On 18th March 2014, A small
gathering of protesters outside the buildings at Gallagher Park in
Midrand, South Africa shouted “AU where are you? Down, down, Ethiopia
down!” during the inauguration of the 10 years Anniversary of the Pan-African Parliament.
The
protesters were members of the Ogaden-Somali and Oromo ethnic
communities who live in Johannesburg, South Africa. They had convened to
protest the actions of the Ethiopian government and massive human
rights abuses inflicted over 20 years by Ethiopian troops.
Despite
the fact that the police in Johannesburg had allowed these protesters
to convene, the very same police decided to directly interfere with the
protest. Under the Gathering Act No. 205 of 1993 the police gave permission to the protestors to convene at the Pan-African Parliament.
Attorney Ziyaad Patel explained. “I would like to state for the record, that the Johannesburg police department had provided
for the Ogaden community to protest outside the Pan-African Parliament
and particularly it states under clause( 2): ‘100 metres outside the
Pan-African Parliament’. We have been pushed 500 metres away from the
PAP. It is a clear sign that those who have given authority have decided
to hide that these people have a legitimate case.”
This
may have been a small gathering of voices. Nonetheless, these voices
speak volumes of the utter hypocrisy behind the message propagated by
the African Union, which states, “One Africa, One voice.”
PUSHED BACK
Not only did the PAP refuse to receive
the memorandum created by the Ogaden –Somali people, but they also
asked them to re-schedule their protest, and failing that, pushed them
as far away as they could from the center of the 10th anniversary celebrations.
The
Pan-African Parliament (PAP) proudly boasts the slogan “The Pan African
Parliament represents all the people of Africa.” Established in March
2004, by Article 17 of The Constitutive Act of the African Union, The
Pan-African Parliament is one of the nine Organs provided for in the
Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community.
This
past week, the Pan-African Parliament commemorated its tenth
anniversary under the theme “10 years of existence of the Pan African
Parliament: Reflections on its roles”. Pan African parliamentarians are
expected to represent all the peoples of Africa, and the vision of the
PAP is well documented in a statement underscored by its president, Hon.
Bethel Amadi.
Speaking specifically on the engagement
of African governments with the youth, the President of the Pan African
Parliament Hon. Bethel Amadi pointed out the grave gaps in governance on
the continent. “Investing in youth education is the key to development
in Africa. Regrettably our governments have not shown leadership in
engaging the youth," he said.
LEAST REPRESENTED
During
the Youth Dialogue, Dr Olawale Mayeigun noted that least two thirds of
Africa’s population consists of young people aged 25 and below, yet
unemployment among those with secondary education or above in Africa is
three times higher than among those with similar educational attainment
on other continents.
Despite the numbers being in their
favor, young people are the least represented in the Pan-African
Parliament. During the Youth Dialogue, Sindane, a student from
University of South Africa, made this observation quite succinctly. "On
tables in front me and behind me I see so many old people; it’s
disturbing."
While one Member of Parliament valiantly
tried to argue that youth is a matter of attitude and not age, it was
clear that the young people who had the fortune to attend the PAP
celebrations were not only outnumbered by older MPs but were also
struggling to have their issues concretely addressed.
Sindane,
the student from UniSA, put it best. “I am not trying to disrespect
this sitting, but it should be about giving solutions and not problems".
DISREGARDING CRIES FOR HELP
If
the Youth Dialogue was anything to go by, then the PAP is incapable of
truly representing the vast majority of the people of Africa, despite
having members drawn from national assembly in the various AU member
states.
This is not just about 60 per cent of the
continent anymore. It is also about a political decision by the
Pan-African Parliament to disregard the cries for help by an ethnic
minority in a country that houses the headquarters of the AU.
It is also about justice. The fact that many young people were unable to attend the 10th
anniversary celebrations due to discriminatory policies that enforce
visa requirements from residents and citizens of member states to travel
to both South Africa and Ethiopia speaks to access and visibility, and
being heard and taken seriously.
Ten years down the
line, the Pan-African Parliament is not able to even give the time of
day to African people who are unrepresented; yet it claims that through
the parliament, all African people will be represented. This isn’t just
about electing the right leaders at the National Assembly in each
country, but about the AU and its different organs recognizing that it
is indeed one of the last resorts that oppressed communities have to
turn to. Failing this, the people of Africa may turn to the
International Criminal Court.
Twitter: @bettywaitherero
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