Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2017 to Question 110340, whether he plans to make further representations to the Prime Minister of Cameroon on reports of genocide in that country.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Our High Commissioner in Yaoundé has raised our concerns about the situation in the Anglophone region, including their obligations under international law in respect to human rights, with Prime Minister Philemon Yang and the Secretary General of the Presidency on 22 November. In these and several other recent meetings with Cameroonian Ministers, he called on the Cameroonian Government to exercise restraint, enter into purposeful and inclusive dialogue and to take action to reduce tensions. The High Commissioner will continue to raise our concerns, including Cameroon's obligations under international law in respect to human rights, with the Prime Minister and others members of his government.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth Affairs, what support is being made available to Anglophone citizens of Cameroon.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The Department for International Development supports the education, health and agriculture sectors across Cameroon through regional programmes and multilateral partners. The British Government does not provide specific support to Anglophone citizens. Our High Commissioner in Yaoundé has been following events in the Anglophone regions closely and has actively raised the need for dialogue and restraint with the Cameroonian authorities, including their obligations under international law in respect to human rights. We continue to call for restraint, for all parties to reject violence, pursue dialogue and urgently take action to reduce tensions.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on a Communique sent to the Anglophone population of Southern Cameroon on its being required to evacuate its villages.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The United Kingdom understands that a Communiqué was issued by the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) of Manyu District (South-West Region) on 1 December ordering villagers to relocate to safer neighbourhoods. The High Commissioner in Yaoundé is following events in the Anglophone regions closely and has actively raised the need for dialogue and restraint with the Cameroonian authorities, including their obligations under international law in respect to human rights. We continue to call for restraint, for all parties to reject violence, pursue peaceful, inclusive and purposeful dialogue, and urgently take action to reduce tensions.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Cameroon.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Our High Commission in Yaoundé continues to follow events in the Anglophone regions closely, meeting opposition groups, human rights defenders and the Cameroonian authorities. The lack of verifiable information on the human rights situation, including allegations of rape, makes it difficult to give an accurate assessment. However, the High Commissioner will continue to raise our concerns with the Cameroonian authorities, including Cameroon's obligations under international law in respect to human rights. The British Government condemns sexual violence in conflict and is working with foreign governments, the United Nations, African Union, and international organisations to end it.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Cameroon on restoring internet access in the south of that country.
Answered by Rory Stewart
We are closely monitoring the situation in the south of Cameroon. Our High Commissioner in Yaoundé raised the question of access to the internet during his recent meetings with the Cameroonian Prime Minister and a number of his Cabinet Ministers, as well as with the Director General for Intelligence.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he or officials from his Department have made to the Government of Cameroon on recent alleged massacres in southern Cameroon.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The Government is deeply concerned to hear reports of deaths and injuries in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, including reports that civilians were killed by the security forces and many more were injured.
I released a statement on 4 October expressing the British Government's deep concern, urging restraint, and calling on all parties to reject violence and to enter into dialogue to find urgent solutions to Anglophone grievances.
Our High Commission in Yaoundé continues to follow events in the Anglophone regions closely, meeting opposition groups and the authorities. The High Commissioner has raised the need for dialogue and restraint with the Prime Minister and a number of his Cabinet Ministers, as well as the Director General for Intelligence. He also underlined the importance of Cameroon's obligations under international law in respect to human rights. He has also voiced the United Kingdom's concerns publicly in interviews on Cameroonian television.