Anglophone crisis: lawyers set committee to draft Federal constitution

During the GA heavily attended by all Common law Lawyers Associations, the Lawyers decided to dissolve the Common Law Lawyers Council and created the Common Law Bar Association with steering Committee members put in place to pilot the activities of the Association.

They also supported the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and called on all to follow their instructions.s

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KUMBA

JANUARY 13, 2017

PROCLAMATION

CONSIDERING the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948;

CONSIDERING the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966;

CONSIDERING United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1608 XV of 21st April 1961;

COGNIZANT of the Cameroon Common Law Lawyers Conference Resolutions of the 9th day of May 2015;

COGNIZANT of the Cameroon Common Law Lawyers Conference Declaration of the 13th day of February 2016;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Resolutions of the Constituent Assemblies of the four Common Law Associations (FAKLA, MELA, MALA and NOWELA) of the 6th of October 2016;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Resolutions of the Constituent Assemblies of the four Common Law Associations (FAKLA, MELA, MALA and NOWELA) of the 15th October 2016;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Resolutions of the Constituent Assemblies of the four Common Law Associations (FAKLA, MELA, MALA and NOWELA) of the 28th October 2016;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Resolutions of the Constituent Assemblies of the four Common Law Associations (FAKLA, MELA, MALA and NOWELA) of the 4th of November 2016;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Resolutions of the Constituent Assemblies of the four Common Law Associations (FAKLA, MELA, MALA and NOWELA) of the 15th of November 2016;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Resolutions of the Constituent Assemblies of the four Common Law Associations (FAKLA, MELA, MALA and NOWELA) of the 30th of December 2016;

Meeting in Kumba, this 13th day of January 2017, we, the Common Law Lawyers of Cameroon do hereby agree and Proclaim as follows:

1- That we ratify and approve all actions and or engagements undertaken by the Presidents and executive of our various Associations on behalf of Cameroon Common Law Lawyers between the 13th of February 2016 till date.

2- That the Cameroon Common Law Council is this day dissolved and the following members unanimously elected as the steering Committee of the Cameroon Common Law Bar Association:

- Harmony Bobga

- Agbor Balla

- Sopseh Emillien

- Eyambe Elias

- Kemende Henry

- Ebah Ntoko Justice

- Mbokeh Divine

- Njualem Charles

- Sone Ngole Edward

- Mbah Eric

3- These elected Officials are designated our sole representatives in the various Committees set up and or contemplated by the Government to seek lasting solutions to the grievances contained in our different Memoranda.

4- That we remain resolute on the attainment of all the objectives contained in our previous Resolutions and Declarations.

5- That in this regard, proposed draft bills shall be presented to the Government on the Amendment of the Constitution to accommodate the demands including a call for a Referendum reserved exclusively for those who voted (South West and North West Regions) in the United Nations supervised plebiscite of 1961 on the form of Government that will best suit their aspirations and way of life this day.

6- We reiterate the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all persons arrested from the beginning of our sit-strike and carted away to Yaoundé and other destinations (not ascertained by us for now).

7- We call on ALL Common Law Magistrates to examine their consciences and join this struggle instead of sitting and determining Suits in the absence of Lawyers and in process occasioning gross injustice to Litigants by violating their rights to fair trial.

8- We applaud the support of the Common Law Lawyers and the Constituent Assemblies for the Monday 9th January 2017 “Ghost Town” called by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and encourage all to continue to lend their support to the coordinated actions of the said Consortium.

9- A Commission for the drafting of a Federal Constitution to revisit a two State Federation is hereby created and the following members elected thereto:

- Sonkwa Victorine

- Tifuh Ochard Nkeng

- Mokom Jude

- Buriya Atuabo Unuase

- Ntuiabane John

- Pascal Nanje Meloko

- Nalowa Bih

- Mbuya Gladys

- Ajong Stanislaus

- Molongwe Imoh

- Legenju Vitalis

- Forbishi Edward Ndikum

- Pende Eddie Nelson

- Tchana Anthony

10- That we shall reconvene in April 2017 in Mamfe to assess the level of implementation of this Proclamation.

And the Strike Continues

Done at Kumba, this 13th day of January 2017.

OBENSON GREG

Chairman