Cameroon Denied Us Access To Investigate Rights Abuses-OHCHR Commissioner
By NFOR Hanson NCHANJI
GENEVA, Switzerland-Tuesday June 19, 2018-7:00 PM Local time (Cameroon News Agency) The United Nations High Commissioner of Human Right , Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, has disclosed that since the Anglophone crisis started in the two English speaking regions, the Cameroon government has denied the Commission access to investigate abuses in various cities.
He made the revelation in Geneva, Switzerland Monday June 18, 2018 during the opening ceremony of the 38th Human Rights Council held at Palais de Nations.
While briefing the President and members of the Council on Rights situation in the world, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said, “In Cameroon, I trust that recent promising discussions with the authorities will swiftly lead to approval for a mission by the Office to all parts of the country. To date this access has been refused, despite the growing crisis in the Anglophone regions, with fighting between up to a dozen armed groups and the security forces. We have received reports of abuses and violations by all sides, including burning of schools and private property; mass arrests and arbitrary detentions; and the use of torture and excessive force by security personnel, leading to the displacement of 150,000 people within the country and over 20,000 to neighboring Nigeria.”
Representatives of Cameroonian based nongovernmental Organizations also added their voices to the statement of the Commissioner saying that, “The UN should provide humanitarian protective assistance that will ensure that Cameroon’s armed forces and civil administrative personnel leave the areas for a smooth return of refugees and IDPs as well as putting in place UN administration for organization of independence referendum.”
Cameron government on its part has always said there will be no debate when it comes to separation.
Conspicuously absent during this 38th Human Rights Council is the Cameroon Delegate at the Council.
The UNHCR Commissioner also presented Rights abuses in other countries such as DR Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe among others.
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