Cameroon National Commission on Human Rights under

The general assembly of the United Nations (UN) on 10th December 1948 adopted and proclaimed the universal declaration of human rights. Following this historic act, the assembly called upon all member countries to publicize the text of the declaration and to cause it to be distributed, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories. It is within this backdrop that the republic of Cameroon – a member of the UN, created in 1990, the national commission on human rights and freedom, comprising of thirty members. It has it headquarters in Yaounde, the nation’s capital, and other branches in all ten provincial capitals. The commission has a good number of duties such as to receive all denunciations relating to violations of human rights and freedoms, conduct all enquiries and carry out all necessary investigations on violations of human rights etc. Financially the commission derives its resources from annual state budget allocations, support from national and international partners. “The commission’s resources shall be derived from; annual state budget allocations, support from national and international partners as well as donations and legacies. But it’s astonishing that the commission has been rendered flat-footed due to financial starvation. Chemuta Divine Banda, the commission chairman sounded a loud cry to that effect during a press conference he organized in Yaounde, recently. “The lack of funds remains our major difficulties,” he told the press. To buttress his claims, Chemuta, added “Only 100m FCFA has been given to us out of the 500m FCA earmark by government for the year running”. That but for a worn-out vehicle provided by the state that his commission had not had any service car. That his commission is financially broke to the extend that even the 250 human rights observers who were supposed to be deployed across the national territory during the last July 22nd polls by the commission did not go to the field due to the unavailability of funds. Insinuating therefore that the commission would not be able to prepare any better human rights report for the electoral exercise. With the acute limited financial resources the chairman of the national commission on human rights and freedom told journalists further that his commission could only intervene in very few areas. This could explain why the commission had not been able to present its annual reports over the years. And though somebody somewhere should have been waiting for the said reports, the chairman made it clear that nobody had ever bordered to ask. Taking a critical look at the purported financial quagmire in which the commission is said to be entrenched one thing stands out clear; she needs particular attention. It is difficult to believe that despite the three or so ample sources of financing, nothing appears to be rosy for the commission. This situation leaves one with no other option than to raise the following questions; would support from national and international partners fails if donations and legacies failed to yield fruits? Would it also be the case with government? Whatever the case, it is ridiculous for the government of Cameroon to allow a structure like the national commission on human rights and freedom to perish and get rotten at its very nostrils. It is sheer irresponsibility and negligence given that not only was the structure created by the president but also its members were appointed by the president of the republic. Is it that Cameroon doesn’t want to protect the rights of her citizens? In deed Cameroon’s National Commission on Human Rights and freedom is sick, something must be done, and urgently.

Courtesy - Harry Ndienla Yemti