The 2014 situation report was made public yesterday in Yaounde by the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms.

The situation of Human Rights in Cameroon is said to be improving in spite increasing cross-border insecurity posed by the Boko Haram threats and the spill over of the Central African crisis. The chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, Dr. Divine Chemuta Banda was speaking in Yaounde yesterday December 3, 2015 while presenting 2014 Report on Human Rights situation in Cameroon and the activities report of the Commission for 2014.  

“During the year under review, recurring attacks of Boko Haram in the Far North Region and the repercussions of the political and military conflict in the Central African Republic, particularly affected the situation of human rights across the national territory”, the report states. According to the report, the safety of persons and property has been seriously jeopardized in the Far North by acts of violence committed by Boko Haram.

“During the last three months of 2014, nearly on daily basis, Boko Haram carried out raids characterized by killings, hostage taking and destruction of property”, the report notes. The Commission also noted that despite professionalism displayed by Cameroon security forces in pushing back the terrorist sect, some allegations of human rights violations were noted.

Most frequent denunciations, the report states, are related to arbitrary arrests and detentions which according to statistics, 57 complaints of arbitrary arrests and abusive detentions were recorded in 2014 up from 27 in 2013. Apart from civil and political rights, the report also examines the situation of economic, social and cultural rights as well as Cameroon’s compliance with international obligations.

The Human Rights Commission in its report proposed recommendations some of which include the strict respect for custody deadlines, acceleration of court proceedings, increased solidarity to find lasting solutions to humanitarian crisis caused by increased number of refugees which the report states amounted to 300,000 refugees received by Cameroon and 46,000 internally displaced persons in 2014.

The report, the Chairman of the Commission stated, is based on their field investigations and complaints received within the period under review. The report highlights key human rights concerns and raises awareness for action to be taken.