– IssaTchiroma, gov’t spokesman
Distinguished Journalists,
 |
| Issa Tchiroma |
The U.S. Department of State has just
published a Press Statement alleging infringement on fundamental freedoms in
Cameroon, notably in the management of demonstrations in Bamenda and Buea.
In
a bid to avoid any controversy on the allegations contained in the press
statement and in order to enlighten national and international community, the
Government of Cameroon would like to draw attention on some issues.
With
regard to the action of Public Authorities in the management of recent
demonstrations which took place in Bamenda and Buea, the Government has made
efforts to maintain dialogue and cohesion, to seek appropriate solutions to the
grievances of English-speaking lawyers and teachers. In this vein, appropriate
measures have been taken as follows:
- The Prime Minister, Head of
Government, paid a working visit to Bamenda, from November 25 to 27, 2016 to discuss
with representatives of lawyers and teachers ;
- The Prime Minister, Head of
Government has set up an Ad Hoc Inter-ministerial Committee tasked with
examining and proposing solutions to the concerns raised by teachers ;
- Sector-based negotiations have been open under the due diligence of the
Minister of State, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seal, on the one hand,
and the Minister of Higher Education, on the other hand;
The Prime Minister, Head of Government,
announced in addition:
- The setting up of an ad hoc
committee to be chaired by the Director of Cabinet of the Prime Minister, Head
of Government, to propose solutions to the concerns raised by English-speaking
teachers ;
- The granting of a special
allocation of FCFA 2,000,000,000 (two billion CFA francs) to private secular
and denominational schools ;
- The special recruitment of one
thousand perfectly bilingual graduates of higher general and technical
education;
It
should be underscored that concomitantly, the Minister, Secretary General at
the Presidency of the Republic, on Special Instruction of the President of the
Republic, received on November 28, 2016, the English versions of the OHADA
Treaty and Uniform Acts, which are some of the cogent grievances of the
lawyers. The translated documents were forwarded to the Minister of State,
Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, who solemnly handed them over to the
Chairman of the Bar Association.
Meanwhile,
at the University of Buea, the penalties for the late payment of tuitions fees
were lifted and some diligent measures have been taken to ensure the payment of
the academic gratifications for excellence.
With
respect to security, administrative officers and law-enforcement officers
handled the demonstrations in Bamenda and Buea with restraint and
professionalism, in strict compliance with the international laws and
commitments of Cameroon in matters of Human rights. Nevertheless,
investigations are underway and in the event of proven misconduct, the
Government will take some disciplinary and corrective measures as appropriate.
In
a nutshell, Cameroon reiterates that in any Rule of Law, it is the primary
responsibility of Public Authorities to ensure the respect of order and
security. The exercise by citizens of
their rights, such as the right to go on strike, is done in compliance with the
provisions laid down by the law. At this level, the action of law-enforcement
officers should not be considered on same footing as persons who willfully
infringe the law and go around assaulting citizens, looting private and public
properties.
The
Government is, in this vein underscoring that the law-enforcement officers were
on many occasions assaulted. The culprits of such acts are exposed to legal
proceedings before the courts and would be punished appropriately.
With
regard to the balance sheet of the recent social unrest in Bamenda, the
Government of Cameroon regrets the toll of some twenty injured and one death, a
security guard who was killed by vandals using a locally-made rifle, amid the
prevailing security context. This murder is similar to the one perpetrated a
few weeks ago against a gendarme in Bangolan with a locally-made rifle. The
Cameroonian Government strongly condemns such heinous actions, which will not
remain unpunished.
We
note that forces of law and order are being unjustly accused of committing
atrocities, whereas assaults against the said forces including the killing of
one gendarme is simply going unreported.
In
another realm, the allegations relating to ten-year prison sentence inflicted
to some young people for having exchanged text messages about Boko Haram are
ungrounded. As a matter of fact, the public examination of this matter, in
keeping with the law on the suppression of terrorism, had led to the release of
two of the three accused. The last one who was sentenced to eleven-month
imprisonment on February 22, 2016 for spreading false news, has since then been
released.
The
Government of Cameroon therefore reaffirms its profound attachment to the
exercise in all serenity, of civil liberties.
With
regard to the concern relating to the arrest of militants of a political party
mentioned in the press release of the Department of State, it should be
strongly underscored that in every country, the organization of public meetings
is governed by legal provisions that must be complied with by each and every
one. No one can circumvent the requirement to conform strictly to the applicable
legal and regulatory provisions, using the argument of having a special status,
whichever it may be.
It
remains however that those militants were all released after being identified.
The
Government of Cameroon avails itself to draw the attention of everyone on the
serious consequences of a willful malicious use of social media.
It condemns in the strongest terms, the
dissemination of false information as well as the manipulation of minds and
methods of intimidation through social media and recalls that those found
guilty of such acts shall be appropriately punished in accordance with the
regulations in force.
In
all, the Government of Cameroon reiterates its constitutional and unwavering
commitment to ensure its sovereign duty to maintain public order.
It should be underscored however, that no
attempt to disrupt our hard-won national unity and cohesion and our territorial
integrity, shall be tolerated.
The
government of Cameroon, in keeping with its openness to dialogue, reiterates
its unweaving commitment to strengthening collaboration with friendly countries
for the promotion of Human rights through instructive channels, in the respect
of the sovereignty and independence of each party.
In
this regard, it commends the sound functioning of consultation frameworks put
in place as part of the Structured Political Framework with the European Union
or even the platform for exchange on such issues created between the Ministry
of External Relations and the Embassy of the United States of America in Yaoundé.
The
Government once again calls for tolerance, temperance,
the sense of citizen responsibility and dialogue, which are shared values that
have contributed to shape the peculiar identity of the Cameroonian Nation.
In
season and out of season, the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul
BIYA, has always made consultation and dialogue a political creed in the
mission that has been bestowed on him, in all sovereignty, at the helm of the
State.
Our
Nation is a land of diversity and plurality. These attributes are the very
source of its strength and wealth, because what brings us together is greater
than anything that could at any given time put us asunder.
We
should be able to reap all the fruits of this wonderful natural asset passed
down from one generation to another from ages to ages.
It
is by so doing that Cameroon will continue to move towards its grandeur and the
attainment of its emergence.
Allow
me to avail myself, on behalf of the Government, to reiterate this call for
unity, which is more than ever necessary, at a time when our brave Indomitable
Lionesses are on the verge of conquering the trophy of the 10th edition of the
Women's Africa Cup of Nations hosted for the first time by Cameroon, in order
to give them our full support that will lead them to final victory.
Thank
you for your kind attention.
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