Controversy over National Security detainees and Human Rights

That was all the opposition needed: the proverbial straw that broke the camel?s back. Lieutenant Colonel Botomora?s death rekindled the fire of tribal feud with a vengeance, among a handful of dissidents. Colonel Botomora, a native of the eastern coastal region, was arrested in July 2002. Deemed a threat to national security, he was immediately transferred to Tsiafahy?s high security facility. He was among the key architects of the infamous Brickaville roadblocks which were designed to economically bring the capital city down to its knees. Following his death, the cause of which was officially ruled as a heart attack, the colonel?s family expects to lodge a complaint, accusing the new regime of flagrantly trampling over the rights of detainees, and over human rights in general.

The deplorable conditions under which the detainees are held are not exactly a secret. Overpopulation oblige, countless detainees silently perish in jail, year after year – in many cases, while awaiting trial – attracting little or no attention. Justice delayed? Justice denied? Colonel Botomora?s death, however, would not go unnoticed. High ranking officials have actually spoken up, leading to an explicit presidential demand which should expedite the judicial process, and bring about speedy trials for the 2002 crisis detainees, the group affected most by this privilege, or the lack thereof.

Though he is not sure to whom exactly they should address their grievances, Senator Benjamin Vaovao (AREMA) insists that the opposition should lodge a complaint. Everyone knows that Lieutenant Colonel Botomora is but one of many national security detainees in the same boat. Quite a few of these detainees, denied due-process for reasons of national security, are in poor health. Case in point: the former Prime Minister. Nonetheless, prison officials declare that they have done their job, and that the officer?s death was not the result of either mistreatment, or negligence, on their part. Today, the situation is such that this case should lead to a fundamental debate. Although opinions are divided over this somewhat untimely death, the fact remains that it was, without a doubt, not entirely unexpected.