By SheronTita
Chiefs holding copies of UDHR
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights translated in the Bakweri( Mokpe) Language, has been made public to the delight of the paramount chief of Buea.
It was unveiled on the occasion of the celebration of the 38th Edition of the International Day of the World Indigenous Peoples, in Buea on Friday August 9th, 2024, by the President of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC), Prof James Mouangue Kobila.
The celebration held under the theme “Access to Citizenship: A fundamental Right for Indigenous peoples”, is focused on protecting the Rights of the Indigenous peoples in voluntary Isolation and initial contact.
It provided an opportunity for the problems faced by the Indigenous peoples in the South West Region to be identified.
Speaking at the occasion, the President of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC), Prof James Mouangue Kobila, urged the Indigenous peoples ( Bakweri, Bamboko, Isubu, Balong, Wovia, Mongo and others) of Fako Division and beyond to live in peace with one another.
“The message I bring to the indigenous peoples of Bakweri, Bamboko, Isubu, Balong, Wovia , Mongo and all those who live in this magnificent Region, by the grace of the Lord Almighty who makes, commands and establishes, who says and it is done is this: Southwest is a land of Peace, South West, live in peace, enjoy peace so don’t let anyone take it from you. Own your peace, rule in peace, you and all your sons. Be an example of peace where each one devotes himself to the work of an honest man”, the CHRC boss urged.
Noting that peace is often equated with harmony, Prof. Mouangue called for “Harmony between all components of the population of the Southwest Region, harmony between the administrative authorities and the traditional authorities; harmony between generations, that is the young generation and the younger ones”.
With the aim of promoting development, the CHRC President of the Cameroon
challenged everyone to practise the virtue of openness so as to promote
development.
“As with development, the advancement of Human Rights and the rights of peoples is a matter that concerns us all. I would therefore like to urge everyone to abandon any Spirit of confrontation and to show constant openness. The Universal promise of Human Rights and the rule of law is fulfilled in peace and constructive dialogue, which are factors of trust and healthy, positive and fruitful relations”, he said.
Prof. Mouangue Kobila called on the chiefs to contribute to peace building.
“The message we have for the chiefs is that chiefs must work for the peace. The chiefs are the collaborators of Administrative authorities. I have listened to them. All of them are willing to collaborate fully with the Administrative Authorities and I encourage them to do so”, he noted.
One of the major problems faced by the Indigenous peoples in the South West Region is land grabbing . This challenge was highlighted by the Paramount Chief of Buea, HRM Chief Dr Robert Esuka Endeley, during the celebration.
“The National Commission of Human Rights, it is an opportunity for us to start dialogue into the different indigenous problems that we have and if we didn’t have this opportunity I am sure you would have never known that 58,153 hectares of our land has been taken so we are glad that we had this opportunity to start discussions about our indigenous problems”, he revealed.
Aside from that the indigenous people equally face challenges such as the lack civil status documents/ certificates and lack of political participation.
While extending a message of gratitude to His Excellency, Paul Biya, the president of the Republic of Cameroon, for his unwavering commitment to the protection of the Rights of Indigenous peoples, HRM Chief Dr. Robert Esuka Endeley outlined some of the significant strides made by the Head of State in the Protection of the Rights of the Indigenous peoples amongst which are the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Persons belonging to national or ethnic religious and linguistic minorities in 1992 and the Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous peoples in 2007.
“His Excellency Paul Biya, the Head of State, was the only political leader to demonstrate foresight and courage in protecting the minorities and the indigenous people in the Constitution of Cameroon which was promulgated on the 18th of January 1996. He did this 14 years before the United States decided in December 2010, to lend its support to the International protection of indigenous people and 15 years before the Canadian government changed the name of its Department of Internal affairs. His Excellency Paul Biya protects the individual interest of all the peoples of the Country”, the paramount ruler of Buea recalled.
In the course of the celebration of the International Day of Indigenous peoples, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights translated in the Bakweri( Mokpe) Language, was made public.
This initiative was lauded by the Paramount chief of Buea.
“This is a wonderful thing. It is one of the major highlights of today’s event. It’s the ability of children of Mokpe Language, the ability of scholars of Mokpe Language to be able to read the Declaration of Human Rights in their own language. Other books have been translated to Mokpe but we never had this opportunity where our rights are translated into our own languages for us to read and understand it in its context in Bakweri and not in the context of French or English,” he said.
The International Day of Indigenous peoples was established on the 23 of December 1944, by the United Nations General Assembly.
