November 2021 – scncuk.com

Opinions

November 13, 2021April 14, 2024 admin

CORRUPTION IN CAMEROON UNDER PRESIDENT PAUL BIYA

There has been a crucial lack of political will to fight against corruption in Cameroon under Biya’s administration. Political will can be defined as “the demonstrated credible intent of political leaders (elected or appointed leaders, civil society watchdogs, stakeholder groups, etc.) to attack the perceived causes of effects of corruption at a systemic level”.Political will is crucial in the fight against corruption as it sets the tone, creates the mood and exudes the degree of seriousness that is needed to engage everyone. Political will is equally important in order to punish corruption committed by top government officials who are from the ruling party and it will equally promote a good way of preaching by example. In addition, the fight against corruption is not affected by the availability of economic resources or lack thereof (Avitus A., 2019; pp. 70-71). Therefore, it is safe to say that the lack of political will demonstrated by Biya’s regime is not due to a lack of funds. President Biya himself, after about 4 decades in power has never fulfilled article 66 of the constitution of 1996 by declaring all his property and sources of income. This article 66 demands all government officials to declare their assets and sources of income before assuming a position in government so that it will be possible to measure what they have gained (or lost) during their tenancy. This is a credible means to fight against embezzlement, but Paul Biya has never declared any of his assets, under the helpless gaze of Cameroonians.

President Biya created the CONAC (National Anti-Corruption Commission) in 2006 in order to actively fight corruption (mainly embezzlement). Indeed, the CONAC has done multiple arrests of top government officials in cases of the embezzlement of astronomical amounts of money. The notable ones being Marafa Hamidou Yaya [fr], former Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, arrested and convicted for having embezzled US$ 29 million in the case named “presidential jet” by local media, and more recently (March 2019), Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o, former Minister of Defence^{[permanent dead link]} arrested on corruption charges with 3 billion FCFA (approx. US$5 million) recovered in cash at his residence, local media reported. These arrests and many others may all seem innocent and driven by Biya‘s goodwill to fight corruption, but Cameroon political analysts and academics see nothing but deception.

Opération Épervier [fr] (Operation Sparrowhawk – name given by local media for the seasonal arrests of high government officials convicted for corruption) is merely a way used by President Biya to eliminate his political opponents or officials from his own political party that he thinks have grown to accumulate too much power throughout their career and are starting to become a threat to him. Taking a closer look, Marafa Hamidou and Edgar Alain Mebe have both been very close to President Biya and have both worked as secretary general to the presidency of Cameroon – a post that keeps you very close to the president. Both of them have held important positions in the government, positions that allow them to forge strategic networks and relations (both national and international) should they decide to run for presidency. President Biya’s strategy is to allow those close to him to embezzle and later on use it against them when he feels they become a threat. This further reinforces the idea that there is no real/genuine will to combat corruption. In addition, it is an opportunity for Biya’s regime to create an illusion of democracy and transparency as it has done in the past, more recently with the blatant use of sham Transparency International observers during the presidential elections of October 2018. During this election no voting took place in the Southern and Northern Regions of the country ,but it was declared he won the elections there .

David Wallechinsky ranked President of Cameroon Paul Biya with three others (Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe of blessed memory Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, and King Mswati of Swaziland) as the most corrupt dictators in the world. He describes Cameroon’s electoral process in these terms: “Every few years, Biya stages an election to justify his continuing reign, but these elections have no credibility.

Written By: Emilia Efeti Agey

Opinions

November 13, 2021 admin

ANTI-TERRORISM LAW AND ITS USE

ANTI-TERRORISM LAW AND ITS USE (Case Study Cameroon

By

Electa Shalo Manyimuchua

In Cameroon the Oppressive regime of President Paul Biya uses this law to silence political activists and forced the people into submission .

Under the leadership of president Paul Biya, of Cameroon continued to use the anti-terrorism law enacted in 2014 to suppress political critics and freedom of expression by arresting journalists and activists in connection with the ongoing crisis in the Anglophone regions.The separatist Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) which is demanding an independent Southern Cameroons made up of Cameroon’s North West and Southwest regions has been targeted under the new law.This law is use to forbid public meetings, streetprotests or any action that the government deem to be disturbing peace. The law also prescribes death penalty for persons who are suspected of involving in any activity which may trigger political dissent, especially the North West and South West regions.

