In Angola, despite the ceasefire implemented this year and ongoing peace efforts, 1.7 million internally displaced people remain at substantial risk of abuse by government officials as well as demobilized soldiers. Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly stressed the need for greater support for Angola’s displaced but both the United Nations and the EU have done little to ameliorate the situation. “Human Rights Watch is especially concerned by reports that some people have been forced to return to their areas of origin despite the ongoing danger in those regions,” said Manby. The dire conditions faced by Angola’s displaced have been deteriorating steadily and are only further compromised by the substantial challenge of rehabilitating and reintegrating demobilized combatants into Angolan society. The EU has specifically pledged support for rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. Human Rights Watch called on the EU to renew this commitment at the meeting in Maputo.

Human Rights Watch also called on meeting participants to address the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC is SADC’s newest member and the site of the worst human rights violations. Although Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe have withdrawn government troops, they continue to support warring Congolese rebel factions in the power struggles that have followed the withdrawal of foreign troops. Hundreds of civilians have died because of fighting in the provinces of South Kivu, Ituri and Orientale during the last few weeks alone. Some two million people in the region have been displaced and most do not have access to humanitarian assistance.

Human Rights Watch further pressed that the EU-SADC meeting should pursue actions against Swaziland’s highly oppressive monarchy. “Civil liberties are basically non-existent and civil society is severely restricted in Swaziland. The monarchy also maintains tight control over the media,” said Manby. A constitution has been in development since 1996 but it is widely believed that the monarchy will use it to permanently enshrine its absolute power and to prevent future political opposition. Chief Justices of the SADC region recently issued a statement concerning threats to the independence of the judiciary after senior officials of the Swaziland government (including members of the security forces) attempted to interfere with court proceedings on the alleged abduction of a young woman by emissaries of the Royal Household.

Rights abuse has also continued in Zimbabwe. Human Rights Watch urged SADC and the EU to speak out publicly and privately against the violence and harassment that have characterized Zimbabwean elections. In recent weeks, a parliamentary by-election in Matabeleland South was marred by allegations of intimidation of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) candidate and supporters. There have also been reports of government forces harassing non-governmental organizations and the media. In October, Zimbabwean police allegedly tortured and “seriously injured” the leader of a teachers’ trade union who called a strike, according to his lawyer. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO forum has reported 58 murders in political violence during 2002.

Humanitarian crises have been threatening for several months in southern Africa. Human Rights Watch urged the EU and SADC to use this meeting to coordinate and redouble efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to alleviate the critical food shortage in southern Africa.