FIAN INTERNATIONAL ZAMBIA LAUNCHES THREE REPORTS , CALLS FOR THE PROTECTION OF RIGHT TO FOOD

 

An international human rights organization which advocates for the realization of the right to food and nutrition, FIAN International Zambia, has called on the government to ensure that it respects various international treaties which the country has committed to protect, including the right to food.

The call was made on Friday [29 April 2022]during the launch of three reports highlighting human Rights violations being committed by large scale agriculture and cement companies in three districts namely Mumbwa, Masaiti and Kachibiya.

One of the reports titled Land Grabbing for Cement Factory in Masaiti District of Zambia, Analysis of Dangote case from the Human Rights Perceptive, shows that in Senior Chief Chiwala in Masaiti on the Copperbelt, customary land of 250 hectares belonging to 234 households was grabbed from the residences of Majariwa village in Chiwala and given to Dangote Industries Zambia Limited.

And another report titled Land Grabbing for Palm Oil and Cement Factory in Kachibiya and Masiti Districts of Zambia indicates that following the interest to acquire land, discussions were held between the affected community members, ZAMPALM and Chief Kopas. 

The report says the initial discussion was to use land in Sankalimba, Namusalwa and Kepi village, respectively, for the establishment of the PALM tree nursery, workshop and factory for ZAMPALM limited. 

It explains that the affected land was occupied by 76 families and also contained a burial site and was next to a local River called the Baka Baka River.

The report findings revealed that the affected communities were not adequately compensated with land and building materials. 

The report has since recommended that the villagers affected by displacements be adequately compensated for their houses, land, water wells, Cassava fields and fruit trees.

The report has further recommended that an independent Environmental Impact Assessment-EIA be conducted to determine the environmental dangers of ZAMPALM industrial agriculture activities to the Bangweulu Wetlands.

The report has also proposed that in the case of Dangote, the affected communities must be provided with safe and clean drinking water, within reasonable perimeters.

And FIAN Country Coordinator, Vladimir Chilinya who presented the reports called for laws that will ensure that people are protected from being evicted from their land by investors and the protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of people.

“Business and investment need to respect human rights. The government should ensure that the business does not supersede or disrespect human rights, including the rights of people in areas where these investments are taking place, it’s important that these people are protected from the large cooperation who can use their economic strength to oppress the rights of people,” he said.

And speaking after receiving the reports, Human Rights Commission Chairperson, Mudford Mwandenga said he was happy to receive the three reports because they touch on issues that relate to matters that concern a violation of business and human rights.

Mr Mwandenga assured that the commission will study the reports and make recommendations to the powers that be so that the victims receive redress.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwandenga observed that a lot of Civil Society Organisations-CSOs that advocates for human rights are biased toward dealing with Civil and Political Rights thereby, relegating Economic Social and Cultural Rights.

He has therefore commended FIAN International Zambia for championing Economic Social and Cultural Rights which he said are usually neglected.

Mr Mwandenga further called on CSOs not only to focus on Civil and Political Rights but also to take into consideration that Social, Economic and Cultural Rights are important and are issues that must be implemented to uplift the lives of people.

He said the commission hopes the CSOs will support its efforts in ensuring that the bill of rights is amended to include Economical Social and Cultural Rights so as to end the notion that these rights are not justiciable.

“Speaking as a lawyer, I wish to confess that most of us lawyers find it very difficult and not profitable to take up human rights cases because most of the people that would wish to fight for their human rights are people that are downtrodden and don’t have the money to pay for the legal fees and there are very few lawyers that handle case on probono basis. So it’s very exciting that we have civil society organizations championing the rights of the downtrodden. In this regard I wish to say that FIAN International Zambia and your supporters deserve commendation,” he said.

“In as far as the human rights commission is concerned I could like to inform all of you here that we are prioritizing the promotion of the protection of Economic Social and Cultural rights in our 2022 to 2026 strategic plan and you may also wish to know that as a Human Rights Commission of Zambia we are also spearheading issues to do with business and human rights activities in the country,“ he explained. 

“As a human rights commission, we were quite disappointed when the referendum failed in 2016. It was our hope that the Bill of Rights was going to be amended to include Economical Social and Cultural Rights into our Bill of Rights.”

And Mumbwa Member of Parliament, Credo Nanjuwa, who also attended the launch of the reports said he is concerned about the issues that have been raised in the reports.

Mr Nanjuwa regretted that he has been having issues because Amatheon acquired a huge piece of land which has seen a lot of people being evicted [from their land] while people working at the company in question have been raising concerns about the manner they are being treated.

He said, if at all mineral extractions activities are taking place, the government will not take the issues with kids’ groves.

“This is an issue that has touched my attention so I will make a date with Amatheon through my office as provincial Minister[for Central Province]and will have an extensive discussion with them and issues that have been highlighted in the report that they are engaging in other activities other than agriculture. If there are any mineral extractions activities taking place will take that as illegal,” he warned.

He assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted to establish the fact.