Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé)
Emmanuel Kendemeh
14 December 2004
The Mbororo community in Yaounde grouped under the umbrella of the Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association (MBOSCUDA), last December 11 assembled at the Mbororo Ardorate at Etoudi to learn more about their rights and responsibilities.
This was within the framework of a one-day workshop organised on the vulgarisation of Convention 169 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on the living and working conditions of indigenous and tribal peoples as well as make governments protect them.
Mrs Bouba Hawe, the president of the Women Social and Welfare Committee of MBOSCUDA, explained that indigenous people are a " marginalised minority group of people who have either totally or partially maintained their language, culture, traditions, mode of life and history which distinguish them from the dominant ethnic groups in society". She further said that the Cameroon government recognises the Mbororos and pygmies as indigenous people. Talking about Mbororos in particular, Bouba Hawe stated that they "represent 12 per cent of the total population in Cameroon but suffer discrimination from the other ethnic groups and even the State". She justified her claim by arguing that illiteracy rate among the Mbororos in the country is 85 per cent.
The first Vice President of MBOSCUDA, Manu Jaji Gidado corroborated Bouba Hawe's declaration when he stated that "Mbororos come second after pygmies as the most backward people in Cameroon". He lauded the efforts of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in trying to bring the indigenous people to the limelight. This was testified by the presence of the Cameroon country representative of the ILO, Cheaka Touré at the workshop. He equally saluted the presence of former Minister Abety Peter who has contributed a lot to alleviate the plight of Mbororo people.
Manu Jaji said that the workshop in Yaounde which comes after similar ones organised in different parts of the country by MBOSCUDA, was a forum to educate and sensitise the Mbororo people on their rights and responsibilities. To ensure better understanding, the hundreds of Mbororos who attended the workshop were lectured in English, French and Fulfuldé. Convention 169 of the ILO guarantees the rights of Mbororos to citizenship and fundamental freedoms. Specific rights stated in the convention include those related to access to land and natural resources, employment, education and training, economic activities, means of communication, social security and health. The convention also spells out the responsibilities of indigenous people, decision-makers, government, Parliamentarians, the civil society and Non Governmental Organisations.
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