Based on the African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Liberal International and the Africa Liberal Network join forces in calling for the African Union to strongly condemn the adoption of the ‘Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill’ by the Nigerian parliament and to discourage President Goodluck Jonathan from signing this bill into law.
On Thursday 30 May, Nigeria’s parliament adopted the ‘Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill’, a law that allows up to 10 years’ imprisonment for gay, lesbian and bisexual people who marry or display affection and even 14 years for visitors. This is the harshest piece of legislation against LGBT persons adopted worldwide since 12 northern Nigerian states endorsed Islamic Sharia law in 2000 and 2001, punishing consensual same-sex activity by death.
“In January 2012.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged leaders at an African Union summit to respect gay rights. Today we see his words are not heard. So now it is time for African leaders to show moral leadership, now their own Banjul is pushed aside so harshly by the Nigerian Parliament”, LI LGBT Rights Working Group Coordinator Frank Van Dalen says.
President of the Africa Liberal Network, Olivier Kamitatu Etsu, states, “we strongly condemn this bill as it stands in direct opposition to the ALN’s Liberal Manifesto for Africa, adopted in Abidjan in 2012, which upholds the protection of all fundamental human and political rights and envisions a society in which every individual is able to express themselves freely and fulfil their personal destiny in a tolerant environment free from sectarian fundamentalism.”
Liberal International and the Africa Liberal Network will address United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay directly with an appeal to take prompt action towards the Nigerian President and the African Union to prevent the adopted bills becoming Nigerian law.
Note for the Editors:
The African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights guarantees every individual to enjoy the human rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind such as sex or other status. Liberal International’s LGBT rights working group operates under the auspices of the LI Human Rights Committee, chaired by Abir al-Sahlani MP, Vice President on the LI Bureau.

Adopted by the Africa Liberal Network at the ‘Conference on the Malian crisis and security in West Africa’ hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
Bamako, 2 June 2013.
Whereas the Africa Liberal Network is a member of Liberal International, which is guided by the Oxford Manifesto of 1947 which outlines the values of freedom, democracy and peace ascribed to by all its members;
Whereas the current security and political situation in Mali is of major concern to the international liberal community;
Whereas the mission of the ALN, as set out in its founding Charter and the Johannesburg Declaration of June 2003, is to defend and promote freedom, democracy, peace and the rule of law across the African continent.
Background
The conflict that shook Mali resulted in a massive humanitarian and political crisis that destabilised state institutions, led to the widespread displacement of civilians and a loss of human life, the rape and abuse of women, the enrollment child soldiers and unprecedented destruction of the country’s heritage, including the burning of the Timbuktu library and the disappearance of ancient manuscripts.
Numerous stakeholders including the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS and various other countries intervened in order to stabilise Mali’s state institutions, halt terrorist attacks and recover the nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. To this end, several legal instruments have been adopted in order to support a swift resolution to the crisis.
The crisis revealed the fragility of Mali’s state institutions, and in addressing it, a new social contract is required that calls for a sustainable solution that includes Malians of all faiths, ethnicities and all political or ideological persuasions.
Organizations that adhere to liberal democratic philosophy, particularly the Africa Liberal Network, supported by, amongst others, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, have a role to play in resolving the crisis in Mali.
From the ALN’s point of view, all contemporary democracies must be rooted in the same common values of freedom of the individual in order to be successful. These values must be rooted in a framework that includes the rule of law, separation of powers, protection of individual and collective freedoms, political pluralism, respect for minorities, freedom of expression, peace and safety.
Flowing from these common values of democracy, the ALN makes the following proposals in order to address the situation in Mali:
Resolution
1. Re-establish the rule of law:
a. Rebuild a credible, decentralised state;
b. Establish an independent and fair judiciary and a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission;
c. Redefine the role and responsibilities of the defense and security forces as supporting mechanisms for democratic governance in the country;
d. Define a new social contract underpinned by a secular state;
e. Restore trust between all players in the crisis and unite them in working towards the organisation of elections;
f. Develop a code of conduct for all participants in the electoral process.
