Cameroon
08.10.01
Urgent Interventions
Cameroon: killing of three demonstrators and of the arbitrary arrest by the Cameroon police force of at least 9 people
Case CMR 081001
Extra-judicial killing/Arbitrary Arrests
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Cameroon.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by ACAT Cameroon, a member of the OMCT network, of the extra-judicial killing of three demonstrators and of the arbitrary arrest by the Cameroon police force of at least 9 people during a demonstration in the North West Province.
According to information received, in the night of 30 September members of the Cameroon Police forces opened fire on a crowd gathered in Kumbo to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Cameroon. It seems that the demonstrators themselves who were in possession of light arms, had previously symbolically fired shots into the air.
According to the Ministry of Communication, the following three people were killed:
· Boniface Chukwu (60 years)
· Selamon Terence (19 years)
· Amidou Shinka (28 years)
According to the information received, the three seriously wounded persons were only found in the morning. Tthey were transported in private vehicles to the American Hospital in Kumbo, and that one of the victims died upon arrival in hospital while the other two died while being treated. The administrative authorities then tried to conceal the cause of the deaths, but the hospital revealed that the cause of the deaths were bullet wounds.
According to the information received, the police reportedly arrested several people during a similar demonstration, which took place in Bamenda on 1 October 2001. Among them were :
· Dr. Martin Luina, Director of the provincial administration
· Nfor Nsala Ngor, Deputy Director of the provincial administration
· Isaac Sona, regional President of the southern region of the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC)
· Pa Stephen Ndi, Councillor at the SCNC
· Vincent Feko, Secretary General of the SCNC
· Ade Francis, National Treasurer, SCNC
· Joseph Chia Gweyi, human rights activist
· Ngewi Asonkwain, former journalist
· Freda Ngwa Seri
· Pa Sabum
They are allegedly in detention in the Bamenda prison.
According to the information received, several English-speaking Cameroonians have been arrested, but for the moment their identities are not known.
While the International Secretariat condemns the carrying of arms by certain demonstrators, it is deeply concerned by these acts of police violence and by the arbitrary arrest of the demonstrators.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Cameroon urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees;
ii. ensure their immediate release in the absence of valid charges, or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and independent tribunal, guaranteeing their procedural rights at all times;
iii. guarantee the right to compensation of the families of the three victims;
iv. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the deaths in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards;
Addresses
· H.E. Mr. Paul Biya, President of the Republic, Palais de l'Unité, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax : +237 22 16 99, e-mail : celcom@prc.cm
· H.E. Mr. Maraga Hamidou Yaya, Minister of State, Secretary General of the Office of the President, BP Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Fax : +237 22 08 70
· Mr. Peter Mafany Musonge, Prime Minister, BP Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax : +237 23 57 65 / 23 57 35, e-mail : spm@spm.gov.cm
· Mr. Amadou Ali, Minister of Justice, BP Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Fax : +237 23 00 05
Please also write to the embassy of the Embassy of Cameroon in your country.
Geneva, 8 October 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Extra-judicial killing/Arbitrary Arrests
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Cameroon.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by ACAT Cameroon, a member of the OMCT network, of the extra-judicial killing of three demonstrators and of the arbitrary arrest by the Cameroon police force of at least 9 people during a demonstration in the North West Province.
According to information received, in the night of 30 September members of the Cameroon Police forces opened fire on a crowd gathered in Kumbo to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Cameroon. It seems that the demonstrators themselves who were in possession of light arms, had previously symbolically fired shots into the air.
According to the Ministry of Communication, the following three people were killed:
· Boniface Chukwu (60 years)
· Selamon Terence (19 years)
· Amidou Shinka (28 years)
According to the information received, the three seriously wounded persons were only found in the morning. Tthey were transported in private vehicles to the American Hospital in Kumbo, and that one of the victims died upon arrival in hospital while the other two died while being treated. The administrative authorities then tried to conceal the cause of the deaths, but the hospital revealed that the cause of the deaths were bullet wounds.
According to the information received, the police reportedly arrested several people during a similar demonstration, which took place in Bamenda on 1 October 2001. Among them were :
· Dr. Martin Luina, Director of the provincial administration
· Nfor Nsala Ngor, Deputy Director of the provincial administration
· Isaac Sona, regional President of the southern region of the Southern Cameroon National Council (SCNC)
· Pa Stephen Ndi, Councillor at the SCNC
· Vincent Feko, Secretary General of the SCNC
· Ade Francis, National Treasurer, SCNC
· Joseph Chia Gweyi, human rights activist
· Ngewi Asonkwain, former journalist
· Freda Ngwa Seri
· Pa Sabum
They are allegedly in detention in the Bamenda prison.
According to the information received, several English-speaking Cameroonians have been arrested, but for the moment their identities are not known.
While the International Secretariat condemns the carrying of arms by certain demonstrators, it is deeply concerned by these acts of police violence and by the arbitrary arrest of the demonstrators.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Cameroon urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees;
ii. ensure their immediate release in the absence of valid charges, or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and independent tribunal, guaranteeing their procedural rights at all times;
iii. guarantee the right to compensation of the families of the three victims;
iv. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the deaths in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards;
Addresses
· H.E. Mr. Paul Biya, President of the Republic, Palais de l'Unité, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax : +237 22 16 99, e-mail : celcom@prc.cm
· H.E. Mr. Maraga Hamidou Yaya, Minister of State, Secretary General of the Office of the President, BP Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Fax : +237 22 08 70
· Mr. Peter Mafany Musonge, Prime Minister, BP Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax : +237 23 57 65 / 23 57 35, e-mail : spm@spm.gov.cm
· Mr. Amadou Ali, Minister of Justice, BP Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Fax : +237 23 00 05
Please also write to the embassy of the Embassy of Cameroon in your country.
Geneva, 8 October 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.