Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians to celebrate its 25th anniversary

Members of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. From left to right: Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Mrs. Ann Clwyd, Mr. Juan Pablo Letelier, Mrs. Veronika Nedvedova and Mr. Mahamane Ousmane. Photo : ST/IPU

The Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, created by the IPU 25 years ago, held its 98th session in Geneva, from 24 to 28 June 2002. The five members of the Committee as well as the leader of the opposition in Togo explain the importance of this mechanism created by the world organisation of parliaments.

Mr Juan Pablo Letelier (Chile), Vice-President of the Chilean Parliament and President of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
"The IPU and its Committee help stop human rights violations"

The IPU is a very important international organisation, for it is the international body bringing together virtually all national parliaments. This institution and its Human Rights Committee have proven their worth. Through their specific mechanisms and thanks to their public and confidential procedures, the IPU and its Committee have in many cases helped to stop violations of the human rights of parliamentarians and to increase awareness in parliaments as to how to defend MPs. Our Committee also urges representatives of IPU member parliaments to take urgent action in defence of parliamentarians all around the globe when their lives are endangered or their rights threatened.

Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Labour of Sri Lanka and Vice-President of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
"A key factor for democracy"

Safeguarding the human rights of parliamentarians is the very basis of democracy, for parliamentarians are the legislators who put in place the legal framework required for any democracy and who see to it that the laws they adopt are actually implemented. Working to ensure that parliamentarians enjoy freedom of speech without fear of retaliation as they perform their duties and are able to exercise fully their fundamental freedoms is essential for democracy itself, for safeguarding the human rights of parliamentarians means safeguarding the rights of all citizens and, in the final analysis, the institution of parliament itself and with it democracy! In this connection, appropriate legislation can have an impact on the lives of citizens in their respective countries. This helps us to appreciate the key role played by the Committee when it makes every possible effort to ensure that MPs can simply do their jobs.

Mrs. Ann Clwyd, MP, United Kingdom and Member of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
"You can see some evidence of its success"

You can see some evidence of its success. I have not been a member for long but I have seen how the influence of this Committee has managed to assist members of parliament in trouble all over the world through its procedures. When you can assist people, elected representatives like ourselves, to have the freedom that we have ourselves, I think this is a very important activity. The procedures have proved to be good procedures. And they have meant that people have been released from jail, from exile on occasion. Members of parliament talk a lot, but this is one case where talk leads to action.

Mrs. Veronika Nedvedova, MP, Czech Republic and Member of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
"We have to help wherever MPs' human rights are violated"

The Committee plays an important role in safeguarding parliamentary democracy. Each MP is a part of this, for violations of the human rights of parliamentarians put democracy in danger. The Czech Republic could name a lot of sad examples of this kind taken from its history of a totalitarian regime. Flouting human rights puts any democracy in danger. Flouting the human rights of parliamentarians is a direct attack on democracy. As a member of the Czech Parliament and a citizen of a country which has known a totalitarian regime, I could mention many examples from sad memory. Democracy cannot be taken for granted, we must act, to the limits of our abilities, wherever violations of MPs' human rights are committed, inter alia by using parliamentary diplomacy. This Committee, which knows how to employ parliamentary diplomacy at the right moment, is a good tool for defending the human rights of parliamentarians, and we must make extensive use of it.

Mr. Yawovi Agboyibo, lawyer
Leader of the opposition in Togo and Former member of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
"Without the IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the situation would be disastrous"

Q : The IPU organised a seminar on relations between majority and minority parties in parliament. Do you feel that the opposition is more present today in African political life?
Yawovi Agboyibo: As far as I am concerned, and given a number of practices in countries with which I am familiar, I would say that this is very difficult. Let me take my country as an example. The regime in power - and what I say for Togo holds true for other African countries - is not prepared to accept the opposition, especially the parliamentary opposition, as something normal. This is not the first time that we have a single-party Assembly. We have 81 MPs, all of whom side with the government. And this type of anomalous situation is not specific to Togo - you can find it in several African countries. In some African countries, where the opposition is represented in Parliament, its real impact is unfortunately very limited. There are a few exceptions, such as Benin, where the parliamentary opposition wields real power and makes its voice heard. And I am convinced that it does positive and constructive work. But in the majority of African countries today, the opposition has a very hard time expressing its views.

Q: So seminars like the one the IPU organised in Libreville are necessary…
Y.A.: Yes. I attended the one in Libreville. This type of seminar builds awareness both among the government and among the opposition. I can assure you that it has had an extremely positive impact in my country. This is also true for other African countries. In Libreville, our discussions focused on the adoption of a model set of statutes for the opposition. These statutes have been approved, and now the opposition parties have to make sure that they become a reality.

Q: The IPU set up the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. Do you think that there is greater respect for the human rights of parliamentarians in Africa today or that, on the contrary, such rights are increasingly flouted?
Y.A.: The context is not easy. In countries moving towards democratisation, there is very strong resistance when it comes to respect for MPs' rights. I continue to think that, were it not for IPU and its mechanism, the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the situation would be disastrous. My case illustrates this perfectly! If I am here in Geneva today, it is above all to express my gratitude for IPU's tremendous role in securing my release. I can assure you that without the pressure brought to bear by the Committee and in particular the prospect of what was going to happen in Marrakech, those in power in Togo would have never released me. It is up to us to make the most of the mechanisms available to MPs. Unfortunately, the circulation of information about cases involving such violations sometimes leaves something to be desired. Despite the confidentiality of the cases, we must from time to time find ways of publicising the IPU's efforts to ensure protection of MPs' rights.

Mr. Mahamane Ousmane, Speaker of the National Assembly of Niger and Member of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians
"The Committee can have a snowball effect"

As parliamentarians are elected officials who enjoy the trust of the peoples who have appointed them, it is important that, as such, they enjoy the full range of immunities and prerogatives that are attached to their status of representatives of the peoples. It is therefore essential that institutions like the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians see to it that parliamentarians are able to enjoy their rights and privileges. If this is not the case, then we are all headed for disaster, for if an MP's human rights can be violated with impunity, what will become of the ordinary citizen who has elected him, who has placed his faith in him and who is relying on him to defend his rights - this citizen who is counting on the parliamentarian he elected to pass laws and oversee the action of the government? It is therefore extremely important that the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians not only has sufficient means to carry out its mission effectively but also that its action enjoys good visibility, as this favours the promotion of these values which have now become universal: respect for the rule of law, respect for democracy and respect for the human rights of all citizens. The key to promoting these values is very effective action by the Committee, because this will have a snowball effect.