The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has written to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Navi Pillay, urging her to “Urgently visit Nigeria on a fact-finding mission to probe the ongoing post election violence and killings, and to identify state and non-state actors, including leaders of political parties, who are either complicit or directly responsible for the violence and killings and to send their names to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for prosecution.”
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has written to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Navi Pillay, urging her to “Urgently visit Nigeria on a fact-finding mission to probe the ongoing post election violence and killings, and to identify state and non-state actors, including leaders of political parties, who are either complicit or directly responsible for the violence and killings and to send their names to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for prosecution.”
The group asked Ms Pillay to “Speak out and publicly condemn the violence and killings, and ask the Nigerian government and leaders of political parties to show responsibility and ensure full respect for the human rights of the citizens, including the right to life, to human security and property, to participation and development.”
In the petition dated 21 April 2011, and signed by SERAP Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the group expressed “concerns about the recurring violence and killings and the associated human rights violations, including the right to life, to human security, to property, to participation and development.”
“SERAP believes that your visit to Nigeria would send a strong message to the security agencies and leaders of political parties that they will be held responsible for any complicity in election violence and killings. Your investigation of the killings and identification of the perpetrators and providing the ICC Prosecutor with the information would also help to provide justice to the victims, and promote greater security and respect for human rights in future elections,” the group also said.
According to the group, “The lack of accountability for the violence and killings has reached a crisis point; the ongoing lack of justice for the victims is undermining the credibility of the electoral process. We believe that unpunished violence and killings makes it difficult for fair, free and transparent elections, let alone longer-term democratic processes that can guarantee respect for human rights, to take root and function properly.”
The group also said that, “We believe that, in the present circumstances, it is doubtful if the government and the leaders of political parties will be able to address the declining security and human rights situation. Given the experience of the past, it is unlikely that there will be any national legal action to effectively identify, prosecute and punish those responsible.”
The group also expressed “concern that the violence and killings may slow the consolidation of democracy and good governance in the country, and contribute to further denial of the citizens’ internationally recognized human rights, including economic and social rights.”
“As a former Judge of the International Criminal Court, your commitment to human rights generally is not in doubt. You have also demonstrated in your actions a dynamic approach to the development of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. You have shown a strong leadership in the international fight against impunity. I hope that you will continue in this direction by using your good offices to intervene in the continuing violence and killings in the context of the 2011 general elections in Nigeria,” the group added.
The International Red Cross and other groups have reported violent riots in many states of the North, claiming over 200 lives and leaving over 500 injured and tens of thousands men, women, and children displaced. There are also reports that young men and women of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are targeted and many have been killed, injured or displaced.
Signed
Adetokunbo Mumuni
SERAP Executive Director
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