Laquintinie hospital tragedy:

Bishops angry over gov’t irresponsibility

Christian Tumi joined other bishops

to condemn the Biya gov’t

Triggered by the Monique Koumateke affair, the prelates of the Douala ecclesiastical province have issued an observation which subtly reveals the inability of the leaders of this country to show a proper sense of responsibility over Cameroonian citizens.

By Tanyi Kenneth Musa in Yaounde

The scandal that took place at the Douala Laquintinie hospital on Saturday, 12 March 2016 was so revolting as not to leave the prelates of the Douala ecclesiastical province indifferent. Last week they came up with a declaration which is in many ways different from the missives and other forms of complaints that Cameroonians are beginning to get used to since Monique Koumateke died tragically and had her belly torn open in front of the maternity of the Laquintinie hospital. Theirs is a balanced and moralizing observation which amongst other things frowns at the irresponsible way in which the government treats Cameroonian citizens.

                Addressed “to the people of God and to all men of goodwill,” the bishops’ observation reads inter alia: “We, your pastors, observe with consternation the serious happenings which are rocking our society for some time now. Babies, young children are regularly kidnapped, tortured, thrown out, mutilated and killed. In other respects, highly preoccupying situations have come to shed light on the fact that vulnerable persons die through negligence and denial of care, particularly pregnant women and people involved in accidents in some of our hospitals. We are strongly denouncing and condemning damage to life and to human dignity, for according to our Christian faith, life is a gift of God; it is sacred.”

                Of course, the prelates did not fail to express their concern and compassion to the families of the victims. In the same vein, they invited all the faithful and people of goodwill to defend life and promote human dignity. The bishops were also bitter on the different shocking, pornographic and degrading pictures that are continually being published on the internet. They recommended a reconversion for all the actors of these criminal networks.

What has been described as the high point of their observation is the request the men of God made to the leaders of Cameroon in whose hands the future of the country lies. The prelates write: “To the leaders who are mainly responsible for the common good and who can do everything to safeguard moral values, we say: do not allow the morality of our people to go down the drain. Do not allow these practices which destroy life to continue to take place in our society.” (Our translation).

                This has been described as a subtle way that the bishops used to express their anger over the inability of the government of this country to show a proper sense of responsibility over Cameroonian citizens, as exemplified by the Monique koumateke affair which triggered their crafting of their observation.

                The observation was signed by the archbishop of Douala, Mgr. Samuel Kleda as well as the bishops of Edea, Bafoussam, Nkongsamba, Eseka and Bafang, Jean BoscoNtep, DieudonnéWatio, DieudonnéEspoirAtangana, DieudonnéBogmisand  AbrahamKome.