Disarmament Be Carried out in a Fortitude of Understanding
This was the plea by human rights commission during the 25th ordinary session of the national commission on human rights and freedom which took place last December 7, 2018.
Emmanuel NGOTA
While speaking during the 25th ordinary session of the national commission on human rights and freedom, Dr Chemuta Divine Banda who heads the commission calls on the national disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-Boko Haram fighters and separatist fighters in the north west and south west regions who are willing to drop their arms should be done in a spirit of reconciliation.
Dr Chemuta Divine Banda seized the opportunity of the ordinary session to express his concern for the insecurity situation to return to normalcy most especially in the North West and south west region. He also made mention of the progressive implementation of the decentralization, the fight against corruption and the misappropriation of public funds, the effective execution of infrastructure projects that will serve in providing water, energy and transport facilities to the population.
Added to this the national commission on human rights and freedoms focused concerning the promotion and protection of human rights, prevention of torture as well as the peaceful approach to solutions for problems that emerge in the society; reasons why the commission has always preached dialogue.
The ordinary session also served the purpose to disclose the 2019 budget by parliament for the commission which stands as 1.2 billion francs. He said the budget will be partitioned in the respect that 250 million will be dedicated for investment while 950 million will go for the recurrent budget. With the budget in hand, the national commission on human rights and freedoms plans to complete the setting up and equipping its 10 regionals bureau with emphasis laid on that of the east and west regions, the resumption in the construction of the head office building.
The National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms (NCHRF) was created by presidential decree in 1990. Like earlier commissions in Benin and Togo, the NCHRF was formed at a time of popular demands for greater democracy. However, the NCHRF did not play the same sort of dynamic role that the Togolese commission did in furthering the democratization process. It was one of the first bodies to be set up as part of a program towards greater democracy announced through decree by President Biya in December 1990, but its limited mandate and appointments procedures, in particular, reflect his concern to retain tight executive control over all state institutions. The general political climate in Cameroon also, in practice, militates against an effective human rights role for the NCHRF.
