Namibia: Arrest of Angolan Human Rights Defender by Inmigration Authorities

NAM 001/9805/OBS 034 
Arrest / Accusation
NAMIBIA
19 May 1998

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint
programme of the FIDH and OMCT, requests your urgent intervention
regarding the following situation in the Republic of Namibia.

Brief description of the situation:

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has just
been informed by the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), in
Windhoek, Nigeria, that Dr. Manuel Neto, Executive Director of the
newly-formed Angolan Human Rights League (LADH), was arrested by
Namibian immigration authorities, May 18, 1998, at approximately
14h00. Dr Neto's present whereabouts are unknown. Other members of the
LADH are also being sought to be arrested. The LADH is lawfully
registered under Namibian law as a non-profit association. 

According to the information we have received, last week, barely a few
days after the launch of the LADH , Dr Neto was verbally told by the
Ministry of Home Affairs to give up his human rights activities in the
LADH and remain a refugee.

Otherwise, he would risk being deported from Namibia because the
Namibian Government would "not tolerate" attacks upon the Angolan
Government from Namibian soil.  Dr Neto, citing his right to freedom
of expression and association guaranteed to all in the Namibian
Constitution, declined to give up both his refugee status as well as
his activities in the name of the LADH.

The arrest of Dr Neto took place a day before he was scheduled to
travel to South Africa to represent his organisation at an
international meeting on land mines, to be held in Johannesburg as of
May 20, 1998. 

Action requested:

Please write to the Namibian authorities, urging them to:

i.-	locate the whereabouts of Dr. Manuel Neto and immediately release
him as well as all others at the LADH who may have been arrested and
ensure in all circumstances the respect of their physical and
psychological integrity.

ii.-	urgently adopt all measures capable of guaranteeing to human
rights organisations, especially the Angolan human rights association,
the means to act freely from any interference in promoting and
defending human rights and fundamental liberties.

iii.-	more generally abide by the provisions of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the regional and international
instruments on human rights, which are binding on Namibia and
guarantee the freedom of action of human rights defenders.

Addresses:

His Excellency Dr San Nujoma, President, Republic of Namibia, Office
of the President State House Fax: +264 61 22 1780 or +264 61 22 1770

Hon Jerry Ekandio, Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs Republic of
Namibia Fax.. +264 61 22 3817


Embassy of Namibia in your country.


Geneva, 19 May 1998

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.