2. Effectively guarantee the safety of people:
a. Ensure the effective protection and security of people and property;
b. Establish a specialised regional force to fight against all forms of organized crime, including terrorist groups and drug trafficking networks;
c. Ensure the creation of conditions for the return of displaced persons and refugees in order to strengthen social cohesion and national unity.
3. Establish a system for monitoring and evaluating the process and issuing early warnings if necessary:
a. Establish a committee for monitoring and evaluating the crisis resolution process;
b. Ensure that there is a regional body to oversee the effective implementation of the crisis resolution process and intervene if required;
c. Identify potential factors that may disrupt the national reconciliation process and make appropriate preemptive interventions;
d. Create links with the African Union, European Union and the United Nations in order to secure their cooperation and support with the crisis turnaround plan.
Signed:
– Olivier Kamitatu Etsu, President of the ALN, President of the ARC / DR Congo
– Mr. Gilbert Noël Ouedraogo, Vice-President of the ALN, President of the ADF-RDA / Burkina Faso
– Ben Fana Ousmane Traoré, President of PCR / Mali
– Honourable Abdoulaye Sidibe, RDR / Ivory Coast
– Dr. Lamine Ba, President of PLC / Senegal
– Dr. Malick Dieng, PDS / Senegal
– Mr. Alpha Diallo, President of the PULS / Guinea
– Dr. Youssouf Sylla, UFDG / Guinea
– Dr. Aïssata Daffé, UFR / Guinea
– Honorable Thierno Bocoum Rewmi / Senegal (observer)
– Me Djibril War, APR / Senegal (observer)

On behalf of the African Liberal Network (ALN), I will today write to Faith Pansy Tlakula, the special rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and ask her to investigate the new media law passed by Burundi’s National Assembly in April and promulgated earlier this week by President Pierre Nkurunziza.
The President has promulgated the bill into law despite serious concerns being raised internationally about provisions in the bill that will severely restrict journalists’ ability to report freely on matters in Burundi through the imposition of heavy fines and jail sentences. The bill also weakens protection for sources and requires all journalists to have a university degree regardless of their work experience.
The media bill stands in direct contravention to the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Burundi is a signatory, that commits countries to uphold freedom of information and expression.
In my letter to the special rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, I will ask her to investigate the provisions of the Burundian media bill that violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and make appropriate recommendations to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights regarding further sanctions.
The key mandate of the special rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information is to analyse national media legislation within Member States, monitor their compliance with freedom of expression and access to information standards, undertake fact-finding missions to Member States to investigate reports of systemic violations of the right to freedom of expression and denial of access to information and make appropriate recommendations and public interventions.
The rights to freedom of information and expression, as well as an independent and diverse media, are central to the realisation of real democracy. Without these rights democracy in Burundi is a farce. In line with the Liberal Manifesto for Africa drafted and adopted by the ALN, we will, along with our Burundian member party, the Alliance Démocratique pour le Renouveau (ADR), champion the rights to freedom of expression in Burundi until such time as they are delivered in both form and substance.
Media enquiries:
Olivier Kamitatu Etsu
Africa Liberal Network President
+24 381 268 1774
Aimee Franklin
Africa Liberal Network Coordinator
+27 72 232 0127

The African Liberal Network (ALN) urges the international community to join us in strongly condemning Monday’s alleged raid by Ugandan government security forces on the Daily Monitor newspaper and its two radio stations. During the raid the security forces shut down the publication’s operations using a search warrant that the publication was not given the opportunity to contest.
This action constitutes a direct threat to media freedom in Uganda, a country in which the African Media Barometer stated that: “State surveillance structures… continue to create a climate of fear among journalists as well as potential information sources, resulting in increasing cases of self-censorship. A disturbing trend of self-censorship through reportage of social rather than political issues leading to the downplaying of important issues is emerging.”
By using intimidation to restrict journalists’ abilities to report freely on matters, the Ugandan government stands in direct contravention of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which the country is a signatory.
The rights to freedom of information and expression, as well as an independent and diverse media, are enshrined in the Charter, and are central to the realisation of real democracy in any country. Without these rights democracy in Uganda is hollow.
