The Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, REDHAC has said they will no longer submit reports of their activities in Cameroon at the ministry of territorial administration.
The move was announced in a statement issued Tuesday, March 10th in Douala by Maximilliene Ngo Mbe, Coordinator of REDHAC.
In the course of a press briefing at REDHAC’s headquarters in Douala, the rights group said reports of their activities will be submitted at the Ministry of external relations as administration demands and no copy will be sent to the ministry of territorial administration.
The decision of REDHAC contradicts and opposes an order from Cameroon’s Minister of territorial administration.
Minister Paul Atanga Nji in a press conference Monday, March 9th had given a 60-day time limit to all nongovernmental organizations and human rights groups operating in Cameroon to submit reports of their activities from 2016 to 2019.
To Barrister Alice Nkom, Board Chair of REDHAC, “Paul Atanga Nji shamefully and unfortunately offered himself the luxury of indexing RHEDAC and other NGOs which according to him received over five billion francs CFA to destabilise Cameroon”.
The international lawyer posits that the information is “…false, slanderous, and outrageous”. “Paul Atanga Nji is a litigant and therefore REDHAC reserves the right to sue him in a court of law in due course”. Bar Alice Nkom adds while frowning at the statements of Minister Paul Atanga Nji. She explains to journalists that the Minister has to provide evidence of his accusations in court.
To the Central Africa Human Rights Defenders, their activities in Cameroon coupled with all financial transactions are transparent with copies of reports of all their activities submitted to appropriate quarters.
The human rights group insists that their activities in Cameroon aim at contributing for peace and not to fuel tension as stated by minister Paul Atanga Nji.
REDHAC equally used the press briefing in Douala to condemn weekend attacks by separatist fighters in Galim in the West region of Cameroon and in Bamenda in the North West.
To the board chair of RHEDAC, it is regrettable that separatists have taking pleasure in attacking and killings. She expressed condolences to affected families.
Mimi Mefo Info.
