"Many of our communities have been battered by war and torn asunder by conflicts and in the debris of injustice many of the perpetrators of some of the most heinous crimes of war have seemingly gone unpunished. So many of our communities need peace, but they need justice as well," said Justice Monageng.
 
She noted that the state of the rule of law in some African countries left a lot to be desired despite the adoption of constitutions that explicitly protect human rights.
 
She urged civil society, intergovernmental organisations and governments to vigorously pursue efforts towards the emergence of an African continent where impunity would not be tolerated but where justice and democracy would be guaranteed for its millions of citizens. Justice Monageng said civic society and other human rights defenders should therefore continue to hold governments to account on the standards they have signed onto.
 
"There is thus an obligation upon governments to translate these purely legislative instruments into pragmatic gains - and this a duty of government- not a choice. The trumpet has sounded- not as a call to arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but as a call to continue to bear the hard grind of realising the promises of the (African) Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights," she said.
 
The 14-day 45th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR is being held under the theme: Human Rights, Our Collective Responsibility.

Rashweat Mukundu
Programme Specialist: Media Monitoring and Research
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat
Private Bag 13386
21 Johann Albrecht Street
Windhoek
Tel: +264 61 232975
Mobile: + 264 81 367 5362

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