The West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) has expressed concern over the "socio-political instability in the region".
Following a Strategic Meeting last week in Dakar, Senegal the activists analyzed the security situation in Mali, Benin, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.
The Forum, represented from Sierra Leone by Ngollo Katta and Valnora Edwin, said expressed "its deep concerns with the socio-political situation in Benin which, of late, is characterised by general strikes resulting in dialogue deficit among stakeholders." It called on the political authorities in Benin "to take all necessary measures for the resumption of schools and to observe its constitutional and international obligations, particularly those related to the African Charter on human rights and the UN Declaration on human rights."
On Mali WACSOF congratulated the Malian people for the return of constitutional order and encouraged preservation of the "considerable gain and move rapidly" towards the attainment of national reconciliation. It however noted "with sadness the resurgence of violent attacks in the north of the country" and urged all sides to resume negotiations and complete the peace.
WACSOF said that the "crisis of political governance in Guinea Republic...is attributable to ethnic division and the low level provision of basic social services, all of which are fuelling violence with sometimes heavy loss of lives." It warned that unchecked the situation would make it "almost impossible to hold the upcoming local elections in peaceful conditions" and warned against any escalation of violence "which will only compound the security situation in West Africa."
On Guinea Bissau, the meeting noted the "worrying proportions of the social movement and the decreasing space for dialogue" which is said was hampering a definitive solution to the socio-economic crisis in the Portuguese-speaking country. It called for "all stakeholders to hold sincere and concrete talks in the interest of the nation."
It urged civil society in Burkina Faso to "be vigilant" especially in the struggle for democracy in the country sent an alert against "the likelihood of a political crisis" in the country.
The dozens of civil society activists expressed regrets the rise in "terrorist attacks in Nigeria, affecting especially women and children".
It expressed "compassion to the people of Nigeria" and condemned the violence. It called on the Nigerian government and neighbouring countries to "work together to entrench security in the region".
WACSOF called on the Nigerian government to rethink a new mechanism to ending the insecurity. "This cannot happen without an increased and effective contribution of communities and civil society, especially as the country is heading toward the 2015 presidential elections" it said.
It expressed solidarity with the people of the Central African Republic and called for "the return of peace so that people who have massively migrated into the West African region can happily go back home and effectively contribute to the reconstruction of the country".
(C) Politico 11/03/14
