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Petition pushes passage of first African law protecting indigenous people’s rights
Date: 14/12/2007
A petition urging passage of Africa’s first-ever law safeguarding the basic human rights of indigenous peoples has been delivered to the President of the Republic of Congo.
More than 1,500 people signed the petition launched by the Rainforest Foundation UK to press for the law guarding against the discrimination, exploitation and violence endured by indigenous peoples. The ‘Make it a first for Africa’ campaign continues to garner support for this landmark law from across the UK and Europe.
Congolese human rights groups and indigenous activists have been working with the Rainforest Foundation to produce the law since 2003. Forest peoples who play a crucial role in protecting Congo’s rainforests helped to draft it.
The campaign was reinforced in Congo with a recent press conference called by partner organisations. "Like our foreign partners, we launch a call to President Sassou Nguesso to adopt this law," said Roch Euloge Nzobo of human rights organisation Observatoire Congolais des Droits de l’Homme (OCDH).
Passage of the law will:
• Outlaw discrimination and violence
• Recognise indigenous people as full citizens of the Congolese state
• Provide access to state education and health care
• Ensure that indigenous peoples have a say in political decisions that affect them
• Recognise rights to land and natural resources
• Protect sacred sites
It’s not too late to add your voice, we will be sending another letter to the President in the New Year. You can sign the petition here and encourage the government of Congo to pass this historic law.
More than 1,500 people signed the petition launched by the Rainforest Foundation UK to press for the law guarding against the discrimination, exploitation and violence endured by indigenous peoples. The ‘Make it a first for Africa’ campaign continues to garner support for this landmark law from across the UK and Europe.
Congolese human rights groups and indigenous activists have been working with the Rainforest Foundation to produce the law since 2003. Forest peoples who play a crucial role in protecting Congo’s rainforests helped to draft it.
The campaign was reinforced in Congo with a recent press conference called by partner organisations. "Like our foreign partners, we launch a call to President Sassou Nguesso to adopt this law," said Roch Euloge Nzobo of human rights organisation Observatoire Congolais des Droits de l’Homme (OCDH).
Passage of the law will:
• Outlaw discrimination and violence
• Recognise indigenous people as full citizens of the Congolese state
• Provide access to state education and health care
• Ensure that indigenous peoples have a say in political decisions that affect them
• Recognise rights to land and natural resources
• Protect sacred sites
It’s not too late to add your voice, we will be sending another letter to the President in the New Year. You can sign the petition here and encourage the government of Congo to pass this historic law.
