TGNP Mtandao wakutana na wabunge Mjini Dodoma

Mhe. John Cheyo, Mbunge wa Bariadi akizungumza namna bora ya kuingiza masuala ya Jinsia katika bajeti wakati wa semina ya siku moja iliyoandaliwa na TGNP katika ukumbi wa Hazina ndogo mjini Dodoma

Mhe. John  Mnyika, Mbunge wa Ubungo akichangia baada ya mawasilisho juu ya namna ya kuhakikisha tamko la bajeti ya KIjinsia (Gender Budgeting Statement) inaingizwa kwenye kila bajeti ili kuwa na jicho la kijinsia

Mhe. Oleng'oro Mbunge wa Simanjiro akizungumzia bajeti yenye jicho la kijinsia

Mhe. Cyril Chami, Mbunge wa Moshi Vijijini akizungmza

Naibu Waziri wa Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia wanawake na watoto, Dk. Pindi  Chana akichangia na kujibu baadhi ya masuala yaliyoibuka kwenye mjadala huo ambayo yanaihusu wizara yake

Mhe. John Komba akichangia

Kaimu Mkurugenzi wa TGNP akiteta jambo na Mbunge wa Bariadi John Cheyo

TGNP MTANDAO WAKUTANA NA KAMATI ZA BUNGE DODOMA

TGNP Mtandao wamekutana na kamati za Bunge Mjini Dodoma katika warsha ya siku moja iliyofanyika katika ukumbi ya Hazina ndogo ililenga kuwawezesha Wabunge zaidi ya 100 kushiriki katika kuhakikisha bajeti inayotungwa na serikali inakuwa ya mrengo wa kijinsia.

pia wabunge waweze kutambua masuala yanayowakabili wanawake na makundi yaliyoko pembezoni na kudai yaingizwe kwenye bajeti ikiwemo kutengewa fedha. Aidha ni kuwaongezea watunga sera hao uelewa  kuhusu Tamko la bajeti ya kijinsia (Gender Budget Statement) na matumizi yake kama nyenzo ya kufanikisha  malengo ya bajeti  yenye mtazamo wa kijinsia.
warsha hiyo iliendeshwa na Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa TGNP Mtandao Lilian Liundi na wanachama wa TGNP Aseny Muro na Gemma Akilimali ambao walitoa mada na kujibu maswali mbalimbali kutoka kwa wabunge hao wakisaidiana na wafanyakazi wa TGNP na Chuo cha Mafunzo ya Jinsia (GTI)

Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mtendaji TGNP Mtandao, Lilian Liundi akiwakaribisha wabunge kwenye warsha hiyo mjini Dodoma

Mwenyekiti wa Kamati aliyeteuliwa na washriki, Mhe. Magreth Sita akifuatilia

Mhe. Sita na wabunge wengine

wabunge wakifuatilia mawasilisho

Mbunge wa Ubungo John Mnyika na Hamad Rashid wa WAWI wakifuatilia

Kaimu Mkurugenzi akizungumza

Kaimu Mkurugenzi wakiwa na Mwenyekiti wa Mkutano Mhe. Sitta

mwezeshaji Gemma Akilimali akijaindaa kuwasilisha

wabunge wakifuatilia

mwezeshaji Aseny Muro akizungumza

Enshrining good working relations between law enforcers and human rights institutions

By Elias Mhegera

A landmark achievement has been reached in the democratic frontier in the Tanzanian governance arena after a recent agreement between the Police Force and human rights NGOs, under their umbrella body the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC).

The meeting between the THRDC and the Police Force on Thursday last week came as a development after the willingness that was shown by the Deputy Inspector of General of Police Force (DIGP), Abdulrahman Kaniki in November 26, 2013 when he was invited to represent the Force in a public event that was organized by the former.

Thereafter this was followed one day seminar on February 27 at the New Africa Hotel in Dar es Salaam, where more than 30 senior Police Officer including Regional Police Commander (RPCs), from both Mainland Tanzania and the Isles, attended.

This turned out to be an opening to new relationship between the Force and the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) if the promises were to be kept. It was realized that the communication gap has created unfounded mistrusts which now the two parties have decided to resolve. 

It was after speeches by the DIGP, and the THRDC board member who is well the executive director of the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), Dr Helen Kijo-Bisimba when there was an enshrining of emotional reactions from the some Police officials who were categorical that they have never been treated fairly by the Human Rights NGOs (HRNGOs).  

Talking about the challenges that Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) are facing it was the National Coordinator of the THRDC Onesmo Olengurumwa who said that depending on the nature of their activities and geographical locations, HRDs face a number of challenges.

It is during their operations when their either co-operate or at times even clash with the Police Force. For instance, women defenders have been facing problems from a segment of conservatives who view introduction of gender equity and campaigns against domestic violence as attempts to imitate foreign cultures as instigation of matrimonial conflicts.

