Cameroon’s Ministry of Territorial Administration (MINAT) has issued a suspension for three prominent NGOs, effective for three months, and imposed bans on two others, according to a release dated December 6, 2024. This decision has sparked significant concern among civil society advocates.
Reach Out Cameroon, a well-known NGO based in Buea and founded by Esther Omam, faces suspension due to allegations of “illicit and exorbitant financing” and failure to justify the use of received funds. MINAT claims these activities threaten the integrity of the national financial system and indicate insufficient oversight of non-profit operations.
Esther Omam has stated that her organization is seeking clarity regarding the reasons behind the suspension but has not yet released an official statement responding to the allegations.
Alongside Reach Out, the Central African Human Rights Defenders Network (REDHAC) and the Charitable Socio-Cultural Association of Cameroon (ACSCC) are also prohibited from any activities within the country for the next three months. REDHAC, led by human rights advocate Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, has been active in addressing human rights violations and recently filed a complaint with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights concerning torture allegations in Cameroon.
Another organization, identified as REDHAC (2), received a ban for operating without proper authorization. Additionally, the LM Nanje Foundation Inc., managed by Forteh Ngochi Wase Usan, was declared null and void for similar reasons.
These NGOs have provided crucial support to communities affected by conflict, particularly in the Far North, Northwest, and Southwest Regions of Cameroon. Over the past seven years, Reach Out Cameroon has assisted thousands of vulnerable women and children, offering educational resources, hygiene kits, and psychosocial support.
Barrister Akere Muna, leader of the Now Movement, has criticized the government's actions, calling them alarming. He argues that such measures contradict the principles of the Cameroonian Constitution and signal an effort to restrict civil society's operations ahead of the 2025 elections. Muna emphasizes that if the government respects the rule of law, these actions undermine democratic values and citizens' rights to assemble and express themselves freely.
Comments
Post a Comment