The intimidation of journalists in Uganda cannot be allowed to continue. In line with the Liberal Manifesto for Africa drafted and adopted by the ALN, we will, along with our Ugandan member party, Liberal Democratic Transparency (LDT), continue to monitor the situation and champion the right to a free media in Uganda.
Media enquiries:
Olivier Kamitatu Etsu
Africa Liberal Network President
+24 381 268 1774
Aimee Franklin
Africa Liberal Network Coordinator
+27 72 232 0127

On behalf of the Africa Liberal Network (ALN) I call on the international community to join me in expressing concern about the upcoming Ethiopian elections, scheduled for 14 and 21 April, around which an increasing number of incidents of unfair practices are being reported. As well as a petition signed by thirty-four Ethiopian opposition parties taking issue with a number of electoral irregularities, ALN member party, the Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), have brought a number of concerns to the network’s attention.
These include:
1) The withholding of financial electoral campaign support for political parties by the government, contrary to long standing practice and the Electoral Code,
2) Opposition candidates being denied access to the media,
3) Reportedly wide-spread intimidation of voters by local officials aligned with the ruling party,
4) Irregularities in voter registration by the National Election Board, including the issuing of multiple ballots and a failure to check the residential status of voters, and,
5) Reported abuse of government funds by the ruling party for the purposes of campaigning.
Despite continued dialogue with the National Election Board, the Ethiopian Democratic Party have withdrawn all but one candidate from the election in protest against continued practices that they deem to render the electoral process neither free nor fair.
I urge all parties, as well as the National Election Board, to engage in open dialogue regarding these issues, and for the international community to closely monitor the elections in the interests of upholding democracy in Ethiopia.
Media enquiries:
Olivier Kamitatu Etsu
Africa Liberal Network President
+24 381 268 1774
Aimee Franklin
Africa Liberal Network Coordinator
+27 72 232 0127 or +44 75 5700 9023

The Africa Liberal Network held its General Assembly in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire from 16-18 October, just ahead of the Liberal International Congress which was hosted by HE President Ouattara. The ALN meeting saw the election of a new Executive Committee, the adoption of resolutions on Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Somaliland, and four new parties joining the network.
The ALN welcomed the parties of two former Guinean Prime Ministers, Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG) of Cello Dalein Diallo, and Union des Forces Républicaines (UFR) of Sidya Touré, (both LI observer members), as well as the governing party of Somaliland, KULMIYE, and Alliance Nationale pour les Comores (ANC).
Commenting on his election as ALN President, Hon. Olivier Kamitatu, leader of Alliance pour le Renouveau du Congo and former Minister of Planning in DRC, said: “The ALN has never been as dynamic as it is today… No one can doubt that the values of liberalism increasingly penetrate Africa and that ALN is a symbol of hope for a greater number of young Africans… Under my leadership, ALN will work to ensure that liberalism flourishes here in Africa, and I will do all I can to support our members to build their capacity, win elections, and implement liberal policies.”

The ALN Executive Committee met in Johannesburg, South Africa, 22-25 February. The delegates took the decision to the relocate the Secretariat from the Liberal Democrats’ HQ in London, where it has been for the past decade, to the National Head Office of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Cape Town, South Africa.
At the meeting Tim Harris MP (DA Shadow Minister of Finance), said that the DA would be delighted to support the continued development of the ALN in this way. The Liberal Democrats will continue to fund the Secretariat through their Westminster Foundation for Democracy programme during a transitional period up until 2015.
Following presentations on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Africa and the DA’s approach to fundraising, the Executive Committee agreed a fundraising action plan for the ALN. The participants also appointed a Treasurer, Bryan Julie of the Seychelles National Party (SNP), who will lead a Fundraising Working Group responsible for the implementation of the action plan. The Johannesburg meeting was kindly facilitated by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF).

The Liberal Democrats were proud to welcome five prominent African women politicians to their Annual Party Conference in Birmingham, from 16-21 September 2011. The delegates met with Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg MP, in addition to other senior figures from the party including Party President, Tim Farron MP, and former leader of the party in the House of Lords, Baroness (Shirley) Williams.
