Uganda free but human rights still violated

Human rights defender: UCT student Livingstone Sewanyana believes a concerted effort is required to combat human-rights abuses in Uganda.

Human rights activists in Uganda have made significant strides in making "oppressive" legal processes more human rights-friendly, but a lot more still needs to be done.

So said Livingstone Sewanyana, a UCT doctoral student in public law, at a seminar on the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, a civic organisation (of which he is the executive director) advocating human rights in Uganda. The seminar was hosted by the Faculty of Law as part of Celebrating Africa week.]

For instance, said Sewanyana, a campaign against the country's death penalty has succeeded in parts. Although execution remains constitutional, the Supreme Court outlawed mandatory death sentences, meaning all laws providing for mandatory sentences must be repealed. As a result, some prisoners awaiting execution had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, or as little as a two-year sentence, while others were even released.

Sewanyana noted that the Ugandan government has recently introduced "draconian bills" such as the Anti-Homosexual Bill, the Interception of Communication Bill and the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2005.

"These are very oppressive and erode the civil liberties contained in the 1995 Uganda Constitution. We are working around the clock to ensure that these provisions are modified to meet the rights requirements of society."

Lack of independence in the judiciary system and weakness and division among the opposition parties are key factors to a continuous abuse of human rights in Uganda, he added.