Cameroon: DO bans press conference, parliamentary diner and rally of prominent civil rights movement.

The DO said all three ceremonies, which were intended to make public startling revelations on corruption in the agricultural sector in Cameroon, were against the 1990 law on public manifestations

By Roland Akong Wuwih

It is political parties hostile to the government whose activities are banned, fearful of what they might say against the Yaounde regime. But this time a non-governmental organisation, ACDIC, with no political agenda, announced a press conference to make uncomfortable revelations about the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development. The government, having had wind of what its report would be, wrote to the management of Hilton hotel as part owners and demanded that the ACDIC’s event should not be allowed to take place there.
When over 100 journalists and members of the public turned up for the event on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, they were told that it would not take place there. They had to look for another venue at the Lions Club at Rue CEPER.

The DO of Yaounde III subdivision, Locko Motassi Martin, had banned the press conference. In a letter addressed to the organiser of the event, ACDIC president Njonga Bernard, the DO said he banned the event because the planned declarations were against the 1990 law on public manifestations in Cameroon.
Also banned was a diner with MPs for the same purpose, and a demonstration by Cameroonians and supporters of ACDIC in front of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Nonetheless, Bernard Njonga pulled the crowd of anxious news reporters to the Lions Club where he unleashed his investigative findings.

ACDIC is a non-political, non-profit makin, non-confessional and non-tribal citizens association of the people, belonging to the masses from where it draws its roots. Thus members are Citizens and physical persons sensitive to problems and societal ills, and ready to seek solutions to these problems.
ACDIC has as main mission to: animate citizen awareness with no barriers on the choices and quality of life; reinforce the interests of the masses; improve their participation in the management of public affairs; to promote a society with a healthier, transparent and positive socio-economic environment which safeguards the interests of each and everyone

Authorities claim ACDIC is at the service of populations in general and grassroots, poor and destitute population in general through its strategies of Research; Studies; Surveys information (like the banned pres conference and rally); sensitization; training and support. ACDIC also carry out advocacy and lobbying based on alternative propositions and focuses its actions on citizenship; quality of life; collective interests; moral and ethical engagement, and the search for equity.
The association is actively involved in all the country’s ten provinces otherwise known as regions and managed by a five-man bureau headed by a president and a permanent secretary who oversea the day-day running of activities..

Harry Mcyemti, is pioneer permanent secretary for south west since and has contributed enormously for the success of the association in this part of the country in particular and Cameroon in general. “The idea of civil rights movement is a novelty in this part of the country. Reason why we are often mistaken for political activists”, Yemti, told the press during a sencitisation rally in Kumba, where he had confrontation with government security and administrative officials. “We have nothing to do with politics’, he insisted.