The delegation was led by Hon. Alice Nzomukunda; Africa Liberal Network Vice-President for Central Africa, Leader of ADR, and former Vice-President of Burundi. The delegation also included participants in previous ALN Gender Workshops, Hon. Regina Alcindor from the Seychelles National Party and Mrs Ashura Mustapha from Civic United Front, Tanzania.
They were joined by Hon. Rachel Shebesh MP, representing the Orange Democratic Movement of Kenya, and Mrs Sophia Deressa, Vice-President of the Ethiopian Democratic Party. Hon. Alice Nzomukunda addressed the conference delegates, speaking on a panel with former Party Leader, Lord (Paddy) Ashdown, Chair of the International Affairs Committee, Martin Horwood MP, and Vice-Chair of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, Prof. Myles Wickstead.
During her speech, she thanked the Liberal Democrats for their support for her party and drew attention to recent violence in Burundi. In addition to attending policy debates and receiving briefings from senior Government Ministers, the delegates also met with and Chair of the International Development Select Committee, Malcolm Bruce MP, and Lord (William) Wallace, Spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which gave them the opportunity discuss government policy toward their own countries.
In the margins of the conference, the delegates met with senior women from national, regional and local government including Minister for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone MP, Leader of the London Assembly Group, Caroline Pidegon AM, and Birmingham Councillors Sue Anderson and Karen Hamilton.
The delegates had an opportunity to learn how the Liberal Democrats are organised during a meeting with former CEO, Lord (Chris) Rennard. Finally, the participants were able to discuss their integration in the liberal family with Robert Woodthorpe-Browne, Chair of the International Relations Committee and Emil Kirjas Secretary-General of Liberal International, and Catherine Bearder MEP.
Following a meeting with the delegates, Don Foster MP, Liberal Democrat Governor on the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, commented: “I was delighted to meet with the delegates and to welcome them to our conference. I was particularly interested to hear the comparisons which they made with their own parties and countries. It is clear that such inward visits contribute to building capacity among women politicians in Africa, and we look forward to following-up this work through the Africa Liberal Network. I will take up some of the issues which we discussed at the ALN General Assembly in Kinshasa this October which I am really looking forward to attending.”

Le  Comité Exécutif du Réseau Libéral Africain :
Tenant compte des informations des différentes sources indépendantes telles que les organisations  des droits de l’homme œuvrant dans la Région des Grands Lacs d’Afrique  en l’occurrence Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International ainsi que les organisations de protection des droits de l’homme locales au Burundi ; les organisations de protection du métier de journalisme tel que Reporter Sans Frontières ainsi que l’Association Burundaise des Journalistes (ABJ) ; les organisations de lutte contre la corruption  tel que International Transparency et Olucome, etc. ;
Considérant les éléments contenant dans la  nouvelle loi sur les partis politiques burundais qui vient d’être adoptée par les deux chambres du Parlement burundais, laquelle loi consacre un retour au monopartisme de fait en excluant les partis  politiques dont les leaders sont à l’étranger ;
Tenant compte de la récente mesure de retirer de la circulation les actuels passeports burundais et exiger aux ayants droit  de se présenter physiquement à Bujumbura pour l’obtention du nouveau passeport, visant ainsi la capture des leaders de l’opposition en exil ou le blocage de leurs mouvements ;
Vu l’état général de la corruption et de la dilapidation des biens de l’Etat par l’équipe au pouvoir à Bujumbura, plaçant ainsi le Burundi à la première place des pays les plus corrompus de la sous-région et parmi les 10 pays les plus corrompus au monde ;
Considérant les dizaines d’assassinats à caractère politique enregistrés chaque jour surtout dans les provinces de l’ouest  et plus principalement à Bujumbura Rural ;
