Fundamental questions of accountability: EU sued for forced labor in Eritrea
A Dutch Foundation of Eritrean refugees, Foundation Human Rights for Eritreans, has filed a lawsuit in the Amsterdam court against the European Union (EU) for its role in financing a road building project in Eritrea that uses forced labor. The Foundation, together with their Dutch Lawyer Emiel Jurjens, demand the EU stops the 80 million euro support to Eritrea. While the European Commission acknowledges that the funded project entails labour from Eritrea’s indefinite and forced national service, in direct violation of EU’s fundamental principles and international law, it deflects blame by claiming that the EU is not paying directly for labor itself but rather for the equipment. Besides the use of forced labor, the EU has no direct oversight or proper monitoring scheme to safeguard the Eritrean national conscripts forced to work on the project or ability monitor how the money is spent. The EU has already pledged 80 million and is looking to spend an additional 120 million on subsequent phases. The lawsuit enters uncharted legal territory in a complex web of jurisdiction and accountability.
Lockdown of Kenyan Eastleigh commercial hub impacts the local economy
By Francis Kinyua. Due to increased community transmission of COVID-19, the government executed a two-week cessation of movement in and out of Eastleigh, Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday, May 6 2020. It immediately posed a negative impact on residents and thousands of business people who operate in the area. There was a heavy presence of security officers in all parts of the district, with roadblocks mounted at all major entry points to prevent movement in and out of the densely populated area inhabited mostly by natives of the Somali community.
Dry Water Taps in Nairobi’s Pumwani Slums during COVID-19 Pandemic
By Francis Kinyua: Hand washing is a precautionary measure to curb the spread of COVID-19, but residents of Majengo Pumwani slums in Nairobi are wondering what this means as taps have been dry for the past week. As water taps stopped working in Majengo slums, there is no water for drinking and cooking, let alone to wash hands to curb the spread of COVID-19.