Why Biya Has Approved Only One Religious Group in the Last 15 Years

President Paul Biya of Cameroon and his government have been slow to approve the legal status of a number of religious groups, including some from the United States, whose applications have been pending for years in several cases, according to a new report.

“The government has approved only one religious group in the last 15 years and none since 2010,” states the Cameroon 2013 International Religious Freedom Report released recently by the United States Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

According to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization (MINATD), incomplete application submissions and lengthy background investigations contributed to approval delays.

The report however noted that although by law groups must register, numerous unregistered small religious groups operated freely due to the government’s policy of “administrative tolerance.” While only 47 religious groups are legally registered, hundreds more operated without official government authorization.

MINATD may issue an order to suspend any religious group for “disturbing public order,” which is not defined in the law, and the president may dissolve any previously authorized religious organization that “deviates from its initial focus.” This is perhaps why the report did not fail to mention that in August last year, “government closed at least 34 churches nationwide, most of which were unregistered.”

Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary at the time publicly criticized the practice of encouraging worshippers to seek spiritual medicine in lieu of professional medical assistance. Church leaders publicly protested the closures, and many stated the justification the government used to close their churches had no basis. The government allowed all of the churches to reopen in early September.