HE Moussa Faki the Chairperson, African Union Commission PO Box
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To: H.E Moussa Faki The Chairperson, African Union Commission P.O. Box P.O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 13 April 2020 Your Excellency, Re: Open letter on the Xenophobic, racist and inhuman treatment of Africans in China We present our compliments to Your Excellency. The undersigned Peoples represent a broad cross-section of the citizens of the African Union (AU) and include civil society organisations (CSOs), women organisations and feminist movements, labour and students movements, youth organisations, professional associations, lawyers, judges, academicians, business people, clergy, artists, activists and journalists. We note with appreciation the AU’s commitment to the continued transforming of the AU from a union of governments to a genuine union of African peoples that values popular participation and ownership by African peoples. We further appreciate the AU's commitment to ensuring that Africa is socially, politically and economically integrated. That the continent speaks with one voice in global affairs. We understand the basis and values of partnership that the drive AU Agenda 2063, including the values of equality, mutual accountability, reciprocity and solidarity. In this regard and given the excellent relationship the AU and majority of its member states have so far enjoyed with China, we want to register our most profound concern and strongly condemn the recent acts of discrimination, xenophobia and racism against the Africans in China. We welcome the statements of the African Group of Ambassadors in Beijing and reactions from different African governments and your good offices in this regard. There is need to transform these statements into practical action that puts an end to the horrendous dehumanisation of Africans in China. Your Excellency, Chinese authorities are allegedly forcefully testing, quarantining and inhumanely treating African people in Guangdong Province in particular. This discrimination and stigmatisation of Africans include being made to undergo epidemic investigation and Nucleic Acid Test forcefully. The Africans have also been subjected to fourteen (14) days quarantine even if they have not travelled outside their jurisdictions or come into contact with infected persons, or had close contact or showing any symptoms of the COVID-19. This treatment is in violation of international human rights laws and principles. It is inhuman and against all principles of dignity and shared humanity that should ideally guide China-Africa relations. Singling out only Africans is a xenophobic and racist act contrary to the spirit of FOCAC 8. Your Excellency, Africa's strong cooperation economic ties with China, should not thrive at the cost of human rights and human dignity. These are the core principles of our Constitutive Act 2000. 1 Your Excellency, these despicable events and other recurrent complaints regarding illicit activities by Chinese businesses in Africa now demand that the framework of cooperation establish clear standards of mutual accountability. Such standards of accountability must be formulated with active participation of African citizens. We believe that without strong mutual accountability frameworks, the message of solidarity preached by China towards Africans, will ring hollow. The participation of African people in defining the framework of partnership will ensure that going forward China-Africa partnership has a human face and is reflected in Chinese business conduct in Africa and our mutual solidarity is also a reality reflected on the streets of Chinese cities and provinces. Your Excellency, a participatory and inclusive framework of partnership that reflects the Accra, Busan and Mexico principles will place human and peoples' rights at the centre. This framework will address the imbalance in trade; ballooning debt; restrain dumping of inferior quality goods by strengthening standards monitoring and control illicit financial outflows and corrupt practices by Chinese businesses operating in Africa. These decisive interventions are critical to preserve the dignity of Africa and its people. Your Excellency, the AU has done well by officially protesting to its Chinese counterparts. We now urge your good offices and African leaders to demand a full and independent investigation into the violations referred to above and immediate remedial action is taken. At the very least, we believe that the spirit of solidarity and partnership demands that China apologises and makes good the grave offence to the African Peoples'. We believe that China understands that we, as African people, deserve respect and equal treatment. We remain, at your disposal to respond to any additional queries that you may have via Hassan Shire [email protected], phone +256 772 753 753 or Fatou Diagne [email protected] phone +221773335845 or Arnold Tsunga [email protected], phone +27716405926. We take this opportunity to reassure Your Excellency of our highest considerations once again. The Undersigned See Annex of signatories Citizens of the African Union CC China representatives All African States All AU Regional Economic Communities (RECs) 2 Signatories (organisations) Africa: 1. AfricanDefenders (Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network) 2. Africans Rising East and Horn of Africa: 3. DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) Central Africa: 4. Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale (REDHAC) North Africa: 5. The Network of The Independent Commission of Human Right in North Africa 6. Observatory of Sahara for Peace, Democracy and Human Rights 7. Centre Think Differently 8. Saharawi Network Organisation for Eastern and Southern Africa Southern Africa: 9. Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN) West Africa: 10. West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN) Angola: 11. Gender Observatory (ASSOGE) 12. Lusophone Group of Human Right Defender (GLDDH) Benin: 13. AFV-ONG 14. ASPM-BENIN 15. Coalition Béninoise des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (CBDDH) 16. CEDH/DRSF 17. DROIT DE L’Homme A LOUPE 18. GROUPEMENT POUR TOUS 19. GRAF-ONG 20. GRAPP-Benin 21. ONG/ADHF 22. ORDEBOG-AFRIQUE Botswana: 23. The Botswana Centre for Human Rights (DITSHWANELO) 3 Burkina Faso: 24. Amicale des Forestières du Burkina 25. Association Burkinabé des personnes aveugles et malvoyants 26. Association de Amis de l'avenir 27. Association d'Entraide et de promotion de la jeune fille 28. Association des domestiques et aides ménagères du Burkina 29. Association Dikelogo Pour l'environnement 30. Association Femmes Actives 31. Association Femmes Battantes du Kadiogo 32. Association Femmes innovantes 33. Association Flani Ba 34. Association Horon Mousso 35. Association Komologo pour l'environnement 36. Association Mousso Djigui 37. Association Panafricaine des Communicatrices 38. Association pour le développement par l'éducation de la fille et de la femme 39. Association Yerelon 40. Faso Amazone 41. Kam beogo Tonga 42. La Coalition Burkinabe des Defenseurs des Droits Humains (CBDDH) 43. La ligue pour la Défense de la justice et de la liberté 44. Mouvement citoyen conscient 45. Observatoire Démocratie et Justice 46. Organisation démocratique de la jeunesse 47. Réseau Afrique jeunesse pour le développement 48. Réseau des Personnes Handicapées 49. Réseau recherche pour les opérations de la paix Burkina 50. Se bi Allah 51. Union des associations pour la promotion des femmes handicapées Référence Burkina Burundi: 52. Action des Chretiens pour l'Abolition de la Torture ( ACAT-Burundi) 53. African Solidarity Network 54. Association des Journalistes Burundais en exil (AJBE) 55. Coalition burundaise des défenseurs des droits humains(CBDDH) 56. Coalition de la Societe Civile pour le Monitoring Electoral (COSOME) 57. Collectif des Avocats pour la Défense des Victimes de crimes de droit International commis au Burundi(Cavib) 58. Forum pour la Conscience et le Développement (FOCODE) 59. Forum pour le renforcement de la société civile( FORSC) 60. Ligue Burundaise des droits de l'homme Iteka 61. Mouvement des femmes et filles pour la paix et la securite au Burundi (MFFPS) 62. Mouvement International de la Jeunesse Burundaise ( MIJB) 63. Réseau des Citoyens Probes(RCP) 64. Réseau des Journalistes Burundais pour la CPI, RJB-CPI 65. SOS-Torture/ Burundi 66. Synergie des associations de la Jeunesse Burundaise (SYJEBU) 67. Tournons la page- Burundi (TLP-Burundi) 68. Union Burundaise des Journalistes (UBJ) Cameroon: 69. ADISI 70. Affirmative Action 71. ALTERNATIVES CAMEROUN 72. Association de Lutte contre les Violences faites aux Femmes (ALVF 4 73. Association des Jeunes Solidaires de Garoua ADJSG 74. Association Internationale des Étudiants en Science Économique et Commerciale 75. Association Mondiale pour l'Assistance aux Populations Minoritaires. 76. Cameroon Women's Peace Movement (CAWOPEM) 77. Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa 78. Collectif des jeunes du Mayo Rey pour le développement 79. Domino Charity International 80. Dynamique Citoyenne 81. Femme Action et Développement au Cameroun 82. Ligue Des Droits Et Libertés 83. Mandela Center 84. Os-Humanitaire (Maroua) 85. Pathways for Women’s Empowerment and Development 86. Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale- REDHAC 87. Un Monde Avenir Central African Republic: 88. Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture 89. Centre pour l'Information Environnementale et le Développement Durable Chad: 90. Droit de l’Homme Sans Frontières 91. Public Interest Law Center/Centre