UN experts call for end to activists’ harassment

in New York

United Nations human rights experts on Wednesday urged the Kenyan government to protect activists being intimidated because of their campaign against lead poisoning from a smelter near Mombasa.

“Unknown people have visited their homes at night, repeatedly banging on their doors, yelling at them to come out of their house,” the team of four experts said. “One of them had been attacked with an unknown substance, which caused eye problems and swelling.”

“It is unacceptable that they are repeatedly threatened, harassed, intimidated and assaulted and no one has been held accountable.”

“The government should urgently launch a proper investigation and bring those who are responsible to justice,” the experts added.

THREATENED

The UN team named Alfred Ogola, Wilfred Kamencu, Anastacia Nambo and Kavumbi Munga as having been threatened following their testimony in the High Court on May 17 regarding the smelter in Owino Uhuru in Mombasa County.

The activists say the plant, which extracted lead from old batteries, made many local residents sick by polluting the village’s air and water with deadly substances.

Owino Uhuru campaigners succeeded in having the smelter shuttered in 2014.

They are now seeking compensation for damages to villagers’ health that resulted, they charge, from lax environmental law enforcement by the Kenyan government.

ENVIRONMENT DEFENDERS

“These environmental defenders should not face threats, harassment and intimidation when they are exercising their rights legitimately through legal action,” the UN experts declared.

“On the contrary, they should be championed for upholding the Constitution of Kenya,” the experts said.

Wednesday’s statement marked the third time in four years that UN rights specialists have called on the government to protect environmental activists.

Kenyan officials have not responded on any of those occasions, the UN team said.