CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1.   Summary

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The whole project seeks to examine issues relating to human rights violation in Cameroon, especially in the Buea Central prison. Chapter one gives a general view on the y/hole research while chapter two deals with literature review and theoretical framework, chapter three examine’s the research design and methodology to the study of human rights in the Buea Central prison. Chapter four examine’s data presentation and analysis, testing of hypotheses. Chapter five examines basically conclusion and recommendations.

Summarily, the practice of human rights violation of prisoners especially in the Buea Central prison is very rife because it has eaten deep into the roots of the administrators, luck warm attitude on the public. It therefore has to take a combine effort of the general public, the government, and the prison administrators to combat the situation to end the practice of human rights violation in Buea Central prison.

5.2.   Conclusion

Cameroon upon independence promised to effectively put an end to all forms of human rights violation all over its territory with the 30 articles of the UDHR as part of its constitution. As signatory to numerous conventions, the UN and Africa Charter and other international treaties according to its 1996 constitution promising not just to combat human rights violation of prisoners but promote and protect the rights of all people found within its territory and its citizens abroad.

However, it failed to live according to these standards sets by these laws and it is for this reason that the government is being criticized for failing to maintain the minimum human rights standards as required by international observers. However, this is not the sole responsibility of the government but of the entire community as well. The passive attitude of our societies not only in politics but also in social issues gives room for human rights violation of prisoners and other types of violations.

The government has to sensitize the people on the vital role they have to play in fighting theses violations and controlling corruption and granting autonomy to its administrative arms to better ensure the rights of its citizens and their national wellbeing.

GCI spent two months investigating the human rights situation in Buea central prison. The focus has been on numerous areas of human rights, such as the rights to life, the right to food, health care, and freedom from torture and access to justice. The information was obtained during interviews with pre- trail detainees as well as with prisoners of other sectors of the prison, ex-prisoners and with families of the deceased detainees. The results of the investigation revealed shocking non- compliance with national and international human rights law. Within Buea central prison, there is a lack of sufficient nutrition, health care has been in some cases been actively denied and the prisoners have experienced extreme torture during which chains were welded to their ankles and/or wrists, resulting in the death of three inmates. Essentially, in all the areas under investigation, violation of human rights of prisoners was disclosed indicating the overall living conditions in Buea central prison to be inhumane.

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