|
Joint Declaration of opposition parties
The Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Front (SDF):
• Conscious of the prevailing state of poverty and misery in which the Cameroonian people live in spite of the immense and varied resources, both human and natural, with which our country is endowed;
• Up against the Republican, patriotic and historical duty which befalls them with regard to the degree of moral depravation in the Cameroonian society as illustrated by a true culture of the frenzied race for easy wealth, generalised corruption, constant abuses of all sorts, notably in Human Rights issues and several other ills which are characteristic of unshared, unbridled and unsanctioned power;
• Convinced of the justness of their initiative which is in perfect consonance with the aspirations of the Cameroonian people and friends of Cameroon;
• Considering the experiences of elections hitherto organised by the New Deal Government since the advent of multiparty Democracy in Cameroon in 1990, elections invariably marred by all sorts of irregularities and fraud, ranging from the discriminatory registration on electoral lists to the falsification of vote counting results through the stuffing of ballot boxes and every imaginable gerrymandering;
• Mindful of the fact that political alternation through free, fair and transparent elections constitutes the very essence of a true democratic system;
• Conscious of the conflicts witnessed by many an African country in the sub-region and elsewhere which ruin their efforts in the fight against poverty and misery;
• Considering the obvious intention of the CPDM party and its allies to perpetuate their stay in power through anti-democratic behaviour, attitudes and methods which prevent the Cameroonian people from exercising National Sovereignty through the free choice of their leaders by way of democratic elections;
Based on:
1- The pertinent observations and recommendations, repeated several times by both national and international election observers such as NEO, Cameroon Episcopal Conference, NDI, IFES, Commonwealth and Francophonie, European Union just to name a few ; recommendations notably pointing out the necessity to ensure transparency in elections starting with preparatory operations of the pre-electoral phase up to the conduct of the elections proper and the declaration of the poll, with particular emphasis on the computerisation of the entire electoral process in Cameroon; which was not only acknowledged, but publicly declared by the head of state, National President of the CPDM Regime, himself ;
2- The declaration of the United Nations Secretary General as concerns the funding of election-related issues by this world-wide Organisation if requested by the Government, a declaration made during his official visit to Cameroon while meeting with parliamentary representatives of political parties sitting in the National Assembly;
3- The absence of any sign suggesting the beginning of the concretisation of the President of the Republic’s publicly declared promise to conform to these recommendations with the financial, material and technical assistance both of international institutions and of the friends of Cameroon;
4- Current practices concerning registration on electoral lists which clearly indicate the Regime’s determination to maintain its anti-democratic methods during the up-coming presidential elections;
• Noting that free and transparent elections constitute the best way for the assertion of the Republic to Democratic Principles and the rule of law, all necessary means and resources should be mobilised to ensure their best conduct from registration on electoral lists up to the declaration of the poll and eventually the settling of subsequent disputes;
• Armed with their experiences at the National Assembly and their active participation in the management of the Councils of Cameroon, both urban and rural;
• Confident that together, and in collaboration with other convergent forces, they shall ensure, on the one hand, the expected peaceful alternation and, on the other hand, bring about the peaceful change so much awaited by the Cameroonian people;
I- Vehemently refuse, under any circumstances whatsoever, to accept any more election rigging in Cameroon.
II- Call upon all republican and democratic patriots, friends of Cameroon and International Institutions committed to establishing peace, justice and security in the world, to immediately put in all efforts towards the setting up of the appropriate system, mechanisms and means for the sound preparation and conduct of elections, especially the 2004 presidential election;
III- Solemnly undertake, individually and collectively before the Cameroonian people and friends of Cameroon, to present at the 2004 presidential elections a single opposition candidate who, with a team of patriotic, competent and experienced men and women, shall implement a common programme which shall meet the aspirations of the Cameroonian Nation and the expectations of the Cameroonian people, as concerns, notably among others :
a) Republican and democratic institutions and practices which shall sanctify the tradition of peaceful political alternation in our country, the only guarantor of effective and lasting peace and stability which constitute cultural realities in all States of law;
b) Free, fair, transparent and democratic elections, accepted and lived as a cultural reality;
c) The participation of Cameroonians in the Diaspora in elections for the choice of the leaders of their country and their judicious association to various activities for the development of the Nation;
d) The direct and responsible participation of the people in the management of public affairs through the institution of a true administrative and financial autonomy of Regional and Local Authorities within the framework of an effective decentralisation, with a view to ensuring the right to happiness to which every human being aspires and whose enjoyment is total and lasting only if the citizens participate in its building;
e) The liberation from the yoke of the Single Party-State dictatorship, through the cultivation of republican and democratic principles in the lives and activities of the citizens both in their relations with each other as well as with the various public, official or private services;
f) Sound and transparent management of all resources especially the most important, namely human resources; by using them as the backbone of development at all institutional levels, from the national to the local, the country shall be put back on track, thus ensuring the present and future expansion of the people and neutralising selfish groups of individuals who, unscrupulously and lawlessly, plan an organised embezzlement of the nation’s wealth;
g) New management of Cameroonian diplomacy by humanising it on the one hand, and transforming it into an instrument of exchange, monitoring and easy dialogue with our partners on the other hand, with a view to constructing and developing our common humanity ;
h) New approaches which are consonant with the lofty essence of diplomacy towards diplomatic missions present in Cameroon and the impetus of new dynamics for our representations abroad;
i) Increased rationalisation of the management of international cooperation by taking and consolidating new initiatives, first at the Central African Sub-regional level, then at regional level within the framework of the African Union and finally at international level, both bilaterally and multilaterally, notably with such institutions as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Union, etc.
j) The culture of moral and genuine democratic principles as basis and enlightenment of the life and activities of citizens and institutions.
IV- Call upon the other political parties, the entire population and living forces of the Nation, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Trade Unions and all patriots and democrats, irrespective of political affiliations, to join this initiative, and appeal for the support of all friends of Cameroon.
Done in Yaounde, 20th August 2003
Dr. Adamou NDAM NJOYA, CDU National President
Ni John FRU NDI, SDF National Chairman
The end
More documents
|
