THE DECISION BY the Authorized Help Centre (LAC) to cease accepting new human rights instances ought to elevate alarm about the way forward for justice in Namibia.
For greater than 35 years, the general public curiosity human rights legislation centre has performed a vital position in offering providers to these with the least entry to justice.
Amongst others, they’ve handled home violence, inheritance, divorce, marginalised communities, medical negligence, police brutality, environmental points and different disputes.
The LAC’s work of serving the Namibian folks began previous to independence, when it took on instances involving detention with out trial, alleged torture, detainees’ rights, the destruction of property, and different rights abuses.
Two weeks in the past, the centre introduced they’ve been pressured to curtail their actions due to a scarcity of funding and are not capable of register new human rights instances.
“We’re coping with a variety of instances and we won’t try this any extra. We do not have sufficient folks to do extra. We’re underfunded,” LAC director Toni Hancox mentioned.
The LAC’s plight is dangerous information for Namibia’s nascent democracy.
The centre’s position is usually understated as they characterize essentially the most susceptible of society who, with out the centre, wouldn’t be capable to take authorized motion.
For instance, the centre reported two years in the past it was dealing with greater than 30 instances of medical negligence, typically involving individuals who cannot afford authorized illustration.
One other case about life and loss of life, amongst others, concerned a mom who was allowed to present start, with no help from employees, whereas standing at a hospital in northern Namibia. “The child fell from her womb, hit the bottom and died immediately.”
The instances are limitless.
Namibians must jealously guard and defend establishments such because the LAC which performs a vital position in offering entry to justice.
Failure to maintain establishments just like the LAC means the poor are left defenceless. By the identical token, justice is used as a instrument by the wealthy.
As American statesman Alexander Hamilton mentioned, “the primary responsibility of society is justice”.
Namibians ought to embrace the idea of contributing in the direction of the existence of establishments that play a vital position in society similar to selling justice.
In 2002, Namibia’s Supreme Court docket reminded the federal government concerning the significance of authorized illustration for everybody as assured within the Structure.
They cited the Powell v Alabama case which mentioned “even the clever and educated layman [laywoman] has small and generally no talent within the science of legislation. If charged with against the law, he [or she] is incapable usually of figuring out for himself whether or not the indictment is nice or dangerous. He’s unfamiliar with the foundations of proof”.
“Left with out assistance from counsel he could also be placed on trial with no correct cost and convicted upon incompetent proof, or proof irrelevant to the difficulty, or in any other case inadmissible.”
Police Ought to Shield Protests
WHAT can we make of police chief Joseph Shikongo’s attraction for journalists to make themselves extra seen throughout protests to keep away from being harmed by legislation enforcement officers in case they’re mistaken for public protesters?
It’s good to listen to the police profess concern over the protection of journalists. And Shikongo’s condemnation of these law enforcement officials who assault the media is certainly welcome.
It’s regarding, nevertheless, that Shikongo appears to counsel that public protesters are truthful sport for law enforcement officials.
Clamping down with pressure appears to have change into virtually routine over the previous three years.
The media appreciates that better leeway is being accorded to journalists due to the essential position they play as skilled disseminators of reports and associated info.
But it must be clear to the police that the appropriate to protest, acquire and share publicly out there info must be protected for anybody, particularly in a democracy that ensures freedom of speech and expression.
We’re happening a harmful path by sending a message that the police ought to care extra about journalists than the so-called bizarre members of the general public.
Supply: namibian