The international community celebrated last December 10, World Human Rights Day. Environmental activists in Cameroon are under all kinds of pressure, according to a coalition of local NGOs which is doing a vast campaign against the criminalization of land rights defenders. It was on this occasion that the CED (Center for Environment and Development), organized on December 9, an awareness workshop which brought together several actors including NGOs, actors of human rights defenders and media practioners who came from all the horizons of Cameroon.
Intimidations, death threats, arbitrary arrests, abuse of authority have become the set of threats that furnish the daily lives of defenders of the rights of vulnerable populations. But tirelessly, these women and men remain strong in their battle against frauds very often observed in remote areas of the hinterland.
The land abuses are observed all over across the country. In the construction sites of major projects around the country the natives always complains about the wrong management of compensation wich is very often one of the main sources of anger of the comunities. Some times, the land taken away does not reflect the land occupyed by the project.
The state has always abandonned them them in te hands of contractors in charge to accy out of great projects such as : the Kribi deep sea port, the Mevele’e electric dam, the motorway linking Mboro (the site of the deep sea port) to the kribi city. In the south Region, similar exercices are being seen also in the Nation’s capital Yaoundé, at the Nsimalen motorway , and around the area of Nanga-Eboko in the centre Region for example, the lands of villagers are being stolen by some high dignitries of Yaoundé’s regime. Even when some of the dignitries willingly decide to purchase the land, they are buying at a very low price (Fcfa50,000 for one hectar) that cannot help a villager to acheive any concret project.
However, certain actions carried out by environmental protection defenders are increasingly violated in Cameroon. This has been observed by a coalition of local NGOs which is campaigning against the criminalization of land rights defenders. And to understand the mechanism surrounding the phenomenon of abuse observed in several localities in Cameroon, The VOICE, your weekly review spoke to some of civil society actors.
DR SAMUEL NGUIFFO
Thus, according to Dr Samuel Nguiffo, Secretary General of C.E.D (Center for Environment and Development), and also coordinator of this campaign.
“What we have seen is that when communities resist attempts to dispossess their land, they are wrongly accused of being criminals. For example we followed the case of a community leader accused by the authorities to be a coupeur de route ( highway robber ). what was not true, but he was imprisoned for four months, after a trial of two years, he was able to have his innocence recognized. ‘other community leaders accused of being enemies of the republic therefore against development “. added Dr Samuel Nguiffo.
NORBERT BOUBA ON HIS SIDE, NORBERT BOUBA, THE COORDINATOR OF THE MONITORING AND PROTECTION UNIT FOR VICTIMS OF MINING ACTIVITIES (CELPRO), BASED IN FIGUIL, MAYO LOUTI DIVISION, NORTH REGION OF CAMEROON.
“From 2012 until 2017, I was tortured, intimidated, and I was charged against the activities I carry out to build the capacities of communities so that they can defend their rights themselves. To this end, I was led to the brigade of judicial research and the fight against organized crime on the general staff at Garoua. I should point out that these two companies have been installed here for ages, and exploit limestone ( for the manufacture of cement) and marble. Unfortunately, these two French companies do not pay 25% of their income to local residents as provided for in the country’s mining code. “
Emmanuel MBUONZOUNDI
Actor of civil society, based in the Village Makouré I, in the Ocean Division, South Region, talks about an expatriate, by the name of Jean-Christophe Heidsieck Head of the Maltese Diplomatic Mission in Cameroon and also promoter of the Société Agricole de l ‘Ocean (SAO).
According to Emmanuel MBUONZOUNDI: “this Maltese has owned 627 hectares since 2013 in the village Makouré I, at a place called Nkoulpandé, a space in which he was to cultivate cocoa. However, he extended his activities beyond his areas by graping 200 to 300 hectares of the Nsamvoum community.
And to claim our rights, we turned to the D.O of the Ocean at the time François Mvilon, then to the current D.O who summoned him for an arrangement. The latter never appeared or even sent his representative.
The Maltese diplomat said he could not sit with the common people. And he says to anyone who wants to hear him that he is the friend of the President of the Republic, that is to say that he has very strong relations at the top of the state”.