Brief Remarks by H.E. Salim A. Salim, OAU Secretary General, at the Opening Ceremony of the African Regional Preparatory Meeting for the World Conference on Human Rights at Palais de Carthage, Tunis.
"Perhaps no continent and no people have experienced so much agony and suffering as a result of massive violation of human rights. We have suffered from all kinds of indignities ranging from slavery, colonialism, aggression and foreign occupation. It is therefore all the more reason that we in Africa should be in the forefront in the struggle for the scrupulous observance of these rights. We should above all strive to ensure that no violations of these rights in our continent is tolerated. In order to achieve this objective as well as to enable our continent to contribute with the rest of the world in consolidating the respect and protection of human rights, we need to strengthen our institutions at the national and continental level."
