Common Law Lawyers in the North West region have rejected an ad hoc committee created by Prime Ministerial decree to look into problems faced by Common law Lawyers in Cameroon. Meeting in Bamenda last Saturday December 24, 2016 the Lawyers outlined certain points which to them must be looked into before they sit on the negotiation table.

Among others, they are demanding the immediate inclusion of Barristers Agbor Felix Nkongho and Eyambe, Presidents of Fako and Meme Lawyers Associations respectively in the Committee, regret governments nonchalant attitude towards lawyers and the fact that the government is yet to condemn Police brutality on them, the lawyers also reject Yaoundé as Venue and propose Buea or Bamenda as the venue for discussion.

Read Full Communiqué

Mindful of the commission created by the PM and members therein, the Executives observe as follows:

1) The composition of the commission is not balanced, that there are many Francophones than Anglophones in the commission. That some Anglophone lawyers such as Manka Rosaline and Amaazee Amah Anthony who happens to be husband and wife, do not share in the same plight of the Common law lawyers as they had taken their stand against the course which was presented to the media.

2) That the commission has left out some instrumental leaders from the South West Region namely Barrister BALLA Nkongho and Barrister EYAMBE as well as our Bar Council representative from the South West Region which is a deliberate act of the government to divide us

3) That notwithstanding, it is with regret that till date, the government has not made any official statement condemning the acts of brutality on lawyers carried out by the forces of law and order including the confiscation of their wigs and gowns and the violation of lawyers offices. Such condemnations should precede any dialogue if the government is sincere for meaningful dialogue and lasting solutions to all the issues raised.

4) Yaoundé is not an appropriate venue for the holding of such meeting. That the commission must hold in BAMENDA or BUEA.

5) From the above, the EXCO recommends that these issues must be addressed to warrant our attendance.

6) We have also resolved that the BIG four together with the other members in one document should issue a communiqué to the fact that until the above issues are sorted out, we can’t be a party to any meeting of the PM’s commission.

7) The EXCO also recommends that the consortium should urgently meet on Monday 26/12/2016 and take a position on these recent developments.

Signed by NOWELA Vice President Barrister Umenjoh Hiram

Culled from Cameroun Info.Net