By Mua Patrick, January 16, 2017
Cameroon Journal, Yaounde – The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights with Secretariat in Banjul, The Gambia, has expressed concerns over recent killings in Cameroon amidst the ongoing Anglophone lawyers and teachers’ strike action.
In a statement titled “Press Release on the Human Rights Situation in Cameroon Following strike actions of Lawyers, Teachers and Civil Society,” the African Union’s rights outfit said the Commission’s Country Rapporteur for Cameroon and Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa, Hon. Reine Alapini-Gansou, is deeply concerned with the deteriorating human rights situation in Cameroon. Reine cited the killing of civilians; the deployment of armed military personnel as well as special security forces (BIR) and war machines to the two English-speaking Regions of the country.
The statement also regrets the disproportionate and deathly use of force and violence by gov’t forces to dispel peaceful and unarmed lawyers, teachers, students, civilians and protesters in Bamenda, Buea and Kumba, including rape of students in Buea; the arbitrary arrests, detention and merciless beatings orchestrated by the police, gendarmerie, military and the BIR following strikes and protests that have been going on since October 2016.
“The Special Rapporteur has received information that the strikes and protests are allegedly provoked by what has been dubbed, “the Anglophone problem,” due to discontented Anglophone lawyers, teachers and civil society in English speaking Cameroon legitimately and peacefully seeking a halt to: the gradual, but systematic destruction and obliteration of the Common Law Legal System and the Anglo-Saxon system of education; the marginalisation and neglect by the administration of Cameroon of the two English speaking Regions of Cameroon; and the return to Federal system of governance,” the Banjul statement read in part.
The release says the Special Rapporteur was particularly concerned about the alleged deaths of more than nine (9) Cameroonians during the protests in Bamenda, Buea and Kumba, and the allegations that the Government is planning mass arrest, kidnappings and assassination of leaders of Lawyers’ Associations, Teachers’ Trade Unions, Civil Society and human rights defenders as a means to thwart the Anglophone cause.
While condemning strongly the alleged use of disproportionate force against civilians, the violent and deathly suppression of peaceful demonstrators, the rights commission urges the Government of Cameroon to immediately
investigate the alleged killings, rapes, inhumane treatment and human rights violations on peaceful protesters by the riot police, elements of the gendarmerie, the military and the (BIR) in Bamenda, Buea and Kumba.
They also called on Yaounde authorities to end the “alleged violence against civilians” and take necessary steps to ensure that the human rights of its citizens and all its inhabitants are respected.
“We are calling on the Government to uphold the right to freedom of expression, assembly, the right to peaceful protest and ensure the security of its citizens, as provided by the African Charter; cease all arbitrary arrests and detention; and release all individuals unlawfully arrested during the protest,” the Commission pressed further.
“The Special Rapporteur also calls on the international community to look into the matter and support the Government of Cameroon in the peaceful resolution of the ‘Anglophone problem’; by encouraging genuine and inclusive dialogue between the Government of Cameroon and the Cameroon Common Law Lawyers, Teachers, and Civil society in the Anglophone Regions and other such bodies established to resolve the issue,” the statement added.
The Special Rapporteur, the Banjul statement announced, will continue to monitor developments in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon and call on the African Union to contribute towards the effective realization of human and peoples’ rights in the country as a whole.