African Commission
on Human & Peoples’
Rights
Commission Africaine des
Droits de l’Homme et
des Peuples
Kairaba Avenue
P.O. Box 673
BANJUL, The Gambia
Tel.: (220) 392962
Fax: (220) 390764
Telex: 2346 OAU BJL GV
OAU - OUA
1. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights held its 7th
Ordinary Session in Banjul (The Gambia), from 18 to 28 April 1990, under
the Chairmanship of Professor Umozurike.
2. The following Members were present at the session:
Professor U.O. UMOZURIKE;
Dr. Ibrahim Ali Badawi EL-SHEIKH;
Mr Ali Mahmoud BUHEDMA ;
Mr. Sourahata B. SEMEGA JANNEH;
Mr. Robert Habesh KISANGA;
Mr. C.L.C.MUBANGA-CHIPOYA;
Mr. Youssoupha NDIAYE;
Mr. Isaac NGUEMA.
3. The opening ceremony was presided over by Mr. UMOZURIKE, chairman
of the Commission in the presence of Mr. Harry Lloyd EVANS, chairman of
the Public Service Commission of the Republic of The Gambia, members of
the diplomatic and Consular Corps, representatives of international
organisations, other Gambian dignitaries and a cross-section of the Press.
4. After the welcome address by Professor UMOZURIKE. Speeches were made
by:
Mr. Harry Lloyd Evans, representing The Gambia;
Mr. Adama Dieng, executive Secretary of the International
Commission of Jurists, on behalf of NGO’s;
Mr. Ngabishema Mutsinzi, secretary of the African Commission on
Human and Peoples’ Rights.
5. In his address, Mr Evans reiterated the firm commitment of the Gambia
Government to provide the Commission with all necessary to enable it attain
its set objectives.
6. The Commission dealt in particular with the following items:
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matters arising from the last session ;
consideration of periodic reports;
activity reports of members of members of the Commission
submitted reports on their respective activities during the
intersession;
Organisation of the activities of the Commission (prospective and
promotional activities);
Consideration of rules and procedures;
Observers.
7. The Chairman, Secretary and Members of the Commission submitted reports
on their respective activities during the intersession. The fruitful discussions
on these reports gave rise to various observations and suggestions.
8. The Commission had lengthy discussions on the implementation and followup of promotional activities with a view of securing the necessary financial
resources for the attainment of its set objectives.
9. The Commission noted with satisfaction that certain International and nonGovernmental Organisations had provided it with some of the resources for
its activities.
10. The Commission considered the 6 communications it received during its 7th
session. Since its establishment it received and considered 105
communications of which 16 are directed against States Parties of the
Charter.
11.With respect to promotional activities, the Commission published various
editions of the African Charter and the Rules of the Procedure as well as an
African Review on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
12. The commission granted the status to two (2) non-governmental
organisations, namely: The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in
Zimbabwe and The International Organisation against all form of Racial
Discrimination.
13. The Great Socialist Peoples’ Libyan Arab Jamahiriya was the first State
Party who had submitted its 1st Periodic Report.
14. In its quest to improve its work and procedures, the Commission decided to
review its Rules of Procedure at its next session.
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15. It prepared and adopted its 3rd Annual Activity Report, which shall be
submitted to the next Assembly of Heads of States and Government.
16.In its course of general debate, the African Commission on Human and
Peoples’ Rights dwelt on the situation of human rights and freedoms in
Africa. It expressed its heartfelt satisfaction at the release of Nelson Mandela
and the independence of Namibia, which had become the 51st Member State
of the OAU since 10 April 1990.
17. It approved the message of support and solidarity read out on these
occasions by the Chairman of the Commission.
18. It expressed the hope that the people of South Africa would continue the
struggle in unity and solidarity until apartheid was totally dismantled and a
democratic and non-racial society emerges.
19. During the in-depth and serious discussions, members of the Commission
unanimously expressed their grave concern about the situation of human and
peoples’ rights in Africa. All African countries should take this concern into
account with a view to ensuring the rules of law in each state. This was the
solemn pledge made by African countries when they instituted and adopted a
Charter which guarantees inter-alia, the right to life, the inviolability of the
human being, the security of the person, the right to be tried within a
reasonable period by an impartial court freely in the government of his
country.
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