Cameroon: Ordre des Avocats au Barreau du Cameroun – Consell de l’Ordre – Resolution (01.09.2019)

Cameroon: CHRDA Statement on the Occassion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearence, 30 August 2019 (30.08.2019)

The international day of the victims of enforced Disappearances, 30th August is a day created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives. Enforced disappearance is used as a strategy to spread terror within society. It occurs when people are being arrested, detained or abducted against their will and when governments refuse to disclose the whereabouts of these people.

Relatives have a right, as victims themselves, to know the truth about the circumstances of any enforced disappearance, the whereabouts of their loved ones, the progress and results of investigation, and ultimately the fate of the disappeared person.

Enforced disappearance remains a heinous crime under international law, as it is strongly condemned by the Rome statute labelling it a crime against humanity as well as the UN Convention and the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons Against Enforced Disappearance.

The state of Cameroon is party to this convention since 2007, and it is under obligation to search for persons who have disappeared. Unfortunately, since the outbreak of violence in the North West and South West regions and the militarisation of towns and villages, several persons have disappeared as the government battles against armed separatist groups. In the localities of Belo and Wum in the North West Region, Relatives have been able to retrieve corpses of identified victims of enforced disappearances (family members) in Rivers and streams, said to have been arrested by the state militia. Mass graves have also been identified in the localities of Batibo and Bali since 2018, and several other individuals have disappeared since the 22nd of September when thousands of southern Cameroonians match with peace plants across the two regions, and the 1st of October when others hoisted flags in public places, announcing the birth of a new country called ‘Ambazonia’.

Most recently, the riots in the prisons of Kondengui and Buea on the 23rd and 24th July respectively lead to the destruction of the prisons by wild fires, prompting the government forces to respond with live bullets to keep calm in the prisons. Several inmates were moved to other detention centres and there are allegations that a couple of inmates died. Lawyers and family members have raised allegation that the whereabouts of their clients and relatives previously detained at the Buea central prison cannot be ascertained.

On this occasion of the international day of the victims of enforced disappearances, 30 August 2019, CHRDA calls on the state of Cameroon to take measures to immediately search for any individual alleged to have disappeared in compliance with its obligation under international law.

Independent commissions should be put in place with sufficient financial and human resources to conduct the search for the disappeared persons. They should properly coordinate the search and should have unrestricted access to all information relevant to locate the disappeared person. Such authorities should also allow for the full participation of the relatives or representatives of the disappeared and should be regularly informed about the progress and protected from any security risk. In the words of António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, he said “I call on States to do more to prevent enforced disappearances and bring to justice those responsible. To this end, I call on countries to cooperate fully with UN mechanisms. I also urge all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify or accede to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.”

Cameroon: Ambazonia Governing Council – Funding Prisoners Appeal (29.08.2019)

Cameroon: Ministry of Finance – Press Release (23.08.2019)

Cameroon: Sisiku Ayuk Tabe – To live is the struggle (23.08.2019)

Cameroon: Ambazonia – Interim Government (IG) Endorses Lockdown called by Ambazonia Freedom Fighters aka Ambazonia Defence Council from 2nd to 6th and 9th to 12th September 2019 (22.08.2019)

Justice4Nera10 Campaign: Illegal trial and sentencing to life imprisonment of the Nera10 by Cameroon (20.08.2019)

Mouvement en Aucun Cas Membre d’Afrikki) – Communique (15.08.2019)

Cameroon: Social Democratic Front (SDF) – Position Statement (10.08.2019)

Opinion: Gnassingbe is a tyrant and a coward!

The family dynasty, the family enterprise and the extravagant misuse of power. Come fully; when the Second Generation President and fellow Tyrant Faure Gnassingbe stifles the possibility of industrial actions or even demonstrate against his reign. The man, who wants to run the Republic until 2030 and the family, has been doing so since 1967.

These people clearly doesn’t represent the Togolese, not in other fashion than using the government, using the state as their feeding basket and hoping no-one touching the faucet of funds coming in. Because, they are clearly trying to stifle the voices of dissidents, of the opposition to the family clan and rule. Which is apparently persisting, and surely with the blessing of the elites of Paris. The colonial French, always supports friendly puppets on the continent, they don’t even act out, when they take away freedom, liberty or justice for their citizens. They just smile, grin and import more goods to a select group in Republic.

Take a look at this nonsense:

Under the new law, no protests will be allowed on main roads, in city centres or near government buildings. They can not take place before 11:00 or after 18:00. As has happened in recent years, the Togolese authorities may ban them anyway for other reasons. The threat from terrorists is the reason the government has given for the new law” (Biesloaded Nigeria – ‘Togo passes new law banning rallies on roads, near government offices or early hours of the morning’ 09.08.2019).

Gnassingbe and fellow MPs are supporting the tyranny, they are supporting  the laws, which silence and stops opposition from voicing their concerns. Because, its not like the lawmakers care anyway. That is why they have to go to the boulevards or on the streets, to show their stance and spread their message. Not like the President, his family or party cares, because, they are just interested in ruling indefinitely and not paying for it. A cowards way of using force, while not meeting the ones who are using the one avenue they have to make a difference.

The Gnassingbe presidency shows its real colour, when it changes laws to this extent. Not only abolish term limits or extend that for several terms. No, this shows that the President and MPs doesn’t value their citizens. They don’t value their rights or their concerns, because they cannot legally go in the main-streets and voicing their opinions.

This is clearly a measure to take away the giant gatherings and the TogoDebout, FaureMustGo and do fourth away from the streets. This is to silence and oppress even more. This is the same government that has banned beach concerts, because they are violating the peace. Therefore, know, that the tyranny lives and that it doesn’t value the voices of its citizens. Peace.