For that matter, HRDs in these areas as the survey by the THRDC indicated, and the most recent survey by Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA), in Zanzibar and Musoma are in risky situations.

In other cases it is those who are dealing with governance and financial accountability in the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) this can be journalists or NGOs which are conducting Public Expenditure Surveys (PETS). Another group is those who are championing for environmental and land rights this is because of land grabbing, land based conflicts and environmental degradation due to mining activities.

As it has been occurring in many occasions, whenever HRDs want to make follow up in violations of human rights usually there is a cooperation between human rights activists, journalists and other stakeholders, this is in many cases have had devastative effects.

In most cases they are rounded, beaten, arbitrarily arrested, and even their communication equipment like cameras and lap top are destroyed. These harassments, co notates that HRDs are hindered to inform the public while at times this goes hand in hand with repeated hatred statements from Government ministers as it was with the immediate former Tourism Minister Hamis Kagasheki against NGOs in Loliondo. 

Whenever there are challenging situations like this very few HRDs can continue to work effectively, as a big number of them are scared. To a large extent that is why the HRDs are struggling in order to ensure that the Constitutional Assembly is to formulate laws that are supportive towards the freedom and access to information.

Although there have been constant denials every now and then, but HRDs are always entangled and they become victims of power abuse by the power mighty like the regional and district commissioners, police commanders, and even with The Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) soldiers as it was with gas commotions in Mtwara.

In other words HRDs are facing challenges not from a single direction as some of them are from the community itself and at times from the Government functionaries. 

“The current economic and political contexts in this Country are not friendly and they need a thorough review if HRDs were to implement their working strategies without frequent interruptions” warned Olengurumwa.  

The Coalition demands for established security strategies and resolutions and invites other stakeholders to be part of the general platform for change in the governance structure of the NGOs. As it has been occurring many times there is a tendency to perceive HRDs as being agents of the opposition.

These kinds of perceptions are promulgated by a segment of political leaders knowingly or unknowingly due to lack of understanding how the systems of separation of power and transparency work in democratic societies. In Tanzania anyone who criticizes poor performance in any area of the Government is regarded as an agent of the opposition or foreign elements.

It was the Mwanza’s Regional Police Commander (RPC), SACP-Valentino Mlowola who started it all when he lamented, “you have been tantalizing the Police Force through the media, this is very unfair we are also human rights defenders just like you,” he lamented.

His reaction followed statements that the Police Force has been part of the gross violation of human rights in Tanzania. His cry as a defensive mechanism even before a presentation was made was an indication that some bigwigs in the Force are never prepared for criticism.

But this does not mean that he did not have supporters in the hall. Arusha’s RPC Liberatus Sabas suggested that whenever HRNGOs discusses human rights issues in this country they should have in mind that Police Officers are also human beings. “You should treat us as human beings as well” he added to the cry from the law enforcers’ commanders.

However he appreciated the fact that the HRDs trough the THRDC has opened a discussion forum. “I advice that we produce documents that will be shared in order to improve working relations, but also for imparting human rights knowledge to law enforcers” he commented. 

This stance was also echoed by other colleagues in the Force as well. Ahmed Msangi Mbeya RPC’s went further and said that at time human rights defenders HRDs work as a supporting hand to the opposition, and that he was annoyed by their demonstration during the doctors’ strike in February 2012.

But it was not all differences at the session, as jokes also increased the fragrance at times. For instance Judge (rtd) Thomas Mihayo was cornered by the gigantic commanders of Paul Chagonja’s like, due to one TV jingo where he condemns violation of human rights by state organs, where his answer was simple “I do not mean all Police Officers are violators of human rights,” he defended.

Probably it was Mr Jesse James, lecturer Law School University of Dar es Dar es Salaam, who enlightened the commanders that their violation of human rights was implicit. “This is after a failure to balance between rights and responsibilities” he commented.

Elaborating further he disclosed Police officials are not cushioned from the International Criminal Court Statute or the Rome Statute and they can face prosecutions even after their retirements.  He reminded them that the legality of international mechanisms against them stems from the fact that Tanzania has ratified various international protocols on human rights.

“we should tread carefully in our operations lest we find ourselves facing charges in the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)”, he warned. As the knowledge was passing over one could tell that Police brutality is partly contributed by lack of knowledge on human rights.

Main discussions and reactions

During discussions it was realized that some officials from the Force do not understand the role of CSOs in fulfilling the principles of separation of power. However, to this rescue were seasoned and probably much more exposed officials in the name of Zelothe Stephen and Suleiman Kova who admitted that there is no way the Police Force can sideline HRNGOs and journalists being in the family of HRDs. 

For his part Kova said that his Force has had a good working relation with journalists which has facilitated a lot in the community policing zeal. He also lauded the HRNGOs because they are defenders of the citizenry at large, but called for more formal communication between these parties rather than outbursts through the media.

