Gov’t’s fight against torture not enough!.

There isn't any trepidation about President Paul Biya's commitment, determination and dedication, in compliance with the Convention Against Torture, to fight against torture and other cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment of suspects.

But in a country currently faced with rampant violence and atrocities that come with a ferocity which has shattered the lives of residents in the North West, South West and Far North Regions, the Cameroon government has rightly been responding to keeping peace.

Paradoxically, Amnesty International, has, in a report, pointed out that suspects "are taken to often illegal detention facilities, and are tortured, humiliated, intimidated and punished”. 

“They are beaten with sticks, electric cables and machetes, forced into stress positions for days, and are subjected to suspensions and drowning. Some don’t survive the torture. The details are chilling and are made worse by the fact that many have been arrested with little or no evidence," Amnesty added.

It added that residents who have not been displaced or fled to refugee camps live "with the fear of the very government that is meant to protect them".

Both the Ministries of Defence and Communication have, however, been vehement and consistent in repudiating such accusations by human rights groups. There have, however, accepted cases of security atrocities like the Ngarbuh massacre and more recently the torture to death of Yaounde radio journalist, Martinez Zogo, whose suspected murderers are currently standing trial. There have also been isolated cases like the death of suspects in some detention facilities.

As Cameroon joined other nations of the world to celebrate this year's International Day in Support of Victims of Torture last week, its compliance remains a subject of the fabric of a heated debate.

The United Nations defines torture as “Any act by which severe pain or suffering; whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for purposes like obtaining information or confession and punishment for an act he/she or a third party has committed or is suspected to have committed, or intimidating and coercing him to a third party, for reasons based on discrimination of any kind”.

The Buea-based Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA, which highlighted the celebration of the day in Cameroon, noted that: “When such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of consent or acquiescence of a public official or other persons acting in an official capacity...It does not include pain or suffering arising only from inherent or incidental to lawful sanctions”.

The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, through its Committee for the Prevention of Torture, CPTA, in a commemorative statement last Monday, warned African countries against lurking behind "public order" or "national emergency...as a justification or excuse for acts of torture and other ill-treatment. We regret to see these contexts repeated today in several countries, under the guise of security threats".

The organisation, which over a decade ago called on Cameroon to "dialogue" with Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC activists to prevent the impending violence that erupted in 2016, reiterated the "call on states to put into action peaceful solutions to conflict resolution, and to take measures to put an end to all excesses committed against the population".

Like all other commemorations, that against torture gives an opportunity to evaluate the progress made in each country and highlight the work of stakeholders.

To his credit, President Biya's regime has enacted laws against torture and some defence and security operatives are known to have been convicted or are standing trial.

Nonetheless, the country still lags behind in providing alternative initiatives to detention. It also remains noted for prison overcrowding, deficiencies in the feeding of inmates and difficulties in accessing affordable healthcare.

Free legal services are hardly available to detainees, some of who are known to have remained incarcerated for years without being charged.

Those lapses have made the efforts of the Biya regime to protect human rights and prevent torture pale into insignificance. The solution, as has been recommended by Amnesty International, is for Yaounde to "ensure all detainees can freely access a lawyer of their choice…and medical care. Independent international monitors should also have "unhindered access to all detention facilities and people imprisoned".

In its own recommendation, CHRDA called for a "more coordinated and collective action from Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and other advocacy groups fighting against torture to collaborate and fight against torture and all other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment against humankind”.

The African Commission for People and Human Rights urges government "to set up national preventive mechanisms...and to establish independent and impartial commissions of inquiry to investigate such acts. It is imperative to rigorously prevent torture in all places, including those where freedom is restricted".

At The Guardian Post, we are confident that if President Biya accepts the recommendations, especially that by the African Commission, to set up a special independent commission and detention alternatives, cases of torture would be drastically curbed, if not eliminated and the country will thrive in peace and security.