CI-NEWS

House Silence over Anglophone crisis: SDF MPs walk out on NCHRF bill adoption.

2019-07-09

No: 435

House Silence over Anglophone crisis:

SDF MPs walk out on NCHRF bill adoption.

A bill that sought to correct some of the shortcomings of Cameroon’s National Commission of Human Rights and Freedoms (NCHRF) and which took over two years of elaboration at the PM’s Office suffered an unexpected hiccup at the adoption phase at the National Assembly last Wednesday.

The SDF Parliamentary Group, led by Hon. Paul Nji Tumasang, in what was seen as a strong political statement, tabled a Preliminary Objection, ordering a withdrawal of the bill pending the outcome of the dialogue on the Anglophone crisis promised Cameroonians by the President of the Republic through the Prime Minister, Head of Government.

“…the SDF Parliamentary Group, taking cognition of the fact that the Parliament of Cameroon, by the powers conferred on it as contained in sections 2 and 4 of the constitution, is enjoined to seek a final and urgent solution to the crisis prevailing in the North-West and South-West Regions rather renovating an existing Human Rights Commission”, wrote Hon. Nji Tumasang.

Respecting parliamentary procedure, Hon. Hilarion Etong, Senior Deputy President of the National Assembly who chaired the plenary while House Speaker, Cavaye Yeguie, took his seat, ordered a raise of hand by those who backed the motion. Only 13 MPs including proxies supported the objection. SDF MPs then quit the House amidst trumpeting of vuvuzelas, paving the way for the majority CPDM MPs and those of other political parties to discuss and adopt the bill.

The political action of the SDF was however watered down by the presence of one of theirs, Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprien, MP for Ndu and Nkambe Central, to take issue with H.E. Jean de Dieu Momo, Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Justice, during discussions preceding the adoption of the bill.

The action, observers said, exposed the split within the SDF Group with some powerful MPs openly flouting the authority of the new group leader, Hon. Paul Nji Tumasang. It will obviously take the intervention of SDF, Chairman, Fru Ndi, to reconcile the factions within the group so that serenity and collegial action should prevail for the next six months.

Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprien, however, told The Horizon later that his action did not amount to breaking ranks or insubordination to the Group Leader. He insisted he was there to take issue with H.E. Momo who had made outrageous statements on the Anglophone crisis in the media.

Following is the Preliminary Objection presented by the SDF Parliamentary Group in accordance with the provisions of section 57 (3)of the Standing Orders of National Assembly last Wednesday:

Mindful of section 14 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cameroon which consecrates Parliament as one of the three powers of State and vests it with jurisdiction of oversight of government action;
Mindful of the repeated calls for meaningful dialogue by the Cameroonian people and the worldwide community to resolve the sociopolitical mess in which we find ourselves;
Mindful of the last visit of the Prime Minister, Head of Government to the North West and South West Regions;
Mindful of the grave Human Rights violations and the crimes against humanity perpetuated on the peoples of the North West and South West Regions during the ongoing crisis;
Mindful of the near total closure of schools in the North West and South West Regions for the past three years;
Mindful of the overwhelming and ever-growing numbers of internally displaced persons from the North West and South West Regions as a result of this crisis;
Mindful of the ongoing destruction of both private and public property, the total collapse of the economy, the closing down of administrative services and the breakdown of social life in the North West and South West Regions as a result of this crisis;
Mindful of the daily killings of civilians and defense forces in the North-West and South West Regions as a result of this crisis;
Mindful of the wailing of Cameroonians to see lasting peace return to the North West and South West Regions;
Mindful of the fact that violence results in anarchy;
Mindful of the fact that this crisis has caused indescribable suffering, unprecedented number of deaths, internally displaced persons, and refugees in neighboring countries with thousands more hiding in the bushes.
Mindful of the harassment of an Archbishop whilst carrying out his pastoral duties within his Archdiocese, thus violating his human rights.
Mindful of the inhumane treatment of a very important political actor as the Chairman of the social Democratic Front when he is deprived of his freedom by abducting him Manu Militari in front of his children and staff less than an hour on his return from hospital where he was interned for two days.
Mindful of the violation of the human rights of English Speaking candidates in the competitive entrance examinations wherein they are considered only as an afterthought that constitutes a blatant manifestation of marginalization as evidenced in the translation of an examination topic for a four-hour discussion set in French reading: “L’état unitaire face aux autonomies locales” to mean “The unitary state faced with local authorities”.

Wherefore, having regard to the above, the SDF Parliamentary Group, taking cognition of the fact that the Parliament of Cameroon, by the powers conferred on it as contained in sections 2 and 4 of the constitution, is enjoined to seek a final and urgent solution to the crisis prevailing in the North-West and South-West Regions rather than renovating an existing Human Rights Commission. We submit therefore that this bill be withdrawn pending the outcome of the dialogue promised us by the President of the Republic through the Prime Minister, Head of Government.

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House Silence over Anglophone crisis: SDF MPs walk out on NCHRF bill adoption.