The 2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices by Ambassador Robert P. Jackson

On the occasion of the release of the 2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – commonly called the Human Rights Report – by the United States Department of State, I wish to note that the protection of fundamental human rights was a foundation stone in the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago.  Since then, the promotion of democracy and respect for human rights has been a central goal of U.S. foreign policy.  The United States understands that the existence of human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, helps secure the peace, deter aggression, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises.

It is worth noting that when it comes to protecting human rights and advancing social justice, no country has a perfect record.  All countries, including the United States, need advocates for human rights and social justice.  International nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other governments write human rights reports on the U.S., and the U.S. recently submitted a major human rights report on itself to the UN Human Rights Council.  Human rights are universal, and the United States considers itself accountable for the same human rights standards that it applies to every country in the world.

One way in which the United States endeavors to promote respect for and protection of human rights is through these annual reports, which cover almost all countries to include the Republic of Cameroon.  The reports cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  The Country Reports explore trends and developments and provide a specific, detailed picture of human rights conditions in countries around the world.  The U.S. Department of State has compiled these reports for the past 35 years to develop a full, factual record that can help U.S. policymakers to make intelligent and well-informed policy decisions.  Increasingly, policymakers abroad have used the reports, and they have become a core reference document for governments, international organizations, and concerned citizens throughout the world.

In preparing the report on Cameroon, the Department of State relied on information collected by officials at our Embassy and on information from other governments and multilateral organizations.  Much of the information contained in the report on Cameroon came from or is based upon the Report by the Ministry of Justice on Human Rights in Cameroon in 2009.  We also solicited and relied on useful information from other government sources and nongovernmental human rights groups, both those operating internationally and those that work in Cameroon.  The Department collected information from academics, lawyers, trade unions, religious leaders, and the media.  While we benefited from these many inputs, the U.S. Government alone bears responsibility for the content of this report -- the preparation of which involves a major commitment of time and energy by hundreds of people, and includes a lengthy process of fact-checking and editing to ensure high standards of accuracy and objectivity.  The report identifies issues of concern and areas of progress.

To Cameroon’s credit, according to the Report by the Ministry of Justice on Human Rights in Cameroon in 2009, which was released in 2010, the government in 2009 prosecuted at least four security force members for arbitrary killings, at least ten security officers for torture, and at least 20 others for physically harming citizens.  At least 599 police officers and 18 gendarmes were sanctioned in 2009 for acts ranging from failure to follow orders to corruption, falsification of official documents, abuse of authority, use of excessive force, extortion of money, arbitrary arrest, blackmail, aggravated theft and dangerous use of arms.  During 2009 and 2010 the government also sanctioned dozens of government employees for corruption and mismanagement.  In 2009, the National Anticorruption Commission (CONAC), the country's principal independent anticorruption agency, reportedly received 312 petitions concerning corruption and related offenses, of which 238 resulted in prosecution.  The United States applauds this transparency and the efforts to address impunity and corruption.

However, in spite of these admirable efforts, problems remain.  Human rights abuses in Cameroon included killings and other abuses by security forces, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, and arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens, including local human rights monitors and activists.  There were incidents of prolonged and sometimes incommunicado pretrial detention and of infringement on privacy rights.  The government restricted freedoms of speech, assembly, and association.  Official corruption remained pervasive at all levels.  Societal violence and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation; trafficking in persons, primarily children; and discrimination against pygmies and homosexuals occurred.  Child labor, hereditary servitude, and forced labor were also problems.

Human rights, democracy, and good governance are important to us everywhere in the world, and one aspect of diplomatic relations is that governments regularly discuss these issues with each other.  These discussions form part of an ongoing dialogue with governments, including the Government of Cameroon, on all issues of mutual importance.  They ensure that the excellent relations between our countries continue.  We will continue to work with Cameroon to improve its human rights record and to acknowledge progress on the protection of fundamental human rights when appropriate.  Indeed, the United States is working with Cameroon to address many human rights issues, implementing programs to train security forces, improve prison conditions, combat trafficking in persons and strengthen civil society.

You may read a copy of the current and previous reports on the Department of State’s internet site (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt).  We will soon have the report for Cameroon in French as well as English on the embassy website (http://yaounde.usembassy.gov).  You may also wish to explore http://www.HumanRights.gov, a new public website that highlights human rights globally.