Guinea Bissau
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| Guinea Bissau, back from the review (UPR 2010) |
Highlights
1. Commitment to investigate and prosecute all human rights abuses related to 2009 assassinations of politicians, including former president.
2. Fragile political institutions and implementation of rule of law due to military interference.
3. Commitment to undertake reforms of the judiciary and the defence sector.
4. Efforts made to prevent degrading or inhuman treatment.
5. Poverty and corruption among main challenges.
6. Principle of non discrimination enshrined in the Constitution.
7. In need of financial and technical support to modernize institutions, with special regard to the judiciary and the military, and to combat corruption.
8. Torture prohibited by law. Commitment to ratify the Convention against torture.
Interactive discussion
Number of States taking part in the discussion
1. Member States: 21
2. Observer States: 10
Positive achievements
1. Establishment of commissions of inquiry.
2. Prohibition of death penalty.
3. Plan of action to increase women’s participation in decision-making.
4. Efforts to restore political stability.
5. Strategy to ensure the right to education. Compulsory free primary education.
6. Action plan for health development, including strategic plan for combating HIV/AIDS and national road map for reducing maternal mortality.
Issues and questions raised
1. Trafficking of women and children.
2. Female genital mutilation and domestic violence against women.
3. Arbitrary detentions, attacks and intimidation.
4. Lack of civilian control over the military and impunity of the military.
5. Independence of the judiciary.
6. Discrimination against women. Women’s high rate of illiteracy and poverty.
7. High rates of maternal mortality.
8. Children trafficking and situation of children with disabilities.
9. Harassment and attacks against journalists and political opponents.
10. Prisons infrastructure and conditions of detention, especially of children.
11. Extreme poverty.
Recommendations
1. Undertake independent investigations into all cases of torture or extrajudicial killings and ensure due accountability for perpetrators.
2. Criminalize female genital mutilations and raise awareness.
3. Adopt a comprehensive strategy to address all forms of violence against women.
4. Incorporate comprehensive definition of discrimination into national legislation. Take measures to eliminate cultural practices and stereotypes against women.
5. Investigate and prosecute abuses against human rights defenders and journalists.
6. Reform the security sector and retain control of the military.
7. Combat child labour and trafficking.
8. Develop juvenile justice infrastructure.
9. Take further steps to increase women’s participation into politics.
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| PRETTY SOON GUINEA BISSAU AT THE UPR |
Guinea-Bissau is a country that experienced numerous coups and military rebellions. The Armed forces have dominated political life in Guinea-Bissau since its independence in leading the country either openly or behind the scenes. They have self assigned the powers that violate the Constitution. For years, the armed forces have become a major factor of destabilization. Due to the weakness of institutions and state authorities, survival depends on government support of the armed forces.
Politicians, too, often mounted the various factions within the armed forces against each other. Rivalry among the armed forces have caused strife and assassinations.
Human Rights are paying the price. The country has witnessed killings, torture and ill treatment, freedom of expression is suppressed and a weak judiciary and other state institutions and the lack of investigations and prosecutions in cases of human rights violations committed by soldiers have perpetuated the impunity of the armed forces.
Civil society in Guinea Bissau is getting ready to attend to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva on 7th Mai 2010.
In that vein, the West African Human Rights Defenders Network (ROADDH / WAHRDN), made proposals of recommendations that’s a dig at the government of Guinea Bissau:
1. Ratify all treaties relating to human rights, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its first and second Optional Protocols and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading ,
2. Ensure that all provisions contained in international treaties of human rights,
3. Ensure that all cases of unlawful killings are subject without delay and impartially investigated and that the actual perpetrators of these acts are brought to justice in proceedings which meet international fair trial standards.
4. Investigate all cases of torture and abuse committed by officers and other military personnel to bring to justice the perpetrators of these acts of torture and ill-treatment in accordance with international standards of fairness;
5. Ensure that no one should be subject to arrest and arbitrary detention for exercising their right to freedom of expression and other rights and that arrests are carried out according to law by officers of the enforcement.
INFORMATION
UPR-selection of Troikas for the eight session of the working group:
Djibouti, Republic of Korea, United States of America
Tentative timetable for the eight session of the UPR working group
| Tuesday 4 May | Friday 7 May | Thursday 6 May | Tuesday 11 May |
| 10h-13h: Review of Guinea | 9h-12h: Review of Guinea Bissau | 12h-12h 30: Adoption of the report on Guinea | 12h-12h 30: Adoption of the report on Guinea Bissau |
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| H I S T O R Y |
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in western Africa, and one of the smallest states in continental Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west.
Guinea‑Bissau is a multiparty republic with a population of approximately 1.7 million. In 2005 Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira defeated the candidate of the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea‑Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) to become president. Legislative elections on November 16 were characterized by international observers as transparent and well organized. Civilian authorities did not maintain effective control of the security forces; members of the military launched what appeared to be failed coup attempts on August 8 and November 23.
The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, the following problems occurred: arbitrary killings; poor prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; lack of judicial independence and due process; interference with privacy; harassment of journalists; widespread official corruption, exacerbated by suspected government involvement in drug trafficking, and impunity; violence and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation (FGM); child trafficking; restrictions on legal strikes and use of force on strikers; and child labor, including some forced labor.
The determination to build a state resulted in a massive assault of violations of human rights and the perpetuation of a political culture based on mutual fear. Following a military coup in 2003, the country has since begun a phase of democratic standards, culminating in elections in 2004 and a presidential election July 24, 2005. On 1st March 2009, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Tagmé Waié Na, was killed in a bomb attack. President Joao Bernardo Vieira, whom some soldiers are responsible for this attack, is murdered in turn, March 2, 2009, by armed men. The current president of Guinea Bissau is Mr Cavaco Silva.
"We believe that the inauguration of new president marks a new phase of stability, which is the result of joint efforts of the international community to consolidate peace in Guinea-Bissau," said the Brazilian diplomat in the service of the UN.
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