Hello,
Legal advisor is looking for an expert witness on Cameroon who can
comment on the persecution of political opponents belonging to the
"Union Nationale pour la Démocratie et le Progrès" UNDP.
Synopsis of case:
Client known here as Mr. X is from Ngaoundere, Cameroon. From 1992 to
1997 the client was a member of the UNDP opposition party and held a
high position in the party hierarchy. Mr. X was a vice-president of a
base committee and then became the General Secretary of a sub-section.
December 1997 the UNDP party president joins the government. UNDP
members protested against what they felt was a betrayal and led a
demonstration holding signs with "no to the coalition" and "no to the
betrayal" written on them. The day after Mr. X participated in the
demonstration he was arrested by the police from his home. At the police
station Mr. X was interrogated, beaten, tortured and called a "rebel."
Three other UNDP members who were in the cell with Mr. X had died they
were: Soulia-Haman (Deputy Treasurer), Hamza Ahmadou (Youth Officer) and
Ousmanou (member). In early January 1998 Mr. X was released, he went to
a public hospital to treat his injuries and he was refused treatment as
the Doctor called him an "opponent!" Mr. X stayed on the hospital
grounds and the next morning he was arrested for a second time, taken to
a Gendarmerie where he experienced various forms of torture. He was
transferred to a military camp from which he manages to escape. Mr. X's
family was arrested after his escape and so he decided to flee to Chad.
From January to November 1998 Mr. X remains in Chad but becomes worried
about his safety because of his proximity to the boarder and the network
that exists between truck and taxi drivers who frequently travel between
Cameroon and Chad. In November 1998 Mr. X fled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
From November 1998 to October 1999 Saudi authorities arrest and deport
foreign nationals consequently Mr. X is afraid of being deported and he
fled to Egypt. In December 1999 the Cameroonian embassy in Cairo
withholds his passport so a friend procures a new one for him not
through official channels. 2000 to July 2004 the Cameroonian embassy in
Cairo suspects him of being a rebel and they take Mr. X's new passport.
On December 8, 2003 the First Instance Court of Ngaoundere issued a
summons to Mr. X for his inciting a demonstration the hearing is between
the RPDC and the UNDP to be held on December 11, 2003. Mr. X. avoids all
contact with the Cameroonian embassy and Cameroonian students in Cairo
as he has experienced problems with them forcing him to have to move
several times in order to remain safe. Even though Mr. X does not have
contact with the Cameroonian community there are people in the Congolese
community who inform him that the Cameroonians still believe that he is
against the government. Mr. X's name also appears in an article in the
"Le Messager" which indicates that he was accused of organizing the
demonstrations in 1997 and that he escaped incarceration.
For anyone willing to provide an expert statement I can provide you with
a redacted version of the client's testimony and appeal which was
submitted to UNHCR.
Thank you.
Regards,
Gwendolyn Roeske
Legal Advisor
[log in to unmask]
AMERA-Egypt
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