Many of the members of the Commonwealth were territories which had historically come under British rule at various times by settlement, conquest or cession. The origins of the Commonwealth come from Britain's former Empire. Pakistan and Fiji have both been suspended from the group twice, and South Africa withdrew from the Commonwealth in 1960 over the objections of other African states to its policy of apartheid.īut critics say its commitment to the justice and rights doesn't hold up.Īmong the embarrassments of the Commonwealth was a failure to recognise Sri Lankan human rights abuses, and when the 2013 Commonwealth Summit was held in Colombo it provoked international outrage.īefore Nigeria was suspended over Ken Saro-Wiwa, little action was taken over horrific military crackdowns of the Ogoni people. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule. Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1995 after writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and other campaigners were sentenced to death by the state, while Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002 after election violence and unfairness. In 1995, Commonwealth heads signed the Harare Declaration, which set out how to deal with countries seriously violating the Commonwealth's principles. Leaders say one of the major roles of the Commonwealth is promoting human rights around the world. Who will succeed the Queen as head of the Commonwealth? Does it make a difference?
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