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The G-8 meeting in Kananaskis should introduce more concrete initiatives for protecting human rights into its action plan for Africa, Human Rights Watch urged today.

African governments themselves have proposed that the initiative, known as The New Partnership For African Development (or NEPAD), require good governance as one of the criteria for investment in Africa. The "Code of Governance" and "Peer Review" envisioned for NEPAD should explicitly use human rights standards and civil society in Africa should be consulted in their formulation, Human Rights Watch said.

"The concept of 'peer review' is genuinely a revolutionary one; it's important it be given real content," said Rory Mungoven, global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "The G-8 should encourage African leaders to ensure that fundamental rights are integrated into all NEPAD's policies-- including the right to be involved in discussing them."

Human Rights Watch also called for new controls on companies based in G-8 countries that illegally trade in resources from Africa and elsewhere. "If the G-8 can attack terrorism by freezing financial assets, it can attack human rights abuse by cracking down on companies that trade in 'blood diamonds,' valuable timber, and other scarce resources that are funding some very brutal civil wars," said Mungoven. "Funds and weapons for these wars are coming from the West, and the G-8 needs to do something about it."

Human Rights Watch also asked G-8 countries to help ensure that the new chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, who will be from Africa, represents a country with a strong commitment to human rights. In a letter and memorandum to G-8 leaders, Human Rights Watch also outlined concerns about counter-terrorism policy; Afghanistan; the HIV/AIDS crisis; and landmines and small arms.

In the months since September 11, many G-8 members have curbed civil liberties and arbitrarily tightened restrictions on refugees, asylum-seekers and foreigners. Some G-8 leaders have even used the anti-terror campaign to justify human rights abuse, for instance by Russian forces in Chechnya, or have extended new military and economic assistance to repressive governments.

At the same time, some G-8 members have blocked moves to expand the international security force in Afghanistan, leaving a dangerous vacuum, in which extremism and violence can grow. Human Rights Watch urged the G-8 to support urgent measures to improve security in Afghanistan and ensure the exclusion of abusive warlords from the new government, military and police. Human Rights Watch also called for a ministerial-level working group to ensure human rights are fully protected in the G-8's counter-terrorism actions.

Human Rights Watch urged that NEPAD's indicators of good governance include: the effective representation of all sectors of society in government; free access to information and respect for the role of the media; executive respect for the rule of law; independence of the judiciary; the effectiveness of law enforcement institutions; and the capacity for effective service delivery to the poor.

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