The International Office for Migration, IOM, National Human Rights Commission, in association with United Nations Programme Development, are collaborating to create awareness on the rights of the affected population.
IOM says the purpose is to know the full and complete truth as to the events that transpired and engender reconciliation and reintegration of the communities for sustainable peace in Nigeria.
The Chief of Mission International Office for Migration, IOM Nigeria Laurent Boeck, disclosed this at the commemoration of the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims held on Friday in Abuja..
Boeck stated that, “This day is a global call for promoting the right to the truth which implies knowing the full and complete as to event that transpired, a lot remain to be done. We must recognized that the pursuit of truth and justice is a long and challenging journey, but it is on that w musty undertake if we are to build a better and more just society. It is our duty to ensure that the truth is revealed and that those responsible for human rights abuses are held accountable for their actions.
He said “The international humanitarian community works hand in hand with federal and state governments of Nigeria to deliver on daily basis a large emergency response to crisis affected population. In Nigerian North East where millions of people have been displaced by Non-State Armed Groups conflict, IOM is providing emergency humanitarian aid, including non- food items. IOM in coordination with UNDP, UNODC an UNICEF, is willing to support the government for the implementation of the Borno Model, a local driven initiative that seeks to address the impact of the insurgency in Northeast Nigeria. The model emphasises the importance of community engagement and participation in the process of addressing the needs of victims and promoting reconciliation”
Earlier, Executive Secretary National Human Right Commission, Tony Ojukwu, said “In Nigeria’s context, the implementation of the concept of the right to truth has faced significant challenges due to a lack of political will among government officials, institutional capacity, lack of resources, and engagement with Civil Society Organisations. It is therefore necessary to effectively and practically implement the concept so that we can change the narrative in Nigeria.
“We call on all stakeholders to make use of this opportunity to promote public awareness and understanding of the right to truth and the importance of seeking justice in cases of gross human rights violations in order to put a stop these violations and bring closure to the trauma experienced by families and individuals who are faced with the disappearance of their loved ones under unknown circumstances in the country’’.
According to him “These frameworks reflect that the right to truth is also fundamental right that promotes accountability, transparency, and justice. It is worthy of note that Nigeria is party to many international human rights instruments including those that protect the right to the truth by implication”.
On his part, A journalist, Omeiza Ajayi while making presentation “on the role of Media in promoting awareness on the rights of truth”
“The right to the truth has to do with the obligation of the state to provide information to victims or to their families or even society as a whole about the circumstances surrounding serious or grave violations of human rights.
“This is an obligation imposed on states by the UN but states would often act in conformity with Newton’s first law of motion. They will not move until an external force propels them.
“Newton’s first law states that every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force. In this context, the media is that external force.
“In today’s world, truth about human rights abuses suffers convulsions of cataclysmic proportion. People stammer when it comes to speaking the truth but the media must never stammer in defending the right to the truth.
“We have a saying that no matter how far a lie travels, the truth will one day catch up with it. This is usually true but sometimes before the truth catches up, a lot of damage would have been done. This is where the media comes in to bridge the gap and shorten the catch up time in order to reduce the number of possible victims or casualties.”
