Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales has called for the release of Mancho Bibixy and others while appreciating the release of Balla, Fontem and others. Press Release Below
PRESS RELEASE
London, 1st September 2017
BHRC today welcomes the release from detention in Yaounde of 54 Cameroonians from the South West and North West Anglophone regions. The individuals were on trial for alleged crimes associated with terrorist actions against the State, to which BHRC and other organisations have raised concerns. All charges have been dropped against them following a 30 August order of President Paul Biya.
On 30 August the President of the Republic of Cameroon issued a statement discontinuing the proceedings against those who have been detained in connection with peaceful protests at the imposition of French-speaking judges and the civil law system on Cameroon’s Englishspeaking minority, in areas governed by Anglophone common law, as well as the French educational system. The President’s decision was said to be in line with numerous measures taken to address concerns raised by the Anglophone region and to seek a peaceful solution to the crisis, which began in October last year.
BHRC treasurer Jodie Blackstock observed the trial of 28 accused in April, due in particular to the proceedings against leaders of the Anglophone reform movement Felix Agbor-Balla (a human rights barrister), Fontem Neba (an academic) and Mancho Bibixy (a journalist). She identified a number of serious breaches of the defendants’ fundamental rights to due process and a fair trial, including the use of military tribunals and accusations of abuse by the police. The prosecution has entered formal notice of abandonment of prosecutions in respect of these individuals. However, the Military Tribunal retains jurisdiction in respect of Mancho Bibixy and other individuals arrested in connection with the protests. Moreover, it has asserted the power to recommence proceedings if any new evidence is found.
While BHRC is encouraged by the release of the detainees, we urge the President to ensure that all those connected with peaceful protest are released as soon as possible, and in the interests of finality and certainty, refrain from the threat of further proceedings for all who have been held in detention in the capital since January, many hours travel away from their families.
Trial Observer Jodie Blackstock said, “These individuals have for many months been detained in poor conditions and on trial in a process unfair by international standards. We welcome their release and a return to peaceful dialogue with the Cameroonian Government towards equality of treatment in the Anglophone regions.”
Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC), 53-54 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LS Chair: Kirsty Brimelow QC │ Vice-Chairs: Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh & Schona Jolly coordination@barhumanrights.org.uk | www.barhumanrights.org.uk +44 (0) 20 7404 1313 ext. 359 | +44 (0) 7854 197862
7 comments
Dear Fellows when I look at the pretentious and devilish LA Republique, I bleed in my heart.
We should never allowed ourselves to be folly by the wicked thoughts of the government.
The reason d’etre he is, to the government, as a parent if a problem or problems arises in your home between you the father, the mother and the children, when a bitter complain comes from your children are you going to listen and dialogue with your children or your wife, rather than to pick a stick, a key to your bunker and locked your family up?
Answer me, we are not your children, we are equal parties, we are a people, a Nation called Southern Cameroon (Ambaland).
If the government things illegal arrests and illegal detention is a cure, let them come take us all
The wind of change has visited us, accept it.
Talk of our educational systems which the government has assimilated destroy our culture, our legal systems with only French Magistrates.
Where are we heading to? Let us go, Southern Cameroon is Africa in its entirety, we have the resources the world lack
After restoration, we will become a nation and our interim president will have the powers to build an army and wage war against cameroun.
God bless Mancho and the others remaining in the dungeons of la Republique. You are our heroes. The struggle continues.
All these comments are fine. Let/s move forward with more victories by contributing to SCACUF or any other means possible (PEACEFULLY!!). I have asked my family members in the USA to forward all pertinent information about Southern Cameroons to their SENATORS and CONGRESSMEN and WOMEN. Our people in larepublique can help us with info too.
It’s astonishing how the international community has turned a blind eye to the numerous atrocities committed by the Biya regime for 35 years. What Biya has done to us is no different from what Hitler, Saddam Hussein and others did in the passed. No matter what masked progress LRC tries to paint out there, only our permanent freedom as a people will put us to rest.
Mariwa, you are exactly right. Even worst, they are the once that put and are holding African and Africans all over this world in the situation we fine our selves.
It amazes me that these same so call Europeans and Asians that are supporting not only Biya but all the other Hitlers in Africa tries to stand in front of us and claims to be helpers.
Our survival equates to total control and ownership of our homeland. This is totally and absolutely not about hating or not hating, but pure raw existence.
Some of us have been oppressed for so long, to the point that they are delusional, schizophrenic and cognitive dissonance. It dose not take long to see those of us who are as such. The effects of quite terror, oppression and engineered miss educating education. I’m not that so much angry at our brothers and sisters who are still suffering for this mental illness but they are clearly a treat to our existence and we must keep them in cheek.
One thing feels my heart with joy, within this current generation of Ambazonians, we got one of the most fearless, courageous, determined, uncompromising, hot headed, united and incorruptible Ambazonian ever.
This is what is giving headaches to Biya and the international community. The can not understand how we are able to pull this without guns. The answer lies in what they did to us in our past.
It is often said that “If you can say something and can express it in number and words, then you know exactly what you are saying. However if you cannot express things in words and in numbers then your brain is of a meagre and unsatisfactory type”. This just summarizes the state of affaires of the etuodi gangster.