The Anti-Terrorism law has triggered a wave of criticism from the media and the international community. Many believe that the law is not only intended to silence freedom of the press or speech, as its hidden intent is to target Southern Cameroonian groups such as Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC), Ambazonian Defence Forces(ADF), Movement for the Restoration of Southern Cameroons (MRSC), Southern Cameroons Governing Council (SCGC), Ambazonian Governing Council (AGovC) andthe Southern Cameroon Public Affairs Committee (SCAPAC) etc.Specifically, the law is against fundamental liberties and Human Right of the Cameroonians, especially Southern Cameroonian political activists who are clamouringfor the independence of Southern Cameroon alais Ambazonia. The case ofSCNC National chairman Dr Nfor Ngala Nfor, Sissiku Ayuk Tabe, Barrister Agbor, Dr.Fontem Neba, Bibixy Mancho, Ngalim Felix and many other Anglophone activists is an illustration of how the law has been twisted since it was enacted

. This law twisted law shows itsnegative impact on Human Rights and Freedom vis-a-vis the exercise of Cameroon military court’s jurisdiction over civilian cases in Cameroon.In October 2019, the government released 333 low-level detainees arrested forsuspicion of being Anglophone separatists and facing misdemeanor charges. This was a charade to taie off some pressure from the international communities. However,hundreds of others remain in detention.

The government continued to arrest ordinary armless civilians and charged them for terriosm especially those from the Southern and Northern regions of the country . In August 2019, sentenced separatist leader Julius Ayuk Tabe and the Nera 10 to life imprisonment. Other activists such as Bibixy Mancho and Pen Terence are serving a15 years term. You also have the likes of Tsi Conrad a journalist who was arrested in Bamenda reporting on anti government protest on the 06/12/016l He has been incarcerated in the kondengui maximum prison under deplorable condition , He was sentenced for anti state charges (terrorism, secession, rebellion against the state ,propagation of false news )

As we speak thousands of Southern Cameroonians activists of the SCNC and other groups are incarcerated all over French Cameroon based on the 2014 Anti-Terrorismlaw. Many of them have been sentenced to 13-17 years.

In effect, the 2014 Anti-Terrorism law has significant deficiencies. For instance, the offences that constitute “act of terrorism” are not clearly defined by the same law.“Peaceful protesters have been arrested under terrorism laws and have been labelled terrorists while only exercising their unalienable human rights.

Anti-terrorism efforts have been too broad in scope at times, and as a result, the negative effects of terrorism efforts have been felt far too often by civilians.

One common theme is clear. Terrorism offenses should be narrowly defined and clearly limited to actual behaviour that is related to terrorism. Peaceful protests should be a positive reflection of the democratic values of a country and not wrongly condemned as terrorist acts”.Cameroon has since seen the acts of armed secessionist groups as acts of terrorism and launched several military crackdowns which has resulted to the death of hundreds of civilians.“

Anti-terrorism laws which are ambiguous and lack clarity can negatively impact the enjoyment of human rights. The government of Cameroon’s Law No. 2014/028 of 23rdDecember 2014 on the suppression of acts of terrorism in Cameroon has raised concerns from policy makers, activists and governments alike. Its potential infringement on important Human Rights and freedoms protected under the Cameroon Constitution and international human rights law was immediately signalled by the barrage of criticisms that followed its promulgation. Contra Nocendi International and ContraNocendi Cameroon have raised such concerns in the past, especially with respect to the freedom of expression and of assembly. We have equally raised concerns about thepossibility of abuse of the law to silence political opponents leading to disproportionate punishment for the exercise of civil rights and liberties. Persons actually earns death penalty for the sole reason of exercising their freedoms of speech, opinion and association..Like the four Southern Cameroonians who were recently condemned to death by firing squad in the Buea military Tribunal.This is so Barbaric ,inhumane and degrading.

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