Notícia disponível apenas em Inglês:
13 August 2010 The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), an
international human rights organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, today
wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan to express grave concern about reports
of an impending forced eviction of 350,000 people in Port Harcourt by the
Rivers State government.
The letter was copied to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated 28th January 2008 and
signed by the Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and Mr. Ben
Murray-Bruce, Chairman of the Silverbird Group, the Rivers State government
apparently intends to demolish the entire 2 km radius of Obi-Wali Integrated
Cultural Centre to enable development? of the area by the Silverbird Group.
The demolitions would result in the eviction of close to half a million
families.
The State government apparently intends to demolish the entire 2km2 radius
of Obi-Wali Integrated Cultural Centre, including the Abonnema settlement,
so that the Silverbird Group can develop the area for private business.
Previous practice shows that such large-scale forced evictions have the
potential to lead to other human rights violations, the use of excessive
force, and destruction of homes, informal businesses and family livelihoods.
According to COHRE, the forced evictions would not be in conformity with
Nigerian law or regional and international standards.
Nigerian law does not empower state governments to evict anyone from
their homes, communities or land for the purpose of private benefit,? said
Salih Booker, Executive Director of COHRE.
Even where an eviction is for public interest, international and regional
standards make it clear that such evictions must be accompanied by the
resettlement of all those likely to be displaced and compensation of landlords
for any property affected.?
The residents of the Abonnema Wharf settlement lack resources to find
alternative housing and are now living in fear of being rendered homeless.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), in conjunction
with the Federal government, undertook a mission to Port Harcourt in 2009
to probe the factors behind previous evictions in the area. The mission’s
report, which faulted the State government on several points of law, requested
the State government to institute a moratorium on further evictions pending
the implementation of a set of recommendations on the issue.
In spite of this, the State government has concluded the arrangement to
demolish the entire Abonnema settlement before 15 August 2010, without
any plan to resettle residents. The State government recently stated on
AIT and WAZOBIA media programmes that it had no obligation to resettle
or compensate any resident before carrying out any demolition.
Under international human rights law, evictions may be carried out only
in the most exceptional circumstances and only after all feasible alternatives
to eviction have been explored in genuine consultation with the affected
communities,? said Salih Booker.
Governor Amaechis threat of evictions will, if carried out, throw residents
into deeper poverty and have a detrimental impact on the ability of children
to access education and of families to access health care.?
Saurce: COHRE – Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions | 83, rue
de Montbrillant | 1202 Geneva, Switzerland | T +41 (0)22 734 1028 | M +41
(0)789 106 745 | eliane@cohre.org |
www.cohre.org
13 August 2010 The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), an
international human rights organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, today
wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan to express grave concern about reports
of an impending forced eviction of 350,000 people in Port Harcourt by the
Rivers State government.
The letter was copied to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated 28th January 2008 and
signed by the Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and Mr. Ben
Murray-Bruce, Chairman of the Silverbird Group, the Rivers State government
apparently intends to demolish the entire 2 km radius of Obi-Wali Integrated
Cultural Centre to enable development? of the area by the Silverbird Group.
The demolitions would result in the eviction of close to half a million
families.
The State government apparently intends to demolish the entire 2km2 radius
of Obi-Wali Integrated Cultural Centre, including the Abonnema settlement,
so that the Silverbird Group can develop the area for private business.
Previous practice shows that such large-scale forced evictions have the
potential to lead to other human rights violations, the use of excessive
force, and destruction of homes, informal businesses and family livelihoods.
According to COHRE, the forced evictions would not be in conformity with
Nigerian law or regional and international standards.
Nigerian law does not empower state governments to evict anyone from
their homes, communities or land for the purpose of private benefit,? said
Salih Booker, Executive Director of COHRE.
Even where an eviction is for public interest, international and regional
standards make it clear that such evictions must be accompanied by the
resettlement of all those likely to be displaced and compensation of landlords
for any property affected.?
The residents of the Abonnema Wharf settlement lack resources to find
alternative housing and are now living in fear of being rendered homeless.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), in conjunction
with the Federal government, undertook a mission to Port Harcourt in 2009
to probe the factors behind previous evictions in the area. The mission’s
report, which faulted the State government on several points of law, requested
the State government to institute a moratorium on further evictions pending
the implementation of a set of recommendations on the issue.
In spite of this, the State government has concluded the arrangement to
demolish the entire Abonnema settlement before 15 August 2010, without
any plan to resettle residents. The State government recently stated on
AIT and WAZOBIA media programmes that it had no obligation to resettle
or compensate any resident before carrying out any demolition.
Under international human rights law, evictions may be carried out only
in the most exceptional circumstances and only after all feasible alternatives
to eviction have been explored in genuine consultation with the affected
communities,? said Salih Booker.
Governor Amaechis threat of evictions will, if carried out, throw residents
into deeper poverty and have a detrimental impact on the ability of children
to access education and of families to access health care.?
Saurce: COHRE – Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions | 83, rue
de Montbrillant | 1202 Geneva, Switzerland | T +41 (0)22 734 1028 | M +41
(0)789 106 745 | eliane@cohre.org |
www.cohre.org
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