Xenophobia: Cleric Tasks FG On Justice For Victims

A cleric and Vicar of Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo Town, Rivers State,Venerable A.C Abbey Kalio, has called on the Federal Government to ensure justice for Nigerian victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Speaking with The Tide, Abbey-Kalio said that government should initiate a legal action against South Africa predicated on Nigeria’s ratification of the protocol to the Africa Charter on Human and People’s Rights on establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples Rights signed on May 29, 2004.
He urged the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, to make sure that justice was not delayed in the violation of Nigerians’ fundamental rights in South Africa, stressing that the mandate of the African court on Human and Peoples’ Rights was to monitor respect for human rights on the African continent in line with instruments.
According to him, “It is elementary principle of international law that a state is entitled to protect its subjects when injured by acts contrary to international laws committed by another state, from which it has been unable to obtain diplomatic actions or international judicial proceedings on behalf of it citizens.
“ Thus, the Federal Government must toe the path of law and order to protect the rights of Nigerian citizens in South Africa affected by the xenophobic attack, in order to get justice for the gruesome violation of their fundamental rights. The court is empowererd to hear cases brought against South African for failure to respect human rights,” he said.
He continued that, “ It is able to issue binding judgments in such cases, and where violations are found, may award compensation and other remedies to victims”.
The man of God hailed the court for its various decisions, includng a declaration that the mass deportation of hundreds of Gambian workers by Angola was a violation of their rights to freedom of movement, liberty and right not to be treated in an inhuman and degrading manner.
He also praised the court for its decision that the detention without trial of at least eleven journalists by Eritrea was a violation of the journalists’ rights to freedom of expression, rights to liberty and fair trial.

Bethel Toby & Gift Tasie