Lawyers Alert has commenced the above project in Benue State, project location being the community hosting the Benue Cement Company.
The project which commenced six weeks ago is to:
1) view the negative effects of cement production through human rights lens 2) conduct consultations in the affected community in order to assess their most critical needs 3) document and monitor ESR violations related to cement production within the framework of national law, national and international human rights norms, and corporate accountability standards, where applicable. 4) Gather findings in a detailed report on the violations and the obligations of the state and BCC to address them.
The Mbayion Community have for long suffered untold environmental degradation and pollution over the years with the corporate entity (BCC) not doing much to ameliorate the challenges probably owing to the inability of the community to scientifically and technically push for adequate responsibility from BCC in the provision tailored support system that speaks to proven needs.
To this end Lawyers Alert will help the Community to identify needs and build their capacities to gather crucial information about critical human rights violations associated with cement production in their community. Lawyers Alert is working with local community members and leaders to discuss the ways in which their lives and livelihoods have been affected, and, using the data gathered, design a capacity building program tailored to the communities’ specific circumstances.
In the final analysis Lawyers Alert expects the BCC to address the documented violations.
Lawyers Alert will share the documented violations with the National Human Rights Commission towards reliefs for the community.
Lawyers Alert will use its imminent consultative status with the Human Rights Council of the United Nations to lodge a formal complaint in the event no desired result follows.
This is calling on volunteers, especially experts in these field and more importantly persons from and within the community to partner with us. Please visit lawyersalert@wordpress.com or http://www.lawyersalert.com or call 092202090, 08036081967 (Rommy) or 08034270027 (Agerzua) for partnership