In Cameroon, Emmanuel Macron's visit raises many expectations
French President Emmanuel Macron begins an African tour this Monday, July 25, which will take him to Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau.
AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN
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4 mins
Emmanuel Macron is on an official visit to Cameroon on July 25 and 26.
A first since he became head of the French state.
He is expected on several subjects.
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The Élysée has warned: the subjects of governance and the rule of law, just like individual situations, will be the subject of exchanges between heads of state, but the French presidency refuses any "
media injunction
".
Maximilienne Ngo Mbe, Director of the Network of Human Rights Defenders of Central Africa (Redhac) nevertheless hopes that during his stay, Emmanuel Macron will take the time to listen to the voice of Cameroonian civil society and the solutions it advocates for ease a tense socio-political climate.
► To read also: Emmanuel Macron visits Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau
“
The first thing is to encourage the Cameroonian government to release political prisoners, militants of the MRC [Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon].
I also want to talk about some people arrested in the context of the Anglophone crisis, but there is also
the famous Operation Epervier
,
lists Maximilienne Ngo Mbe about this operation to fight against corruption and embezzlement of public funds, launched in 2006
.
Some are still detained, although everyone knows very well that they did not have a fair trial.
If we have the opportunity to see President Emmanuel Macron, this is what we will put on the table for political appeasement.
»
The Cameroonian jurist, winner in 2021 of the Woman of Courage prize from the American State Department, and rewarded last June by the Robert Kennedy organization for human rights, also raises other questions: "
The Cameroonian electoral system does not allow not to have free and transparent elections and we know very well that this is a source of conflict.
»
Finally, she mentions “
the protection of human rights defenders.
With the closure and restriction of civic space, human rights defenders are in danger in Cameroon and especially women defenders.
When you are a female defender, you are even more vulnerable
”.
The Atangana case
Among the “
individual situations
” mentioned by the Élysée, is that of the former French detainee
Michel-Thierry Atangana
who spent 17 years in detention.
He was sentenced for acts of corruption, at the same time as the former secretary general of the presidency, Titus Edzoa, within the framework of Operation Epervier.
At the time of his arrest, Michel-Thierry Atangana was at the head of a consortium of companies responsible for developing roads in Cameroon.
Released in 2014, Michel-Thierry Atangana has not been rehabilitated.
His supporters hope that the meeting between the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and his Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya, will be an opportunity to move this file forward.
“
When you are robbed of 17 years of your life, as long as you are not cleared, you are freed physically, but not mentally,
notes Pierre-Alain Raphan, former French deputy for La République en Marche, at the origin of a law to come to the aid of French people detained abroad.
Nor can we now ask Mr. Atangana to work 17 more years to have access to retirement.
Rehabilitation discussions revolve around these topics.
There is also an economic aspect.
Who will pay the compensation?
These economic aspects are among those that only two presidents can unlock
.
»
The emblematic pre-trial detention of Amadou Vamoulké
While the French head of state highlighted African civil society at the Africa-France summit last October in Montpellier, Cameroonian civil society is waiting for him on several issues.
She denounces in particular several prolonged detentions, including that, emblematic, of the former director general of the national radio and television station (CRTV),
Amadou Vamoulké
.
On July 29, it will be six years since Amadou Vamoulké, 72, has been in prison without having been tried and sentenced.
His trial for embezzlement holds the world record for the number of dismissals: 127. Including two preliminary hearings, the former director of CRTV therefore appeared 129 times before the court.
The UN Working Group called his detention arbitrary and recommended his release.
“
Mr. Macron, President of the Republic who represents a symbol in terms of human rights, must approach this subject like other predecessors.
Today, Amadou Vamoulké should not spend another day in prison
“, insists Alain Masse, former director general of Radio France and coordinator of the International Committee for the rehabilitation and release of Amadou Vamoulké (Cirlav).
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Cameroon
France
Emmanuel Macron
Paul Biya
Diplomacy