Members of the United States House of Representatives have submitted a resolution calling on the Government of Cameroon and armed groups fighting for the independence of a country they call Ambazonia to respect the human rights of all citizens, to end all violence, and to pursue a broad-based dialogue without preconditions to resolve the conflict in the North West and South West Regions.

A copy of the resolution dated May 7, 2019 and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs is the brainchild of nine US Lawmakers who observe that many Anglophone Cameroonians have long felt

marginalized by official actions and policies of the Government of Cameroon, including the abolishment of a federal form of government, which was the constitutional  basis under which English-speaking Southern Cameroons entered into the union, and replacing it with a unitary

state dominated by the Francophone majority.

Tracing the path the crisis has travelled and citing the untold number of extrajudicial killings, wanton destruction of property, arsons, arbitrary arrests, inhumane detentions, and military court trials, the US lawmakers say enough is enough.

"The House of Representatives strongly condemns the abuses committed in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions by security forces and armed groups, including extrajudicial killings and detentions, the use of force against nonviolent civilians and protestors, and violations of the freedoms of press, expression,  and assembly.

They affirm that the United States continues to hold the Government of Cameroon responsible for upholding the rights of all citizens, regardless of political views or beliefs or the regions in which they reside, in accordance with Cameroon’s international obligations and Cameroon’s own Constitution.

President Paul Biya had apparently reacted to the above point when on May 9, 2019 he tweeted: "Dear compatriots, irrespective of your tribe, religion and political convictions, you are all sons and daughters of one and the same country."

The US House of Representatives urges all parties, including political opposition groups, to exercise restraint and to ensure that protests remain peaceful.

To the Government of Cameroon, it is a call for them to initiate broad-based dialogue without preconditions and make a credible, full faith effort to work with religious and community leaders in the Anglophone region to address grievances and seek nonviolent solutions to resolve conflict and constitutional reforms that would protect minority concerns, such as reconstituting a Federal system.

They call on the Biya government to follow through on the initiatives developed to address grievances, including the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development, and the National Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, that currently offer no visible evidence of having played a constructive role in resolving the crisis.

The regime in Yaounde, the US legislators say,  should respect the fundamental rights of all Cameroonian citizens, including political activists and journalists; as well as ensure that any security operations are conducted in accordance with international human rights standards, including efforts to ensure security forces only use force under appropriate circumstances.

They asked that government transparently investigates all allegations  of human rights violations committed in the Anglophone regions and take the necessary measures to prevent arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, deaths in custody, and inhumane prison conditions.

"Promptly charge or release all those detained in the context of the Anglophone crisis, including the Cameroonians forcibly returned from Nigeria, and ensure that any future detainees are treated with due process, in line with Cameroon’s penal code; allow unfettered access to humanitarian and health care workers in accordance with humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence," they charged.

 

Freedom for Kamto et al

The resolution calls for the release of opposition leader Maurice Kamto who emerged second in last year's Presidential election but has since claimed he won.

"Release the leaders and members of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement party who were arrested following their peaceful protests, and ensure that this party, like others, can participate unfettered in upcoming municipal, parliamentary, and regional elections," the US legislators say.

They also called for the release of human rights defenders, civil  society activists, political prisoners, journalists, trade unionists, teachers, and any other citizens  who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained without trial or charge; ensure that detainees are treated fairly  and humanely, with proper judicial proceedings, including a registry of those detained by the Cameroonian security forces, and with full access to legal resources; and ensure that Cameroon’s antiterrorism legislation is used only to prosecute offenses that would be considered acts of terrorism under international legal standards, and cease to use this legislation to sanction activities that are protected by national and international."

 

Separatists called to order

The House of Representatives urges the separatist groups to: "Engage with Cameroonian government officials, as well as civil society and religious leaders, in a broad-based dialogue without pre-conditions to peacefully express grievances and credibly engage in nonviolent efforts to resolve the conflict;

"Immediately stop committing human rights abuses, including killings of civilians, use of child soldiers, torture, kidnapping, and extortion;

"End the school boycott immediately and cease attacks on schools, teachers, and education officials, and allow for the safe return of all students to class;

"End incitement to violence and hate speech on the part of the diaspora; and  immediately release all civilians illegally detained or kidnapped in the Anglophone North West and South West Regions."