The deputy country representative at the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), Ms Grace Pelly, has said they still want to stay in Uganda will engage the ‘high’ authorities to reconsider government’s decision to terminate their operations.
The government last Friday formally notified the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of the decision not to renew the mandate of its office in Kampala beyond its current term.
“I want to talk about our office in Uganda you may have heard, seen on social media last week, we received a notice from the ministry of foreign affairs in which they found that they didn’t intend to renew or extend our mandate in Uganda but we very much want to stay in Uganda and support government, our quest is to continue discussions at the highest levels with the authorities,” she said.
Ms Pelly made the remarks on Tuesday at the opening of a four-day training by the OHCHR in Uganda for senior officers in the Internal Security Organization (ISO) on Human Rights Standards Applicable to Law Enforcement Operations in Partnership with the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) in Entebbe.
“Rest assured that as long as we are here in Uganda. We are here to support you, work with you and as long as we are here we would like to very much support your work,” she said.
Ms Pelly said the workshop which was requested by ISO is a result of the long standing collaboration between the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), ISO and OHCHR with a goal to deeply understand, respect the human rights principles among the personnel of ISO while remaining transparent and accountable to the people they serve.
“Professionalism in ISO maybe achieved if you truly respect human rights in carrying out your intelligence duties, failure to do so undermines greatly the integrity of your work and has a negative impact on the public trust in ISO as a vital government institution,” she noted.
Mr Crispin Kaheru, a commissioner at UHRC said although the constitutional mandate of ISO is critical for national security, peace, law order and democracy in Uganda, there are parameters within which it’s supposed to operate.
“This country has in its history witnessed intelligence agents who for one reason or another felt that they were small gods and they thrived on lawlessness, who confused authority with limitless power and ended up violating the rights of citizens whom they were obliged to respect and protect,” he said.
Mr Kaheru said the UHRC hopes the capacity building of ISO personnel will enable them become more knowledgeable to respect, protect and observe human rights as they carry out their functions.
The director of legal services at ISO, Mr Church Hill Tutayomba, said there are many developments in the country in the area of human rights especially in enforcement.
“We as security linked to enforcing rights, yes, the environment we operate in is quite tricky that you’re sometimes taken up emotionally, but its not that you come out from your home or wherever your recruited from to come violate rights, it’s to come and defend the rights of the people which is reflected in the peace this country is enjoying,” he said.
Mr Tutayomba said the enforcement of the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act, in the Constitution punishes the violators of human rights.
The Daily Monitor
