Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has
sent an open letter to the African Union Chairperson and President
of Rwanda Paul Kagame urging him to suspend Cameroon from the
African Union (AU) for torturing 47 political activists.
In its letter to AU, the group appealed to Kagame to “urgently
call an Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union
(AU) to suspend the rights of membership of Cameroon from the AU
and put pressure on the government to end alleged torture and
ill-treatment of 47 political activists forcibly returned to
Cameroon by the Nigerian authorities.
It also urged the AU to end disappearances, politically
motivated trials, and gross and systematic violations of citizens’
human rights in the country.”
The organization appealed to the AU to “maintain targeted travel
sanctions and asset freezes against the authorities until they meet
specific human rights and good governance benchmarks.”
In the letter dated 9 March 2018 and signed by SERAP deputy
director Timothy Adewale the organization said: “Despite the
massive violations of citizens’ human rights, and the continued
absence of accountability in Cameroon, the AU has largely remained
on the side-lines. Failure to act in the face of the gross and
systematic violations by the authorities would seriously undermine
the credibility of the AU and the legitimacy of its Constitutive
Act, including its commitment to fight impunity as expressed in
Articles 4(h) and (o) of the Act.”
The organization said, “The AU Constitutive Act identifies
respect for human rights, and the rule of law as universal values
and requires all member states to promote and adhere to them. By
taking punitive action against the government of Cameroon for
disregarding the fundamental principles of the AU, African leaders
will be helping to achieve a positive resolution of the lingering
human rights and humanitarian crisis in that country.”
According to the organization, “The AU now must recognize and
openly acknowledge that the situation in Cameroon threatens the
entire region. AU leaders cannot continue to ignore the violations
of human rights inflicted on the people of Cameroon by their own
government, and now must take serious steps to help alleviate their
suffering and end continuing abuses.
The letter read in part: “SERAP urges the AU to intervene
effectively to end Cameroon’s long-standing human rights and
humanitarian crisis. Only strong and concerted pressure on the
government can end the country’s human rights and humanitarian
emergency.”
“The government’s longstanding assault on political freedoms and
human rights lies at the heart of Cameroon’s political crisis.
Enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture of
political detainees have continued for many years, as the
authorities routinely arrest and harass political activists, and
violently break up peaceful protests.”
“According to our information, 47 refugees and asylum seekers,
mostly leaders of the people of Southern Cameroon and who were
recently forcibly returned to Cameroon have continued to face
torture, ill-treatment, politically motivated trial and other human
rights abuses by the government.”
“The AU should publicly condemn ongoing torture and
ill-treatment of the 47 political activists facing persecution and
abuses by authorities and call for their immediate and
unconditional release.”
“The situation in Cameroon is characterized by widespread and
massive violations of human rights and humanitarian law with
growing numbers of victims lacking access to an effective remedy.
The authorities continue to use state institutions such as the
police and the justice system as a weapon against political
activists, opposition leaders, civil society activists, and human
rights defenders.”
“Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and unlawful
detentions, as well as reports of torture and abuse by the Cameroon
authorities violate Cameroon’s regional and international human
rights obligations and commitments including under the AU
Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights.”
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has
sent an open letter to the African Union Chairperson and President
of Rwanda Paul Kagame urging him to suspend Cameroon from the
African Union (AU) for torturing 47 political activists.
In its letter to AU, the group appealed to Kagame to “urgently
call an Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union
(AU) to suspend the rights of membership of Cameroon from the AU
and put pressure on the government to end alleged torture and
ill-treatment of 47 political activists forcibly returned to
Cameroon by the Nigerian authorities.
It also urged the AU to end disappearances, politically
motivated trials, and gross and systematic violations of citizens’
human rights in the country.”
The organization appealed to the AU to “maintain targeted travel
sanctions and asset freezes against the authorities until they meet
specific human rights and good governance benchmarks.”
In the letter dated 9 March 2018 and signed by SERAP deputy
director Timothy Adewale the organization said: “Despite the
massive violations of citizens’ human rights, and the continued
absence of accountability in Cameroon, the AU has largely remained
on the side-lines. Failure to act in the face of the gross and
systematic violations by the authorities would seriously undermine
the credibility of the AU and the legitimacy of its Constitutive
Act, including its commitment to fight impunity as expressed in
Articles 4(h) and (o) of the Act.”
The organization said, “The AU Constitutive Act identifies
respect for human rights, and the rule of law as universal values
and requires all member states to promote and adhere to them. By
taking punitive action against the government of Cameroon for
disregarding the fundamental principles of the AU, African leaders
will be helping to achieve a positive resolution of the lingering
human rights and humanitarian crisis in that country.”
According to the organization, “The AU now must recognize and
openly acknowledge that the situation in Cameroon threatens the
entire region. AU leaders cannot continue to ignore the violations
of human rights inflicted on the people of Cameroon by their own
government, and now must take serious steps to help alleviate their
suffering and end continuing abuses.
The letter read in part: “SERAP urges the AU to intervene
effectively to end Cameroon’s long-standing human rights and
humanitarian crisis. Only strong and concerted pressure on the
government can end the country’s human rights and humanitarian
emergency.”
“The government’s longstanding assault on political freedoms and
human rights lies at the heart of Cameroon’s political crisis.
Enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture of
political detainees have continued for many years, as the
authorities routinely arrest and harass political activists, and
violently break up peaceful protests.”
“According to our information, 47 refugees and asylum seekers,
mostly leaders of the people of Southern Cameroon and who were
recently forcibly returned to Cameroon have continued to face
torture, ill-treatment, politically motivated trial and other human
rights abuses by the government.”
“The AU should publicly condemn ongoing torture and
ill-treatment of the 47 political activists facing persecution and
abuses by authorities and call for their immediate and
unconditional release.”
“The situation in Cameroon is characterized by widespread and
massive violations of human rights and humanitarian law with
growing numbers of victims lacking access to an effective remedy.
The authorities continue to use state institutions such as the
police and the justice system as a weapon against political
activists, opposition leaders, civil society activists, and human
rights defenders.”
“Arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and unlawful
detentions, as well as reports of torture and abuse by the Cameroon
authorities violate Cameroon’s regional and international human
rights obligations and commitments including under the AU
Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights.”
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