This issue - the language(s) used, recorded, or even admitted in the justice systems and the administration of justice in its fullest sense is one that has a lot of dimensions. I wonder if it may not be a larger issue than is realized or acknowledged.
Finally got a copy of Ali Mazrui & Alamin Mazrui's _The Power of Babel_ and in one chapter in particular (8) they explore a number of aspects of this issue: "Language Policy and the Rule of Law in 'Anglophone' Africa." I won't try to summarize what they say at this time, but the book is worth the read (will try to find a review to post). I would however note that there is a professor in Canada writing in French - Nazam Halaoui - who has been researching aspects of this issue. See for example an abstract at http://www.reds.msh-paris.fr/publications/revue/sommaire/51-52resu.htm (search the name - abstracts are in Eng. as well as Fr.). Don Osborn --- In AfricanLanguages@yahoogroups.com, "Don Osborn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > The following excerpt of an article from the Ghanaian Chronicle > highlights an interesting topic: the use or non-use of African > languages in legal systems. From what little I know on the subject, it > seems that the rules differ by country. In Niger, for instance, the > legal system permits use of any national language but the court > records are in French (so translation is necessary); classical Arabic > is also permitted for written arguments (this reflects the fact many > people have Koranic school training; there is only a tiny percentage > of the population that has a dialect of Arabic as a maternal language). > > Are there examples from other countries? > > Don Osborn > > > I can express myself better in Ewe - Transport Ministry's PR > consultant tells CHRAJ > > By Phyllis D. Osabutey | Posted: Monday, June 12, 2006 > > THE PUBLIC Relations Consultant of the Transportation Ministry, Mr. > Ken S.K.N. Anku, last Thursday told the Commission on Human Rights and > Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that he could better express himself in > Ewe, his native language, than in English. > > Mr. Anku started with "enye", meaning "I", when he was being taken > through affirmation to testify before the Commission in the > investigations of allegations of corruption, conflict of interest and > abuse of office against his boss, Dr. Richard Anane. > > He then continued with a mixture of the Ewe and English languages in > response to questions from lead counsel for the Commission, Dr. > Bondzie Simpson. It was at that point that the panel drew his > attention to the fact that he ought to answer the question in the > English language. > > His reply that no one indicated to him in what language he should > answer questions and that it was in the Ewe language that he could > express himself very well, prompted chairperson of the panel, Ms. Anna > Bossman, to ask whether in his capacity as the public relations > consultant to the transportation ministry, he transacted business in > his native language to which he replied, "No, but I don't do it under > oath." > > ... > [the full article, which deals mainly with details of the hearing and > the case and not the language issue, can be read at > http://www.ghanaian-chronicle.com/thestory.asp?id=10276 ] > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
