CAMEROON’S ANTI-TERRORISM LAW: HOW THE GOVERNMENT USES IT TOSILENCE POLITICAL CRITICS AND SCNC ACTIVISTS
By Cyprian M. Achuo
Under the leadership of president Paul Biya, the Republic of Cameroon continued touse the anti-terrorism law enacted in 2014 to suppress political critics and freedom ofexpression by arresting journalists and activists in connection with the ongoing crisis inthe Anglophone regions.The separatist Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) which is demanding anindependent Southern Cameroons made up of Cameroon’s North West and South Westregions has been targeted under the new law, which forbids public meetings, streetprotests or any action that the government deem to be disturbing peace. The law alsoprescribes death penalty for persons who are suspected of involving in any activitywhich 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 theinternational community. Many believe that the law is not only intended to silencefreedom of the press as its hidden intent is to target Sothern Cameroonian groups suchas Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC), Amberzonian Defence Forces(ADF), Movement for the Restoration of Southern Cameroons (MRSC), SouthernCameroons Governing Council (SCGC), Ambazonian Governing Council (AGovC) andthe Southern Cameroon Public Affairs Committee (SCAPAC) etc.Specifically, the law is also against fundamental liberties and Human Right of theCameroonians, especially Southern Cameroonian political activists who are clamouringfor the independence of Southern Cameroon also known as 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 anillustration of how the law has been applied since it was enacted. Equally, it shows itsnegative impact on Human Rights and Freedom vis-a-vis the exercise of Cameroonmilitary 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. However,hundreds of others remain in detention. The government continued to characterizepeople espousing separatism for the Northwest and Southwest Regions as terroristsand, in August 2019, sentenced separatist leader Julius Ayuk Tabe and the Nera 10 tolife imprisonment. Other activists such as Bibixy Mancho and Pen Terence are serving a15 years term.Currently, more than one thousand Anglophones activists of the SCNC and othergroups 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, theoffences that constitute “act of terrorism” are not clearly defined by the same law.“Peaceful protesters have been arrested under terrorism laws and have been labelledterrorists while only exercising their unalienable human rights. Anti-terrorism effortshave been too broad in scope at times, and as a result, the negative effects of terrorismefforts have been felt far too often by civilians. One common theme is clear. Terrorismoffenses should be narrowly defined and clearly limited to actual behaviour that isrelated to terrorism. Peaceful protests should be a positive reflection of the democraticvalues of a country and not wrongly condemned as terrorist acts”.Cameroon has since seen the acts of armed secessionist groups as acts of terrorismand launched several military crackdowns which has resulted to the death of hundredsof civilians.“Anti-terrorism laws which are ambiguous and lack clarity can negatively impact theenjoyment 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 raisedconcerns from policy makers, activists and governments alike. Its potential infringementon important Human Rights and freedoms protected under the Cameroon Constitutionand international human rights law was immediately signalled by the barrage ofcriticisms that followed its promulgation. Contra Nocendi International and ContraNocendi Cameroon have raised such concerns in the past, especially with respect tothe freedom of expression and of assembly. We have equally raised concerns about thepossibility of abuse of the law to silence political opponents leading to disproportionatepunishment for the exercise of civil rights and liberties. Persons could incur the deathpenalty for the sole reason of exercising their freedoms of speech, opinion and association.
Cyprian M. Achuo