Adding to this debate Stephen said that if the Police Force, HRNGOs and the media were to work in good relations there would be tremendous improvement in the social welfare since the main motive of ensuring security is to create an enabling environment for the citizenry and other residents in this country to produce peacefully without any fear of unpredictable intrusions.

Conclusions and recommendations

Eventually it was decided that there must be a formulation of a new mechanism which will assist the Police Force to maintain peace but without sacrificing their vital role of protecting security, in order to remove assumptions that this Force is an armed wing of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) as it has been claimed several times in various political circles.

The Police Force promised that it will convene internal meetings and redefine its position in a new multiparty era where politicians have been at the centre of their daily operations.

“It is true there is a need to find what we can do with the executive, the legislature and even the judiciary, but our main problem has been political tug-of-wars” said Paul Chagonja a senior official in the Force who also heads special operations and training.

For this matter he suggests that NGOs should be intermediaries between these bodies and reminding them that national welfare should be given priority rather than intrinsic political divisiveness which now has at times put this Force in jeopardy.

In the working document for these organizations the Police Force will put forth its suggestions, and then the knowledge will be disseminated up to the grassroots level. It was also suggested the Force and CSOs should prepare joint media campaigns and education sessions which will enlighten the citizenry their role in maintaining peace and tranquility.

There will be engagement sessions between the Force and politicians in order to chart out working mechanisms and avoid unnecessary commotions as it has been the tradition previously. The media and HRNGOs were counseled to get enough information from the Force before they rush to the media for any utterances.

The dissemination of education on human rights should be expanded gradually within and without the Force in order to make law enforcers work more professionally but also the citizenry to understand their responsibility in maintaining peace and order.

Protection of human rights should go beyond the traditional understanding where law enforcers are only perceived as violators of human rights. In other words exchange of mutual trust should reduce the existing mutual suspicions between HRNGOs and the Police Force.

The Police Force promised to institutionalize a focal person on human rights in order to maintain regular communications between the Police Force and the CSOs.

“From now onwards I believe we have opened a new working chapter, we do not expect outbursts in the media, and we promise that all the deliberations will be worked upon” said a jubilant Chagonja when giving the closing remarks at this seminar.

Women, children, rights defenders in Tanzania demonstrate against Boko Haram inhuman act

By Staff writer

May 15 was an International family day whereby every society was expected to show their joy and gratitude for safety and peace they are blessed with, but this did not happened to N

Dar es salaam secondary schools students accompanied by local activists in demonstration around the TGNP grounds  

igeria.

It has been a month since majority of Nigerian families mourn and cry foe the abduction of girls by the military Islamic group known as Boko Haram.

In collaboration with over thirteen civil society organizations, Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) organized a peaceful demonstration condemning the abduction of over 200 school girls from Chibok, Nigeria by Boko Haram.   Originally, the rally was to take place in Oyster Bay with a march to the steps of the Nigerian Embassy, but without police support, the organization was moved to the grounds of TGNP. With a peaceful demonstration around TGNP’s grounds supporters of the Nigerian girls and advocates for gender equality in Africa and around the world were present.

The leading organization of this demonstrate were TGNP Mtandao, TAMWA, LHRC, WiLDAF, TAWLA and WILAC and others who have always been on the forefront as defenders of all issues related women and children violence

The goal of the demonstration was to present the letter on behalf of TGNP and other CSOs to the Nigerian Embassy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Minister of Community Development, Gender and Children (MCDGC), the media, and the public to demand the return of the girls. In short, the letter outlines the importance of the ratification of the Convention of the United Nations on the Rights of the Child, and the importance of protecting children and furthermore it asks:“What exactly are these nations doing to ensure there is adequate protection of children and specifically for girls.” Said, Lilian Liundi the Acting, Executive Director of TGNP Mtandao.

Activists and students during the demonstration at TGNP grounds in Dar es salaam

The letter also addressed to the Nigerian Ambassador as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, and the Minister of Community Development Gender and Children, the letter demands accountability from the leaders of both Tanzania and Nigeria, and concerted efforts to return the girls and ensure they have access to education.

Students from Mabibo High School spoke out against the kidnapping and the Head Girl explained she was speaking on behalf of all the kidnapped girls.

 Furthermore, other students remarked that as an African union, nations should be pulling their resources together to find the girls and bring them home safely.

Speaking during the session the Executive Director of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) Judith Udunga, criticized the militarization of freedom efforts across the continent, and the lack of similar mobilization when searching for the schoolgirls.

 Similar sentiments were echoed and community members asserted that women are not on loan to Boko Haram, and furthermore they are not a bargaining chip with which to make political statements.

 All in all, the peaceful protest represented solidarity with Nigerian citizens and the international community, and demanded Tanzania should take a position and offers its resources on behalf of the African union in order to bring the schoolgirls home safely.

