A 2 day capacity building workshop grouping human right activist is underway in the city of Douala.Summoned by the UN high commission for refugees,seeks to enhance the protection of internally displaced persons as prescribed by the 2009 Kampala declaration.
The government of Cameroon and her united nations high commission for refugee partner have for several years now been multiplying efforts to protect and assist refugees as well as asylum seekers from the central African republic and Nigeria but above all internally displaced persons from the Far North, North west and south west regions as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency and socio-political brouhaha respectively.In the face of all these,it is imperative to rally all forces necessary in the implementation of the 2009 Kampala declaration on IDP’S.To this effect,a 2 day capacity building workshop is holding in Douala from December 12 – 13 to empower participants in the protection of DIP’S in Africa under the supervision of the minister delegate to the minister of justice,keeper of the seals Jean de Dieu Momo.Speaking at opening of the workshop,the minister praised the organizers and participants for dedicating their time to discuss together on how they could best satisfy the growing need of internally displaced persons as results of conflicts and natural disasters through the domestication of the African union convention for the protection and assistance of such victims in Africa.
However,Mme Bettina Gambert who is the assistant UN high commission resident for refugees in Cameroon says, a recent survey carried out in Cameroon shows that,more than I million DIP’S exist and more than 600.000 returnees and it might double if care is not taken since , the government is still battling with the Boko Haram crisis in the Far North,the socio-political tension in the restive english speaking regions is far from ending anytime soon and inter-tribal conflict in the east regions.
Nevertheless,the 2 day Douala conclave seeks to fortify participants with the technical know-how in the realization of their goals.Reason why ,Stephane Bonamy African regional director of HCR is his address, urged participants to propose meaningful ideas which could help resolve the plight of the concerned persons with strict compliance to the 2009 Kampala declaration which was carved out from the 1998 UN guiding principles on internal displacement in which, cameroon is a signatory,in international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law.
Henry Wana
