Acceptance Note for the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award- Barrister Agbor Balla

USA June 7, 2022

Exactly 5 years 4 months and 11 days ago precisely on 17 January 2017, I was arrested, handcuffed, blindfolded and carted to the dreaded Kondengui Central Prison in YAOUNDE, the Political Capital of my Country Cameroon.

On that same date, internet was cut off throughout the entire Anglophone regions. And history recorded the longest internet shut down in Africa.

I was charged with serious crimes ranging from secession, terrorism, group rebellion, and attempt to change the form of the state amongst others.

I was facing the death penalty. In reality, I was arrested just for the simple fact that I was advocating for a just, fair and equitable treatment for Anglophones in Cameroon.

I led peaceful protest by lawyers, teachers and CSOs against the marginalization of our people and for the need for a FEDERATION.

Upon my release, I have continued to advocate through peaceful means for the protection and promotion of Human Rights.

The President, Kerry Kennedy,
Senator Chris Coons,
Leader Steny Hoyer

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and gentlemen

I am indeed truly humbled by your decision to honor me, my work, my mission, my vision, and my team in this wonderful way. I am grateful that the little I have done to promote human rights, justice, peace, and rule of law in my country Cameroon has enjoyed the attention of your prestigious institution. This award in my opinion is an eloquent testimony of the ripple of hope that the venerated RF Kennedy made mention in his speech in South Africa. I will take the liberty to quote “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice. He sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest wall of oppression and resistance.”

Although this is a personal award, it is and will always remain as a result of dedicated teamwork from each and every past and present member of my team at the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the RFK Organization for this award. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate my compatriot and fellow laureate, Maximiliene Ngo Mbe, on her receipt of this award.

Your Organization honors the legacy of Robert F. Kennedy, whose work in solidarity with social justice movements serves as an inspiration for many, motivating us to seek the positive change needed to build a better world. CHRDA – which I founded several years ago, shares this same vision.

My beloved country Cameroon has been plunged into conflict since 2016. The situation has worsened with escalating violence. Human rights violations and abuse from both non-state armed groups and state security and defense forces keeps increasing. Arbitrary arrests, detention, kidnappings, rape, press gagging, brutal killings including killing of children in schools and humanitarian workers, razing educational and health facilities and burning down of villages and houses are now the new normal in Cameroon – especially in the Southwest and Northwest regions which are epicenters of the crisis.

The Anglophone armed conflict in Cameroon has just been ranked among the top neglected conflicts in the world. 4.4 Million people are in need of humanitarian support, hundreds of thousands have been displaced – both internally and externally, leading even the United States government to take action towards granting Temporary Protected Status to migrants from Cameroon. Hundreds of thousands of children (700,000) are unable to go to school, teachers are attacked and health facilities have been destroyed.

With very limited human, material and financial resources, coupled with the fear of the unknown, it takes a brave team of human rights activists to be able to speak truth to both parties in this conflict. That is what we do at The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, in spite of associated risks and obstacles. My organization and I have taken up the challenge to continue to monitor and report human rights violations and abuse – This We must do; not for ourselves, but for our people, and for generations yet to come.

This cannot be done without the support of countries that have a history of enforcing the very fundamentals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights like the United States of America. While we commend the involvement of the United States in trying to end the crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, we think there is much more to be done.

I use this opportunity to call on the government of the United States to get more involved in this forgotten crisis, to hold both parties accountable for gross violations and abuse, and to push for an end to this crisis through diplomacy, dialogue and mediation. The United States government must also not lose sight of the growing power transition worries in Cameroon that constitute a ticking time bomb in a situation that is already bad enough.

We believe that by leveraging international networking and collaboration, we can see better days ahead. We must deemphasize the reasons that push us to avoid constructive engagement and emphasize opportunities for productive engagement in protecting human rights, rule of law and dialogue. There is more hope in action than inaction.

It is on this note of Hope, once again, that I accept this award and dedicate same to those who have lost their lives, dignity, and Human Rights in Cameroon. It is our hope that one day, Cameroon will again live the days many celebrated as peaceful and once again enjoy the appellation of ‘an Island of Peace’.

Thank You Very Much.

By Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor