
DEFENDERS SERVING LONG-TERM SENTENCES, URGES UN EXPERT
A UN expert on Wednesday February 10, 2021 said
she feared three human rights defenders serving 10-year prison sentences in the
United Arab Emirates are being mistreated in conditions that may amount to
torture and urged authorities to release them.
“Issuing long-term prison sentences to human
rights defenders, in connection to their human rights work, is a practice that
cannot continue, and is an issue I will be prioritising during my mandate” said
Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
Source: Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26735&LangID=E
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CONCLUSION
It’s quite obvious that the close or end of
one week is the beginning or start of another but in all situations, we keep
looking out for what is developing in the environment and as a vibrant
community of human rights defenders it goes beyond just hearing or seeing,
documenting and reporting the events as they happen. Rather, we are called to
action – reaching out to the responsible stakeholders and seeking for justice
for the victims of human rights violations and abuses.
Every life matters and more still, every
human rights defender’s life matters indeed.
Together,
We Advocate.
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