Tenant compte de la persécution des journalistes burundais, dont certains sont interpellés fréquemment pour avoir diffusé une information qui ne plaît pas au pouvoir et surtout de l’emprisonnement injuste du journaliste Jean Claude Kavumbagu depuis bientôt une année ;
Vu l’état de la  dégradation générale de la situation sécuritaire et la croissance de la violation des droits humains où les éléments des forces de l’ordre public sont impliqués ;
Considérant que cette situation déplorable résulte d’un manque de volonté manifeste du pouvoir de ramener la  paix par une oppression permanente de tous ceux qui sont sensés ne pas avoir élu  le CNDD-FDD actuellement au pouvoir ;
Tenant compte que ce pouvoir n’a jamais voulu dialoguer avec l’opposition pour dégager ensemble des mesures visant le retour à la stabilité sociopolitique du Burundi ;
Le Comité Exécutif du RLA réunit du 7 au 13 mai  2011 à Johannesburg en Afrique du Sud vient d’adopter une résolution  pour le Burundi. Les éléments qui la composent sont les suivants :
1. Le Réseau Libéral Africain regrette qu’une année vienne de s’écouler  après les élections de mai 2010, et que les résultats soient négatifs sur tous les points de vues ;
2. Il regrette que le Président du Régime en place à Bujumbura ne dise rien sur la situation dégradante de violation des droits de l’homme au Burundi et surtout ne manifeste aucune volonté de laisser la justice faire son travail sur le cas de l’assassinat ignoble d’Ernest Manirumva, Vice-président d’une organisation locale contre la corruption et les malversations économiques ;
3. Il regrette que les proches du Président soient impliqués dans des vols fragrants des biens de l’Etat (cas des 13 millions de dollars américains remboursés par l’Etat ougandais mais disparus dans les poches des proches du Président) mais que celui-ci n’en dise rien ;
4. Il regrette que l’Etat burundais se retrouve impliqué dans le massacre de ses propres populations ;
5. Le Réseau Libéral Africain regrette aussi le recul de la démocratie au Burundi par un retour au monopartisme de fait, occasionné par l’adoption d’une loi qui exclut plusieurs partis politiques de l’opposition ;
6. Il regrette que le pouvoir de Bujumbura use de la force pour résoudre tout  problème à caractère politique ;
7. Le Réseau Libéral Africain condamne les arrestations et les assassinats des militants de l’opposition ainsi que la loi discriminatoire conçue et adoptée dans le but de supprimer injustement des partis politiques de l’opposition ;
8. Il condamne avec énergie la torture et les exécutions extrajudiciaires dénoncées par la Communauté Internationale et les organisations de défense des droits de l’homme ; (1,2)
9. Il condamne la persécution dont sont victimes les leaders des partis de l’opposition les contraignant à l’exil ou à une vie clandestine ;
10. Le Réseau Libéral Africain exige l’arrêt  des arrestations arbitraires, emprisonnements, assassinats des militants de l’opposition et la libération sans condition de tous les prisonniers politiques et d’opinion ;
11. Il exige la libération immédiate du journaliste Jean Claude Kavumbagu et la liquidation du procès en rapport avec l’assassinat du militant des droits de l’homme Ernest Manirumva ;
12. Il exige qu’une commission internationale soit mise en place pour enquêter sur les exécutions sommaires observées dans  toutes les régions du Burundi ;
13. Le Réseau Libéral Africain supplie le Président du Régime en place à Bujumbura de ne pas promulguer une loi discriminatoire, qui constituerait la goûte d’eau risquant de faire déborder le vase qui n’était que déjà trop plein ;
14. Il demande au gouvernement du Burundi de faire une politique de rapprochement  et non d’exclusion en entamant sans délai des négociations avec les partis d’opposition afin de trouver des solutions aux problèmes de sécurité, des droits de l’homme, et de vider le contentieux électoral ;
15. Il demande aux bailleurs de fonds de conditionner l’aide directe au gouvernement burundais à l’ouverture des négociations véritables avec les partis d’opposition, et en attendant d’intervenir directement auprès des populations burundaises à travers les ONG ;
16. Le Réseau Libéral Africain demande enfin à la Communauté Internationale notamment les Nations Unies, l’Union Européenne et l’Union Africaine de continuer à suivre avec attention la situation politique et sécuritaire au Burundi.
Fait à Johannesburg, le 09 mai 2011