Government urged to end human rights violations

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the government of Côte d'Ivoire to investigate human rights abuses which, it said, have been perpetrated against innocent civilians on the basis of their ethnic origin, religion or political allegiance and to take action against the perpetrators. The international watchdog made the call on Thursday in a 16-page report titled 'Côte d'Ivoire: Government Abuses in Response to Army Revolt'. The report documents security-force operations in shantytowns following a coup attempt that began on September 19, 2002 and developed into an insurgency. In the raids, northerners and West African migrants were arbitrarily arrested and their homes razed, HRW said. Human rights defenders live in fear The report, based on research done during a visit to Cote d'Ivoire in October, said other people were targeted because they belonged to an opposition party or were presumed to be supporters of the insurgents. Local human rights defenders were living in fear, it added. "Legitimate security measures are one thing, but targeting individuals just on the basis of their ethnic group or religion is completely unacceptable," said Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch. "Even in a time of emergency, basic human rights must be respected." Human Rights Watch also expressed concern at reported abuses by insurgents of the Patriotic Movement of Côte d'Ivoire (Mouvement Patriotique de Côte d'Ivoire, MPCI), who control much of northern and central Cote d'Ivoire. It said although its researchers could not visit rebel-held areas, due to security concerns, there were credible reports in those areas of unlawful killings and detentions. According to the human rights group, government policy has deliberately exacerbated tensions among Ivorians of different ethnic and religious backgrounds over the last few years. It also said the government had failed to address the violence and intimidation that marred presidential and parliamentary elections in October and December 2000. Bring perpetrators of abuses to book "This downward spiral in respect for human rights is not inevitable," said Takirambudde. "The way to stop that spiral is to bring to justice the people who are responsible for abuses. Without such action, Côte d'Ivoire could plunge into the sort of brutal war well known to neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone." Among the abuses committed since 19 September, HRW mentioned killings perpetrated in mid-October after government forces regained control of the western town of Daloa, which had been held briefly by the insurgents. "People dressed in military uniform," it said, "killed several dozen civilians - Ivorian Muslims, Malians and Burkinabés - in Daloa soon after the government gained control of the town." HRW added: "In the face of international criticism, the government has ordered an inquiry into this mass killing". Human Rights Watch called on the Ivorian government to take steps immediately to halt abuses, such as publicly acknowledging and condemning the unlawful killings of alleged "assailants" and opposition sympathisers, providing comprehensive public information on their killings and compensation to the families, and facilitating access for the families to the criminal justice system. Action needed against rights violators The government should also make public statements that no person should be arrested or attacked on the basis of ethnic, religious or national identity, HRW added. It urged the Ivorian authorities to "suspend from active duty, investigate, and prosecute where appropriate all members of the security forces accused of unlawful killings, arrests or extortion," and ensure that the criminal justice system responds effectively to complaints of abuses, "paying particular attention to bringing to justice those responsible for assaults motivated by suspicion of foreigners, Muslims, or northerners". Human Rights Watch called on the MPCI to ensure that all its combatants were instructed to respect the human rights of all civilians and to treat all captives in accordance with international humanitarian law. Full report