Cameroon: Individual Human rights versus the public

Cameroon is one of the countries where gays, lesbians and transsexuals have been made “public enemies” according to one of our interviewees. And, another stated that it is a not only a public stigma to be a gay, a lesbian or a transsexual in Cameroon. We met these people in central London on August 10th, 2013. They were taking part in the sit in against Russia.
These persons, a man and a woman who chose to be called “Ben” and “Jacqui” for their safety and other considerations such as their friendship and their image among their community in Britain, claimed that they have not been in their country for long time.
Mr. “Ben” claimed that he escaped prison in extremis the last time he was in Cameroon because his ex-partner “grassed him” (told the local authorities) with a letter while himself flew the country. Ms. “Jacqui” said that her entire family has been blamed for her sexual choice and declared “the disease family” in the suburb of Yaoundé where they have lived for generations. For her, Cameroon is “a no go area if she wants to carry on with her life”. In our investigation, we also met recently Ms. Happy Solange who claimed that she was ready to use her own name to expose the sufferings and stigmatization of gays, lesbians and transsexuals in Cameroon. She met us with a Cameroonian newspaper that named her as an outcast. She claimed that her male partner for being a bisexual; she has lost contact with her children because “their father and her own extended family do not want her to pass her disease to the children”. Apparently, she is depressed and “lost” in the meanders of Britain where she arrived few over a week ago before our meeting.
In fact, what the laws say in Cameroon? In Cameroon, Section 347 of the Penal Code bans same sexual acts with a penalty of five (5) years imprisonment and a fine that goes from 20,000 F CFA to 200,000 F CFA.
A list of fifty (50) high personalities was published by local newspapers few months back and this publication led to the arrest and imprisonment of Mr. Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga (4 months jail term) and Mr. Gregoire Owana (a former minister) was among the “named and shamed”.
“The public is very keen on protection the traditions and it is right behind any laws against us”, stated Ms. Happy Solange. “But, we are going to fight until the authorities accept us as we are”, she concluded.
In the end, Cameroon is not the only country where gays face a huge amount of obstacles in their quest for their individual rights. Russia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and many more are places where gays live undercover.

Bemba MAKELELE

SOURCES

An Assault on a Movement: The Killing of Eric Lembembe
08/23/2013 - IGLHRC in the News
Cameroon
08/14/2013 - Laws Criminalizing SOGI
Cameroon: Leading LGBTI Human Rights Defender Fatally Attacked
07/16/2013 - Press Release
IGLHRC Co-Sponsors Born This Way and The Parade at HRW Film Festival
05/31/2013 - IGLHRC Global Monitor
United Nations Universal Periodic Review of Cameroon
10/12/2012 - Report
Soumission EPU Cameroun Octobre 2012
10/12/2012 - Report
Cameroon: Justice Delayed for Jean-Claude Roger Mbede
09/27/2012 - Press Release
OutSpoken Newsletter: Summer 2012
08/15/2012 - Newsletter
IGLHRC in the Media: Highlights from May 2012
06/06/2012 - IGLHRC in the News
Cameroon: End ‘Discriminatory’ Anti-Gay Laws
Cameroon must release all individuals held under a discriminatory law that criminalizes consensual same-sex relations.
09/26/2011 - Press Release
Cameroon: Two Detained on Homosexuality Charges
08/17/2011 - IGLHRC Global Monitor
Cameroon: Press Release on Arrest of Three Alleged Homosexuals
04/23/2011 - IGLHRC Global Monitor
Nowhere to Turn: Blackmail and Extortion of LGBT People in Sub-Saharan Africa
02/15/2011 - Report
OutSpoken Newsletter: Winter/Spring 2011
01/18/2011 - Newsletter
Cameroon Government Must Cease Persecution of LGBT Human Rights Defenders
01/14/2011 - Press Release
Cameroun: Les Rapports Homosexuels Suscitent Agressions et Arrestations
Le gouvernement devrait dépénaliser les activités consensuelles et protéger les droits des personnes LGBT
11/04/2010 - Press Release
Criminalizing Identities
Rights Abuses in Cameroon based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
11/04/2010 - Report
Cameroon: Same-Sex Relations Bring Attacks, Arrests
Government Should Decriminalize Consensual Activity, Protect LGBT Rights
11/04/2010 - Press Release
Cameroon: The Status of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights in Cameroon
Shadow Report
06/01/2010 - Report Shadow Report
A Call for Decriminalization at the Cameroon National Assembly
11/05/2009 - From Our Partners
Alternative-Cameroun Reports on the Arbitrary Arrest of a Man on Charges of Homosexuality in Douala (French)
05/06/2009 - From Our Partners
Fighting to Free Those Found ‘‘Guilty’’ of Homosexuality
02/09/2009 - IGLHRC in the News
Cameroon: Alternatives-Cameroon Announces the Release of Men Detained for More than 7 Months on Homosexuality Charges (French)
03/10/2008 - From Our Partners
Cameroon: Update on Continued Arrests and Convictions of Gay Men
01/25/2008 - IGLHRC Global Monitor
Cameroon: Human Rights Activists Protest Continued Arrests of Gay Men. Demonstrations in Paris, Pretoria and Washington, D.C.
12/10/2007 - Press Release
Un collectif d'associations en appelle à la dépénalisation des pratiques homosexuelles au Cameroun
11/05/2007 - From Our Partners
Cameroon: Arbitrary Arrests and Detention of Men on Charges Related to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
09/11/2007 - IGLHRC Global Monitor
Cameroon: Alternatives-Cameroun and IGLHRC Condemn Arrests of Gay Men in Letter to Cameroonian Minister of Justice Amadou Ali
09/11/2007 - IGLHRC Global Monitor
Cameroon: IGLHRC Joins in Mourning the Loss of Cameroonian LGBT Leader William Nowokap
05/16/2007 - IGLHRC Global Monitor
Cameroon: High Court Orders Release of Man Jailed on Sodomy Charges
02/28/2007 - Press Release