Government Refutes Poor Human Rights Report

By Chris Mbunwe

The government of Cameroon has expressed reservation for the recently published report by Amnesty International (AI) on poor Human Rights situation in the country.

 

Amadou Ali:Irked by IA report

The Vice Prime Minister in charge of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Amadou Ali, Tuesday, February 3, in a communiqué read on the CRTV National Station, debunked some of the issues raised on the AI Report as baseless and refuted allegations that the government of Cameroon has barred AI officials from visiting Cameroon.

The Post learnt that government officials are more disturbed by the report because it downplays their efforts. Contrary to the AI report, which flays Cameroon's governance and democratisation process, Amadou Ali said government has made considerable progress in that regard. 

However, Godfred Byarohanga, who was guest on BBC Network Africa Studio, Thursday, January 29, said: "If you are an opposition member or a journalist in Cameroon, life is probably tough for you. You could be arrested and put through a rigorous or an unfair trial; intimidated and even have death threats made against you."

Cameroon's Amnesty Report that has been summarized in the last years, talks of extra-judicial killings carried out by government forces, many prison inmates waiting trial dying in custody, while others are killed by warders and forces of law and order.

The report says there are cases of journalists who have been arrested and detained or imprisoned for years for simply doing their job of reporting on political and economic situations. 

"Last February, more than 100 people were killed by the forces of law and order because they demonstrated against the high cost of living and government attempts that succeeded in changing the constitution to allow President Paul Biya to stand for another election in 2011," Byarohanga noted.

He says Amnesty International has been refused entry to Cameroon to investigate the rampant violation of human rights by the Biya regime. Despite the frustration, AI has still been able to get many reports from its intelligent sources in the country.

The report also states that journalists in Cameroon have not been allowed to exercise the rights and freedom of expression and of assembly.Many times when the opposition or students demonstrate when it is their right to do so, they are arrested, beaten up and imprisoned.  

For example, the report says, in 2006, more than 30 members of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, were arrested, beaten up and imprisoned. AI described Cameroon's prison conditions as horrific, overcrowded, lack of food, morbid toilet systems and so on.
"Very often, the detainees are reported to have died in custody because of lack of food, water and because of lack of sanitation and, of course, many are tortured in custody," Byarohanga opined.

Asked by BBC where he gets his evidence, Byarohanga says they have built up a network of contacts within Cameroon made up of human rights and civil society organisations.  He says the groups give them information at their own personal risk and there are friends or relatives of the people who are suffering human rights violations, who contact Amnesty International, which they verify.

Comments

[Michaux]

Only a fool looks at the finger tip instead of the Sun/star to which it is directed.

The government of Cameroon is agitated about the Report, not for what it say but in refuting its content and authority. It is a malaise! Of what interest is an untrue/negative report on Cameroon to an organization like Amnesty International?

Shouldn't we be mourning over our own incompetence in safeguarding human rights?

The agitation of our government then confirms the content of such a report - a country that silences criticism at all levels. On the contrary, ministers and professional town-criers are in action, journalists of government papers are up for professional charade in defense of the "Lion King" of "Great ambitions".

Gov't agitation over such report is not new in Cameroon.

It sounds to me like the gov't's reaction when Cameroon was indexed as the most corrupt country on earth;

who does not remember the most recent "Apprentis sorciers" expression of the president himself to down play the public manifestation of discontent last Feb.

More than 20 yrs ago the Catholic bishops of Cameroon published a report on Nepotism and corruption in the country. The Gov't got on the defense refute the existence of such evils in the country. Where are we today?

If the finger tip is just pointing the moon or the stars, it is okay. But what if it is pointing at a dark smoke of destruction coming from the direction of the fool's own house?
What a missed opportunity to safe his home from fire!

[Dianna]

The government of Cameroon is agitated about the Report,presented by AI ,but to a sad note lately the press was censored again.What they Cameroonian people need is refuse from them .Rather Tv programs of no use are allow to fill our TV programs such as advertising Biya's football competition . what does this have to help built a Good Cameroon of tomorrow.
so the Government of Cameroon should not refuse the fact that the are going against human rights
Some few weeks ago there was an out cry in the prison of the north west province ,where prisoners when on a rampage to have spent several years without anyone asking them what brought them to prison on even taking them to court .
I really wander what a Cameroon you and i want to built .
There is much to talk,with time .But you and i should examine our consciences and start to think of ways of rebuilding our country.Remember nobody will build our country for us.

[DR TAN OF CAMEROON]

CAMEROON HUMAND RIGHTS SITUATION .
MINISTERING IN THE KUMBA PRISONS, I HAD A CASE OF DEATH , FROM MININGITIS, OF A YOUNG 13 YEARS OLD BOY, IN WAITING TRIAL.THAT WAS BECAUSE OF BAD SANITARY CONDITIONS, FOR PEOPLE JUST WAITING TRIAL.
THE FILM SISTERS IN LAW[ STARRING MY WIFE JUDGE BEATRICE NTUBA ] WAS WELL RECIEVED AT THE UNITED NATIONS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL FORA. A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS AT THE UN THINK THE HUMAND RIGHTS SITUATION IN CAMEROON IS NOT BAD , BECAUSE WE DONOT HAVE WARS , THIS REPORT SHOULD SHOCK THEM.
DR THOMPSON AKWO NTUBA MD. Ph.D.
PREACHER, PHYSICIAN , POLITICIAN.

[bonjinah ekotonjoh]

The regime in Cameroon is suffering from paranoia.

[Ted]

DR TAN OF CAMEROON,
I'm a regular news reader of the "postnews online" and comments posted thereon but it's so sad i can't read your comments which i believe are full of insight and wisdom. The reason is just because they're written in uppercase or capital letters. I'm sure i'm not alone here facing this difficulty with your comments. The reason you comment in this forum is because you have beautiful ideas that you want to share with others. But if you choose to comment in capital letters which make reading difficult, you drive readers away from your comments. Then, what is the point in commenting? When we read a piece of news item, we may comment on it and may also comment on some ideas raised by other commentators. What you haven't yet noticed is that no commentator in this forum has ever commented on those insightful ideas of your in your comments (i mean commenting on your ideas, not asking you to change writing format); which clearly indicates that nobody reads them because of their uppercase format. So, would you please correct this flaw and get yourself fully involved in this very civil and intellectual club; especially at this very critical moment in our society where we need ideas from all of you to kick start our society from where it got stalled.

[Michaux]

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http://my.telegraph.co.uk/mich