Topic: Prison Reform
Country: Cameroon
Delegate Name: Tyler Worm
School: Traverse City West High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Cameroon position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
Human rights is an important factor to be concerned with regarding prisoners. Far too often rules and regulations are overlooked in the prison system. International law set down by many years of U.N. conferences have given a guideline of what to follow. While these laws are easily reached by developed and prospering countries, not all are able to live up to the expectations.
In developing countries like Cameroon, where money is short and regard for the law is even shorter, there is little concern given to the treatment of prisoners. In prison conditions where it is crowded and unhygienic, there is not enough devotion or money to solve the problem.
Cameroon has been through a great deal in the past few years. Since the 1980’s, we have been increasing in debt. This left less and less money available for spending on prisons, and we have overcrowded, poorly staffed, and filthy prison environments. Many prisons are old and outdated. The Newbell Central Prison was constructed in 1935 to hold 800 people. Today it exists with no new additions holding over 3,500 people. The conditions are not meant to be tortuous, but many inmates would rather risk being shot while escaping than stay in the prisons. The guards pose another major issue. There are too few, too ill-equipped and too ill-trained. The prison only has 150 guards where 700 are needed. And in 2007, many went on strike, some still waiting trial.
Long trial waits are common in the prison system. The are not enough magistrates to handle all the cases, and over half of the current prison population are awaiting trial. We hardly condone such actions, but when there is not enough money to fix the problem, there is little we can do to prevent such atrocities to man. The NGO and UN have highlighted several embarrassing cases of neglect within the prison system. However, in 2000 we became eligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. Since then, we have strived to renew the prison system. Cases of negligence have decreased, and in 2007 we adopted the Cameroon Criminal Procedure Code.
Developing countries like Cameroon to do not try to have inhumane prisons. There is simply not enough money to devote to prison reform while trying to remain active in other international aspects. There is not enough dedication among the people to see this through, they have questions that we do not have answers for, and they have little faith. It is one thing to criticize another country on it’s inhumane and intolerable prison system, but we see no help coming from the accusers. It is up to international cooperation to improve conditions for all, there needs to be available aid to countries needing prison reform, not more accusations.
