Monday 7 April 2014

Public Manifestations authorized in Cameroonian law



By Mbeh Moses Eben in Yaounde
The Cameroon Civil Society Network for Human Rights known by its French acronym RECODH has ended a two-day symposium in Yaounde to evaluate the effective presence of the rule of law in Cameroon and suggest ways and means of strengthening the effective implementation of the laws on freedom of assembly and public demonstration in the country.
                Addressing participants at the forum the National Coordinator of RECODH, Hyomeni Paul guy, said freedom of assembly and public demonstration are covered in Cameroon by national laws and International Conventions that Cameroon has duly ratified. He said RECODH has noticed that people find it very challenging to organize public meetings and peaceful demonstrations for varied reasons including poor mastery of the laws, non respect of law by some administrative authorities and the notion of disturbing public order which is the argument that most authorities often use to prohibit public meetings and demonstrations. But Hyomeni said the notion of disturbing public order is a vague concept that needs to be clarified by the authorities.

                Various speakers at the symposium harped on the point that public manifestations and meetings should be enshrined in the laws of any country that claims to be democratic. But they regretted that in Cameroon many planned meetings and peaceful demonstrations are banned and outlawed and when organizers hinge on the law to go ahead with their meetings the forces of law and order would pounce on them and thereby causing public disorder. 
                The symposium had participants from political parties, civil societies, the media, and representatives of public administrations. They sought to look for a way forward for the harmonization of liberty laws so that Cameroonians should benefit from them.
                For her part, Makongoum Agnes, a barrister and legal adviser to RECODH stressed that ignorance of the law is no excuse and so organizers of public meetings should always make sure they do so in strict respect of the laws in force. She also pointed out that government officials should also apply the law and stop abusing peoples’ freedom because when they do these Human Rights organizations will intervene and seek redress. Makongoum acknowledged that public administrators are there to serve the public but she reminded that when they try to twist the law the citizens have the right to pursue them in the courts.
                Erika Lewis, political adviser at the U.S embassy observed that Cameroon just like the USA is governed by the rule of law and no one is an exception to the law. She said those who deprive people of their right to hold public meetings and demonstrations have skeletons in their cupboard which they are afraid might be exposed.
                In his closing remarks Hyomeni Paul Guy expressed satisfaction with the quality of the presentations and exchanges. “I have the impression that we have attained our objective,” he said, noting that because at least 2 amongst the 100 participants came from the regions there was reason to believe that the sensitization has attained a national outreach. He said future forums would be held in the regions.

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