Members of the Cameroon Anglophone
Newspaper Publishers’ Association- CANPA have observed with dismay and total
disbelief how security forces in the North West and South West regions have
descended on Common Law Lawyers exercising their rights to peaceful protests
against the wanton discrimination against Anglophones of former Southern
Cameroons extraction, reducing us to subhuman standards.
The
Common Law Lawyers have, from every indication exhausted all avenues open to
dialogue to resolve some of the teething problems affecting not only their
profession, but Anglophones and their cultural heritage in the Republic of
Cameroon. The Lawyers held meetings in Bamenda and Buea and came out with
memoranda addressed to the government with clear proposals on how this
so-called unified country could continue to forge ahead with all its people
looking in the same direction and shaping a common destiny.
Several
months on, the government continues to behave as if all was well; because these
lawyers happen to be of English expression and practicing in an area considered
“Conquered Territory”, the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, Head
of Government and the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals to whom
petitions were addressed have maintained a defiant silence, waiting for any
move to go out maiming and torturing innocent citizens.
CANPA
wishes to remind the government that nowhere in the world would any trial of an
accused person in a language both he and his lawyer do not master would be
called fair hearing! That is why every other international instrument to which
Cameroon is a signatory generally talks of ensuring that any judgment must be
passed in such a way that any person declared guilty of any offense would have
been so “beyond reasonable doubts”, a principle that immediately falls to the
ground when there is a clearly established language barrier.
The
Cameroon BAR Council, led by its President- Barrister NgnieKamga who is of
French expression, has come up with a strongly worded press release admitting
that it was wrong to appoint magistrates, court registrars and judicial police
officers with little or no knowledge of Common Law to Common Law jurisdictions
in the North West and South West regions of the country. The BAR Council called
for an immediate redress of the situation, yet no one is paying attention.
What
happened in Bamenda and Buea, where policemen battered, maimed and wounded
lawyers, went from hotel to hotel violating privacies and seizing robes reminds
us all of an era where there was no freedom of speech and of expression as well
as assembly in Cameroon. It makes nonsense of President Paul Biya’s claim that
he is the father of democracy and wishes to be seen as the one person who
promoted, implanted and nurtured democratic principles in Cameroon.
In
Kumba, the First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer demonstrated total
ignorance and inconsistency; it is surprising she rose up one morning to claim
that an association which had been operating in Kumba and organizing activities
the administration took part at regularly was illegal. As if that was not
enough, policemen were instructed to literally quarantine any individual
dressed in black suit and white shirt; they were systematically searched to
ascertain they had no robes or wigs, as if the country was under siege!
CANPA
is calling for an immediate end to all those excesses, and is reminding the
powers that be that Cameroon is a signatory to the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights. Article 11 of that Charter stipulates that; “Every individual
shall have the right to assemble freely with others. The exercise of this right
shall be subject only to necessary restrictions provided for by law, in
particular those enacted in the interest of national security, the safety,
health, ethics and rights and freedom of others”.
The
African Charter focuses mainly on the State in Article 25, outlining its
responsibility in this regard when it clearly states; “States parties to the
present Charter shall have the duty to promote and ensure through teaching,
education and application, the respect of the rights and freedoms contained in
the present Charter and to see to it that these freedoms and rights as well as
corresponding obligations and duties are understood”.
It
is thus observable that the Cameroon government has failed in its duty to play
its role; that of dialogue in the first instance and total refusal to protect
and guide the Common Law Lawyers carrying out peaceful demonstrations from
police brutality. Viewing what happened and the consequent silence, it could
even be said that the government cautioned the action in total violation of its
local and international engagements.
CANPA
is by this token expressing its solidarity with the Common Law Lawyers in the
noble fight for the common good of all Anglophone Cameroonians from former Southern
Cameroons extraction, including even the misguided ones who are taking sides
with the Yaounde authorities against their children, brothers and sisters as
well as future generations.
Dear
brothers and sisters of the legal profession, we hereby pledge to stand by you
throughout this highly justified struggle until victory is ours! We also pledge
to throw our weight behind the teachers’ associations that are beginning their
own industrial action on Monday the 21st of November, 2016.
Done in Yaounde this 12th Day of November,
2016-11-12
John MbahAkuroh
President
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