- Target:
- AU, Airlines, UN, African Governments
- Region:
- Africa
As the Ebola Virus disease keeps spreading, many governments have started adopting strict measures to avoid contagion. Those measures very often included air and sea restrictions and border closures with countries where the virus has been identified.
This situation creates a de facto quarantine of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia against the recommendations of the World health Organizations (WHO) and many humanitarian groups (including the International Federation of Red Cross & Medecins Sans Frontieres) at the frontline of the battle to defeat the EVD.
In many instances, the WHO has repeated not recommending travel or trade restrictions for the affected countries and has called for lifting the embargo. But it is not being heard.
Citizens Call to Action against Ebola
As the Ebola virus becomes an overwhelming human catastrophe affecting public health, social institutions and and economic well-being in Africa, we stand in solidarity with our fellow citizens in the countries victimized by this deadly disease.
We also thank and salute the local and international health workers who are risking their lives daily, intervening on the ground to eradicate the scourge of Ebola, often without access to gloves and other protective supplies.
We acknowledge and applaud the decision of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) health ministers to call for the lifting of travel bans to Ebola affected countries, which are hampering the fight against Ebola and restricting the arrival of essential expertise and equipment, as well as fuel to provide electricity, medications to treat other deadly diseases such as malaria and food to prevent famine.
In the name and interest of our common humanity, we are collectively launching this urgent Citizens' Call to Action.
We call on our respective Heads of State and Government to avoid full embargo against Ebola-affected states. While we understand the legitimate concerns for the protection of their population, we remind African leaders of their obligation to pan-African solidarity and the global community of their humanitarian obligations in emergencies. We urge the following immediate actions:
One
Ensure that the flow of essential assistance can reach those in need, while maintaining economic activity necessary for sustaining life in cities and villages, by
Authorizing and implementing the local recommendations issued by the World Health Organization (WHO)
Acknowledging the impossibility of quarantining entire nations and instead establish much-needed economic and humanitarian corridors of access - essential life-lines - both within the affected countries and between countries.
Two
We call on African opinion leaders – including artists, athletes, filmmakers, writers, journalists, academics – to initiate or to actively take part in public information campaigns on prevention and transmission of the Ebola. These can happen via road-shows, film screenings, theatrical pieces, discussion groups, and the distribution of messages via cellphone networks. And we call upon global opinion leaders to add their talents and voices in support.
Three
We call on the broad private sector, the pharmaceutical industry, and the research community, in particular, to fund, facilitate and make immediately available access to all known methods of prevention and treatment of this menacing threat to our global well-being.
Join the call by signing the petition at
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/ebola-stop-quarantine-of-entire-countries.html
Signed on August 31, 2014
H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
H.E. Benjamin Mkapa, Former President Tanzania
Mrs Graca Machel, President of the Foundation for Community Development
Bineta Diop , Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, African Union
Youssou Ndour, Singer, Grammy Award Winner
Ali Mufuruki, InfoTech Investment Group
Kandeh Yumkallah, Chairman of UN-Energy and former Director-General
Zainab Bangura, Special Representative of UN Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Ashih Thakkar, Founder, MARA Group
AKON, Singer
Frannie Leautier, CEO & Founder, Mkoba Group
Wendy Luhabe, Africa Chairperson, Cartier Foundation for Women Entrepreneurs
Dele Olojede, Journalist, Pulitzer Prize Winner
Amadou Mahtar Ba, Executive Chairman, Co Founder AllAfrica Global Media
Akere Muna, Presiding Officer, AU Economic, Social and Cultural Council
Mamadou Toure, Founder, Africa 2.0
Thelma Awori, Chair Institute for Social Transformation, former UNDP Director
Angelle Kwemo, Founder & Chair Believe in Africa
Linus Gitahi, CEO Nation Media Group
Prof. Ousmane Kane, Harvard University
Ebrima Sall, Executive Secretary CODESRIA
Slim Othmani. CEO, NCA-Rouiba, Chairman Algeria Business Council.
Prof. Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Columbia University
Prof. Alioune Sall, Director, African Futures Institute, South Africa ,
Prof. Mamadou Diouf, Columbia University
Trevor Ncube, Deputy Executive Chair, Mail&Guardian
Omar Ben Yedder, Director IC Publications
Oulimata Sarr, Country Coordinator, IFC Advisory Services
Férial Haffajee, Editor In Chief, City Press
Zyad Limam, Director, Afrique Magazine
Aminata Forna, Professor of Creative Writing and award-winning author
Mahen Bonetti, Founder & Executive Director of African Film Festival, Inc.
Fatou Wurie, Activist
Aliou Goloko, CEO Goal Communication
Reed Kramer, CEO, AllAfrica Global Media
Aly Leno, Président Union des Journalistes Culturels et Animateurs de Guinée )
Tidiane Soumah, PDG Tidiane World Music
Dr Tendai Mhizha, CEO Integra Africa
Samba Bathily, Chairman Africa Development Solutions
Prof. Cheikh Ibrahima Niang, University Cheikh Anta Diop
Prof. Penda Mbow, University Cheikh Anta Diop
Prof. Anyang' Nyong'o, former health minister, Kenya
Dr Tami Hultman, CEO AllAfrica Foundation
Soyata Maiga, Special Rapporteur on Women Human Rights in Africa
Harriette Williams Bright, Femmes Africa Solidarité
Isham Elgar Olympic and World Champion
Younes Maamar CEO Eone Investments
Prof. Fatima Harrak, President CODESRIA, Mohamed V Souissi, University.
Prof. Kwadwo Ansah Koram, Director Noguchi Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon
Prof. Adam Habib, Vice Chancellor, University of Witwatersrand
Prof. Olive Shisana, CEO, Human Sciences Research Council
Prof. Suren Pilley, University of Western Cape
Alex Cummings, Chairman of the Cummings Foundation
Hassan Arouni, Senior Producer & Presenter BBC Focus on Africa
Abdul Tejan Cole, Executive Director Open Society Initiative West Africa
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The Ebola: Stop the Quarantine of Entire African Countries petition to AU, Airlines, UN, African Governments was written by Amadou Mahtar Ba and is in the category Health at GoPetition.