Definitive Report - Report No 93, 1967

Case No 418 (Cameroon) - Complaint date: 26-OCT-64 - Closed

1. 131. This case has already been examined by the Committee at its 40th, 42nd, and 43rd Sessions held in May 1965, February 1966 and May 1966 respectively. On the first two occasions the Committee submitted interim reports which may be found in paragraphs 324 to 359 of its 83rd Report and 264 to 276 of its 87th Report respectively. At its 43rd Session the Committee submitted, in paragraphs 98 to 124 of its 90th Report, its definitive conclusions on this case to the Governing Body, which approved them at its 165th Session (May 1966).

132. The complainants alleged, among other things, that six trade unionists, including Mr. Ngamby, a Workers' substitute member of the I.L.O. Governing Body, had been arrested and detained arbitrarily. In a first series of observations the Government declared that the arrest of the persons mentioned had been motivated by the discovery at Mr. Ngamby's home of subversive documents likely to endanger the internal security of the State.

1. 133. Considering that this answer was insufficient the Committee, at its sessions held in May 1965 and February 1966, had recommended the Governing Body to request the Government to furnish more detailed additional information as to the exact reasons for the arrest of the persons concerned, and in particular, as to the precise nature of the documents the possession of which by those persons had, in the Government's view, justified the measures taken against them.
2. 134. Having taken note at its session held in May 1966 that the Government stated that for reasons of security it could not reveal the contents of the documents whose tenor the Committee and the Governing Body wished to know, the Committee recommended the Governing Body, inter alia:
3. ......................................................................................................................................................
4. (b) to take note of the allegations made by the complainants concerning the arrest of trade union leaders and the Government's observations thereon, and to express its regret that the Government has not furnished the information requested by the Committee and without which the Committee is not in a position to formulate conclusions on the merits of this aspect of the case;
5. (c) to draw the Government's attention, for the reasons indicated in paragraphs 119 and 120 above, to the fact that every government should make it its duty to ensure that human rights are respected, in particular the right of prisoners to be brought to trial in the shortest possible time before an impartial and independent judiciary authority;
6. (d) to express the hope that the Government will find itself able to take into account the principles set forth in subparagraph (c) above in the case of trade union leaders still in detention.
7. 135. These recommendations, having been adopted by the Governing Body, were communicated to the Government and the complainants by letters dated 7 June 1966.
8. 136. Since then, two communications dated 15 July and 24 August 1966 have been received by the Director-General from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the Government respectively. Both these communications informed the Director-General of the release of the trade unionists who had been detained.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 137. While it does not consider that there is any reason to alter the conclusions previously reached in this case, the Committee recommends the Governing Body to take note of the release of the persons concerned.