|
ELECAM or ELEC-CPDM: The Death of Democracy in
Cameroon with the Acquiescence of the Commonwealth
 On
January 29, 2009, the 12 members of Elections
Cameroon (ELECAM) were sworn in at the Supreme Court
in Yaounde on the promise that they will work to
organize transparent, free, and fair elections in
Cameroon, a promise hard to believe considering the
incongruity of the mission of an electoral body and
the background, political affiliation, and militancy
of the people appointed to serve on this body. CCDHR
notes with regret that not only was the Presidential
degree creating ELECAM flawed, the appointment of
members to this body is very troubling, considering
that almost all the appointees are deep-seated in the CPDM party headed by Paul Biya who appointed them.
Under this circumstance, it is had to decipher
whether this body is actually ELECAM or ELEC-CPDM.
Meanwhile, on the same day ELECAM members were being
installed, Dr. Stephen Omollo, Adviser and Head of
the Good Offices Section, Political Affairs Division
at the Commonwealth Secretariat stated in a press
briefing in Yaounde that the "legal framework to set
up ELECAM, is a big achievement”. This assertion is
not only disgusting, but an insult to the conscience
of Cameroonians who deserve better international
public servant with the ability to stand up for
injustice rather that appease atrocities committed
on millions of people by dictators. CCDHR frowns at
the unabashed inability of Dr. Omollo to espouse and
defend principles of democracy and human rights in
relation to ELECAM. His evasiveness and inability to
respond to direct questions leaves much to be
desired of his professional ethics and the true
intention of the institution he represents
(Commonwealth) in promoting democracy and human
rights.
 Dr.
Omollo’s expectations “that ELECAM would be accorded
a free space to carry out its duties with
impartiality in order to guarantee free, fair,
transparent, and credible elections in Cameroon” is a
ridiculous assessment of ELECAM and the Government
of Cameroon which has an excellent track record of
elections manipulations. His assessment is even more
troubling when he considers as irrelevant and
actually ignores questions relating to the
composition of ELECAM which is flooded with members
of the Central Committee and Political Bureau of the
CPDM party. While the government is ‘officially’
subject to the will of the people through elections,
the validity of electoral results in Cameroon have
significantly been compromised by severe
irregularities. Compared to traditional democratic
norms, Cameroon exhibits a government apparatus
profoundly unresponsive to the political will of the
people. An electoral body like ELECAM which lacks
the needed independence can hardly be expected to
turn things around.
If Dr. Omollo and the Commonwealth are serious about
ensuring free and fair elections in Cameroon, they
must publicly denounce the law creating ELECAM, the
appointment of is members, and withdraw whatever
form of support the Commonwealth has promised or is
already being granted this caricature “subsection
of the CPDM party” disguised as an
independent electoral body. If the Commonwealth
could stand up and publicly denounce Robert Mugabe
of Zimbabwe, why not Paul Biya of Cameroon? Both Mr.
Biya and Mr. Mugabe are dictators; both have been in
power for decades without end; both are expert
election manipulators; both have caused their people
tremendous suffering; both continue to stifle
democracy and violate human rights and freedoms;
both continue to suppress press freedom; both
continue to oppress
political opposition; and both continue to clamp down on public
dissent. Therefore Mr. Biya is Cameroon's Mugabe and
should be treated as such by institutions such as
the Commonwealth.
Besides the change in name, there is no difference between
ELECAM and NEO. Just as NEO, ELECAM is anything but
independent, as everything about it is dependent on
the President. ELECAM cannot be, and will never be
an independent electoral body so long as its members
are appointed by Presidential degree among the rank
and file of the CPDM party. In addition, the fact
that ELECAM members can serve indefinitely, at the
pleasure of the President is alarming. It is common
knowledge that appointees always pay allegiance to
those who appoint them. Therefore only those who are
obedient to Mr. Biya and carry out his instructions
to the letter will be guaranteed the chance to
continuously serve on ELECAM. An independent
electoral body must be able to have truly
independent members with a fixed mandate; with the
power to entertain petitions of electoral
malpractices; and the certification of electoral
results. CCDHR notes that ELECAM is already a failed
experiment for Cameroonians, even as its CPDM
members prepare to deliver for their CPDM boss,
President Paul Biya.
CCDHR would like to commend various diplomatic missions to
Cameroon, including the European Union Delegate, the
US Ambassador, the British High Commissioner, and
the Canadian High Commissioner among others, whose
conscious or unconscious decision to abstain from
the swearing in ceremony of ‘ELEC-CPDM’
was a noticeable glimmer of hope to Cameroonians
that all is not lost as far as the efforts of the
international community is concerned to bring
pressure to bear on the regime in Cameroon. ELECAM
is not an institution to be given a chance. Giving
it a chance will be tantamount to giving blessings
to the decades of suffering caused by successive
illegitimate governments imposed on Cameroonians
through elections fraud. Supporting ELECAM would
seal the fate of democracy in Cameroon, and possibly
lead Cameroon into the dark path to civil strife as
witnessed by other African countries.
CCDHR is calling on Cameroonians to stand-up and speak-out
for justice and a better future for Cameroon. CCDHR
recommends that Cameroonians and supporters of
democracy in Cameroon all over the world should call
or write to diplomatic missions to Cameroon,
inter-governmental institutions, international
non-governmental organizations, Parliamentarians,
Congressmen, Senators, and other Representatives and
make it known that ELECAM is a dangerous experiment
for Cameroon. CCDHR is also calling on Cameroonians
to become more proactive and engaging in the
democratic future of their country.
Aloofness cannot get the country where it needs to
be, and giving up is not an option. Join or support
the various civil society groups advocating for
change in Cameroon. Ignore government agents planted
in all public forums whose main goals are to sow
confusion and detract from serious and thought
provoking actions to get Cameroon out of bondage.
Cameroonians both at home and abroad have
the ability to effect change in Cameroon if the
method is constructive and supported. Together,
let’s individually and collectively lead the course
of freedom for Cameroon. |
