Pan African Lawyers Union, Condemns Attempted Coup In Gabon, Calls On AU, RECsTo Ensure Govt Adheres To Rule Of Law

PALU actively advocates for constitutionalism, democracy, good governance and the rule of law in Africa and across the world. The President of PALU, Chief Emeka Obegolu, FICMC, in a statement noted that the unconstitutional changes of government, of any kind, are proscribed by the law of the African Union (AU), and should no longer be tolerated anywhere in Africa. “PALU, however, calls upon the African Union (AU) and African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to ensure that incumbent Governments and Heads of State are subjected to the standards set out in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG). ” It decried the current situation whereby the AU and RECs are quick to condemn opponents of incumbent governments but are notoriously silent when incumbent governments blatantly violate the law, including through violent suppression of citizens and citizens’ rights. He further noted that “currently, there are gross violations on human and peoples’ rights in, amongst other places, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan, to which the AU and the relevant RECs are silent. In such circumstances, the AU and RECs are as culpable as the dictatorial and undemocratic governments that they defend by commission or omission. “PALU calls on the AU, RECs, African lawyers and citizens, in general, to take advantage of the new year to recommit themselves to proactively and courageously build constitutionalism, democracy, good governance, a just rule of law and the protection and promotion of all human and peoples’ rights of all people in Africa. ]]>