Dutch diplomatic efforts in Africa
Ethiopia
De special ambassador for human rights visited Addis in June. There were meetings with several ngo’s, trade unions and opposition members. In a discussion with government representatives the ambassador expressed his concerns about restrictive laws that hinder ngo’s and the media, as well as the limitations on opposition parties to present their agenda to the electorate.
Congo
The Dutch embassy in Kinshasa organized and hosted a conference about freedom of the press on the international Day for Human Rights. Activist Masika Bihamba was invited twice to the Netherlands to. She produced a presented a special ‘shadow report’ on human rights abuses in Congo to the United Nations. She was also awarded with the Dutch ‘human rights tulip’.
Zimbabwe
The embassy gave shelter to several human rights activists during the period they were under threat of arrest and physical violence. There has been ongoing legal and medical support for human rights campaigners and their organizations: such as Law Society Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
Dutch human rights policy makes a difference", said Maxime Verhagen, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday, during the presentation of the 2009 Human Rights Report.
"Because of Dutch diplomatic pressure, an Afghan journalist who was sentenced to death, was released last year", Mr Verhagen said. He stated that the arrest of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was also due to Dutch pressure. Furthermore, the Netherlands can claim credit for the fact that fewer countries now implement the death penalty.
Mr Verhagen expressed his satisfaction that 67 countries have signed a statement condemning discrimination against homosexuals and stressed that standing up for human rights is not just based on idealism. The economy is also served by a stable international environment, he said.
Human rights are one of Mr Verhagen's key policies. He founded the organisation Human Rights Fund, which now supports over four hundred projects in sixty countries.
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