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afrol News, 11 April - The United Nations human rights committee (UNHCHR), which is united these days in Geneva, seemingly has provoked an encouraging change in the Equatoguinean government's position on human rights. The country's new Prime Minister himself went to Geneva to defend his country. Equatoguinean Prime Minister Cándido Muatetema Rivas told the UN committee that his country, since its independence in 1979, had been building a democracy that respected human rights. It had ratified almost all regional and international human rights instruments. He however noted that respect of democracy and human rights required favourable national and international circumstances, especially continued peace and coordinated efforts to wipe out poverty. The UNHCHR has a Special Representative on Equatorial Guinea, which has been reporting on the country's human rights situation annually since 1979. This years' media coverage on Special Representative Gustavo Gallón's report and his preparations had been extra tough, as Gallón, under UN protest, was denied access to the country. Thus the need for new Prime Minister Cándido Muatetema Rivas to go to Geneva and tidy up the bad media image provoked by the previous government. Rivas was able to speak to the Committee and present his country's view, and later told the press he was "satisfied with the results" of his visit. Muatetema Rivas told the committee he was "honoured to take part in this important meeting. This is the first time the head of Equatorial Guinea is addressing the Commission," he said. On behalf of the Equatoguinean government, he reaffirmed its commitment to its people and to the UN to recognize and promote the human rights of all the people of Equatorial Guinea. "All human rights were universal, indivisible, and inter-related," he emphasised. Muatetema Rivas further emphasised on the positive developments since 1979, when the inhumane dictatorship of Macías Nguema was toppled by his nephew, present President Teodoro Obiang Nguema. "In 1979, the public authorities took on the commitment to build the rule of law by prioritising State institutions," informed Muatetema Rivas. - During the first phase, efforts were focused on ensuring the administration recognized and fulfilled the law, he continued. "This political culture helped build a pluralistic society. In 1991, as a result of a referendum, Constitutional reform was approved. In 1992, three political groups were recognized - they were the only three applications submitted. Now there were 13 political groups. Legislative and local elections had been held. Presidential elections were held in 1996," Muatetema Rivas lectured on the positive developments in Equatorial Guinea. Describing the present human rights situation in his country, Muatetema Rivas said authorities were prohibited from infringing on people's human rights. "This atmosphere is characterized by the rights for detainees, the right to a fair trial, and the right to representation. The Government has taken and continues to take all measures available to ensure human rights are addressed in schools and institutions. Democracy has no maximum limit, and human rights have no ceiling. Personal rights - freedom of movement, protection of personal data, freedom of expression, religious freedom, for example - are enjoyed by all residing in Equatorial Guinea, and their standing is improving every day as their intellectual maturity continues to grow." UN Special Representative Gustavo Gallón had presented a very different version of the human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea when presenting his annual report two days earlier. He said the country had suffered from a lack of a state of law since it achieved independence from Spain in 1968. Deep intolerance marked the situation. Instead of an independent judiciary, the armed forces and the Government used their powers to control the population. Women and children suffered from discrimination, particularly through education and health. He thus urged the Commission not to remain inactive. Gallón's version is sustained by the US State Department and the Equatoguinean opposition. Although the US government acknowledges the improvements mentioned by Prime Minister Muatetema Rivas after 1979, its conclusion is that the democratisation process has come to a halt. The US does not agree to Muatetema Rivas' conclusions on free elections, an independent judiciary and that Equatoguineans experience personal rights. The oppositional Association for Democratic Solidarity with Equatorial Guinea (ASODEGUE), normally very critical to the government, yesterday however expressed that it was encouraged by Muatetema Rivas' action and statement. "In general terms, the Equatoguinean government over the last week has demonstrated a change towards the reports and decisions made by the UN Human Rights Commission," ASODEGUE said in a media statement. ASODEGUE claims to see a new position taken from the new government towards human rights. While praising Muatetema Rivas' position, ASODEGUE was shocked by the statements of Minister of Justice, Ruben Maye Mangue, to the Commission, denying the content of Gallón's report totally and claiming, "a new campaign of neo-colonialism is being waged against Equatorial Guinea." Maye Mangue said the government "totally disagrees with the report of the Special Representative on the human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea. Contrary to allegations contained in the gratuitous report of the Special Representative, Equatorial Guinea is pluralistic and democratic." He also claimed that Gallón was lying when he said he had been denied access to access to the country by the government. Prime Minister Muatetema Rivas' intervention in Geneva however seems to have impressed both oppositional voices and the UN, and he was reportedly "satisfied with the results" of his visit. Speaking on Equatoguinean radio on returning home, Muatetema Rivas said the government had "spoken with the required force on the numerous defamatory accusations on human rights violations that always were presented to the Commission by the opposition and were creating an unfavourable environment in our society." Speaking to the French news agency AFP, Muatetema Rivas however said that many efforts had been initiated, "but they must be followed stronger than ever, because we strongly have put a new mark on the human rights situation in our country in face of the international community." Source: UNHCHR, Asodegue, AFP and afrol archives
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