CMR records advances in the field of human rights in 2013

In 2013 in Cameroon, advances were recorded in relation to civil rights and policies. This was observed during the Senatorial election on 14th April and the legislative and municipal on September 30 to the satisfaction of both national and foreign observers.

These remarks were yesterday made at the Congress Hall in Yaoundé by Chemuta Divine Banda, president of the National Commission on the rights of man and freedoms (CNDHL).

This was during the ceremony of presentation of two reports on the activities of CNDHL and on the State of human rights in Cameroon, for the year 2013.

In his speech, in the presence of some ambassadors, journalists and actors of civil society, inter alia, Chemuta Divine Banda nevertheless noted some major concerns in 2013.

Thus, in the field of civil and political rights, it referred to cases of violation of the right to life due to many ritual crimes and traffic accidents; cases of disappearances with abduction of Cameroonians and foreigners in the northern part of the country; cross-border insecurity due to incursions from neighbouring countries; arrests and detentions still rampant in our society; cases of violation of the right to justice particularly in the implementation of judicial decisions with regard to economic, social and cultural rights, he mentioned the issue of business and human rights, in cases of infringement of various rights related to the right to work.

As to the question of the right to property, he mentioned the land grabbing in the southwest region. With regard to the rights of specific categories, Cameroon is a concern.

According to the president of CNDHL, refugees and thousands of displaced persons who are fleeing conflicts in neighbouring countries found themselves on its soil. Finally, there are environmental problems caused by pollution and mismanagement of waste in urban areas.

After the speech of the president, the Secretary General of CNDHL, Eva Etongué Mayer, presented in more detail the State of human rights in Cameroon as well as the report of activity of the institution during the reference year.

We should remember from this document that, in the framework of the promotion and the protection of human rights, actions of consultation, observation, awareness, education, training and communication have been conducted.

The Commission also dealt with the treatment of requests to the institution, though it was concerned with the violations observed in the context of the monitoring of the rights of man especially through the EFA.