China, Indian state named worst for housing rights
China, Indian state named worst for housing rights
Agence France-Presse, Bangkok
Zimbabwe, China and the Indian state of Maharashtra were named
the world's worst violators of housing rights on Tuesday by an
advocacy group that branded forced evictions in Harare a crime
against humanity.
The Center on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) also
praised a Pakistani official and an Indonesian activist for their
work to support housing rights, in the group's annual awards
meant to highlight violations around the world.
Zimbabwe's forced evictions of residents and informal traders
earlier this year left more than 700,000 people homeless and
forced to fend for themselves, the group's executive director
Scott Leckie told reporters.
"It is abundantly clear that crimes against humanity have
taken place in Zimbabwe in recent months, and those responsible
should be held accountable and brought before the international
judicial bodies to answer for those crimes," Leckie said.
Meanwhile, he said the situations in China and the Indian
state of Maharashtra highlighted the need to balance rapid
economic development with respect for human rights.
"More than 40 million Chinese farmers have lost their land and
livelihoods in the past 20 years due to rapid industrialization
and urbanization," he said.
"COHRE is particularly concerned about the forced evictions of
at least 400,000 people carried out in Beijing in connection with
the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympic Games."
In Maharashtra, 350,000 people were evicted in India's
commercial capital Mumbai in the last year as part of a
redevelopment plan that calls for reducing slums to 10 percent of
their current size, Leckie said.
Those evicted received no alternative accommodation or
compensation, he added.
But the group also praised Tasneem Siddiqui, former head of
the Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority in Pakistan, for his work to
gain legal recognition for informal settlements.
Indonesian activist Wardah Hafidz was also singled out for her
efforts to help poor urban leaders fight for the rights of their
communities.