Cameroon: Inequality and Discrimination Faced by Cameroon’s English Speaking Minority | Oral Statement to the 39th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

21/09/2018

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Organization: Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
Item: Item 6: UPR Outcomes – Cameroon
Date: 20 September 2018
Speaker: Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho

Oral Statement to the 39th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), NGO in special consultative status

Mr. President,

During the 3rd UPR, [1] many States expressed concerns about inequality and discrimination faced by Cameroon’s English speaking minority, recommending that Cameroon:

  • Adopt legislation to protect human rights defenders and journalists;
  • Provide transparent information on human rights in Cameroon;
  • Grant international agencies access to English speaking separatist leaders extradited from Nigeria and detained incommunicado;
  • Investigate disappearances of political opposition representatives, including members of the English speaking minority, and ensure their safe return;
  • Observe citizens’ rights to express their views about addressing the problems of English speaking Regions.

Although specific references to human rights issues of the English speaking minority are new to this UPR, during its first [2] and second UPRs, [3] Cameroon supported recommendations that it strengthen its human rights frameworks and continue to investigate acts and threats of aggression against rights defenders. Cameroon did not support recommendations that it take additional steps to ensure freedoms of expression and the press.

The arrest, arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment,  [4] and wrongful conviction by military tribunals of civilian rights defenders promoting equal rights for Anglophones, indicate persistent disrespect for the internationally protected rights of Anglophones, resulting in a humanitarian crisis. There are an estimated 411,358 Internally Displaced Persons [5] and more than 122 villages burned [6].

LRWC urges Council to call on Cameroon to:

  • Release all Anglophone activists, leaders, lawyers, and journalists detained, and grant general amnesty to all those who have been convicted by the military tribunals;
  • Guarantee the safe return of more than 50,000 Anglophone refugees and internally displaced persons;
  • Grant access to the Anglophone regions by international agencies, human rights NGOs, and journalists;
  • Grant access by lawyers and family members to all those held incommunicado, and ensure adequate medical attention and services [7] are granted to all those in detention;

Implement, through peaceful and legal means, effective policies to ensure equal and non-discriminatory legal, educational and social services for Anglophones.

Thank you, Mr. President.

[1] UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Cameroon, A/HRC/39/15, 10 July 2018, available at: http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/39/15.
[2] UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review; Cameroon, A/HRC/11/21, 12 October, 2009 available at: https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G09/163/96/PDF/G0916396.pdf?OpenElement.
[3] UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Cameroon A/HRC/24/15, 5 July 2013, available at: https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G13/154/72/PDF/G1315472.pdf (or scroll down at https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/CMIndex.aspx). Matrice of Recommendations available at: http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session16/CM/CameroonMatriceRecommendations_E.docx
[4] Wirba Diminus was severely tortured with the use of a hot electric iron resulting in severe bodily harm. See Statement by the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) on “The Unlawful Treatment of Detainees at the Kondengui Maximum and Principal Security Prison in Yaounde-Cameroon’’ of Monday 17th September 2018 available at www.chrda.org.
[5] See CHRDA Report on “The Plight of +400,000 IDP’s” of 25th August 2018 available at www.chrda.org.
[6] See CHRDA Report “122 Villages raided, 82 severely affected” of 22nd August 2018 available at www.chrda.org
[7] The cases of convicted journalist Awah Thomas, as well as Fri Cristabel, Ngalim Felix, Bah Paulinus, Rev. Father Ambeizei and Mbuh Rene are prominent. See Statement CHRDA on “The Unlawful Treatment of Detainees at the Kondengui Maximum and Principal Security Prisons in Yaounde-Cameroon” of Monday 17th September 2018 available at www.chrda.org.