Wanaharakati Dar waandamana kulaani utekaji wasichana Nigeria

Wasichana wakiwa na mabango kudai kurudishwa kwa wasichana zaidi ya 200 waliotekwa na Boko Haram

maandamano yakielekea viwanja vya Jinsia TGNP mabibo kwaajili ya kusomwa kwa tamko la kuda wasichana warudishwe kuendelea na shule

pamoja na wasichana wa sekondari pia walikuwepo wanaharakati mbalimbali wa haki za wanawake na watoto

Bring our girls home, ndio ulikuwa wimbo wa maandamano

waandamanji wanapokelewa na Wakurugenzi wa mashirika yaliyoandaa maandamano hayo

waandamanaji wakionesha mabango mbalimbali wakati wakipokelewa

Wakurugenzi wa mashirika hayo wakipokea maandamano tayari

washiriki walivyokuwa

wanafunzi wakihakikisha mabango yao yanasomwa na kila mmoja aliyekuwepo

we want our girls back

Na Mwandishi wetu

Wanaharakati kutoka asasi za kiraia zinazotetea Haki za wanawake na watoto nchini Tanzania wamefanya maandamano ya amani kupinga kitendo cha kuwateka na kuendelea kuwashikilia wasichana wa shule zaidi ya 200 waliotekwa na kundi la Boko Haram nchini Nigeria.

Maandamano hayo ambayo awali yalitangazwa kuwa yangeanzia katika viwanja vya TGNP Mtandao Mabibo na kuelekea katika kanisa la Mt. Petro Osterbay na kumalizikia katika ofisi za Ubalozi wa Nigeria nchini Tanzania eneo la Masaki jijini Dar es salaam na kutoa tamko lao kuhusu udhalimu unaofanywa dhidi ya watoto wa kike waliotekwa na kikundi cha Boko Haram nchini Nigeria.

Kutokana na jeshi la Polisi kushindwa kutoa kibali kwa wanharakati hao kuandamana kwa amani kuekelea ubalozi wa Nigeria kupeleka barua yao, walikubaliana kukutana katika viwanja vya TGNP Mabibo, na kufanya maandamano ya kuzunguka ndani ya eneo hilo na kutoa tamko  huku jeshi la Polisi likiweka ulinzi mkali ndani na nje ya eneo hilo.

Akisoma tamko hilo,  Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa TGNP Mtandao Lilian Liundi, alisema kuwa mashirika hayo yameamua kuunganisha nguvu kuchukua hatua hiyo baada ya kuona wasichana hao wanaendelea kuteseka wakiwa chini ya watekaji bila mamlaka zinazohusika kuchukua hatua za haraka.

“Sisi, Mtandao wa mashirika huru ya kijamii (CSOs) nchini Tanzania tunaotetea haki za wanawake na watoto tunaungana na mitandao na wanaharakati wengine duniani kote  kulaani kitendo cha kinyama cha kuwateka nyara wasichana wanafunzi zaidi ya 200 waliokuwa shuleni nchini Nigeria, tukio lililofanywa na wanamgambo wa kikundi cha Boko Haram” alisema Liundi.

Aliongeza kuwa kwa pamoja wanakitaka kikundi cha Boko Haram  kuwaachia mara moja watoto hao na kuwarudisha haraka majumbani kwao.  “Kama wanaharakati na watetezi wa haki za wanawake na wasichana tunaitaka serikali ya Nigeria kuchukua hatua zote muhimu zinazotakiwa ili kuokoa maisha ya wasichana hao wasio na hatia, na kuwahakikishia haki yao ya msingi ya kupata elimu na kutembea kwa uhuru bila vitisho” aliongeza.

Barua hiyo aliyoandikwa na mashirika yapatayo 14  yanayotetea haki za wanawake na watoto  iliitaka pia serikali ya Nigeria kuzingatia na kutekeleza tamko la Umoja wa Mataifa la haki za watoto (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) ambalo liliridhiwa na Tanzania mwaka 1989 na Nigeria mwaka 2003.

Barua hiyo iliyosainiwa na wakurugenzi wa mashirika ya WILAC, TAMWA, TGNP Mtandao, WiLDAF, Kituo cha Sheria na Haki za Binadamu (LHRC), TWCWC, CWCA, Jukwaa la Wabunge Wanawake Tanzania, Jukwaa la Katiba Tanzania, Jukwaa la Wanawake na Katiba Tanzania, Asasi ya Jinsia na Vyombo vya Habari Tanzania (GEMSAT), African Life Foundation, Mtandao wa Wasanii Tanzania, (Binti Leo),Women Assistance and Development (WADE) imepelekwa nakala kwa Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa Bernard Membe, na  Waziri wa Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia na watoto,Sophia Simba. Inapatikana www.gdss2008.blogspot.com