Urgent action appeal: Hundreds of families evicted, homeless in Douala, Cameroon

The year 2023 is off to a difficult start for the populations of Douala, the commercial capital of Cameroon. Nearly 500 inhabitants of the Bessengue Valley quarter of Douala saw their houses razed over more than 500m2 by the authorities of the WOURI District on 5 January. The families spent their next nights under the stars after the eviction of a hundred constructions deemed illegally erected.

It should be noted that, already in 2022, the authorities destroyed 5,000 houses in the Bessengue quarter. At that point, the Sawa traditional chiefs of Wouri had unsuccessfully asked the authorities for support measures. And even already in November 2011, in the Bessengue quarter, about thirty families had been threatened with eviction.

The parties responsible for the violations

The demolition of the Bessengue Valley quarter in Douala was a decision taken by the Minister of Domains, Cadastre and Land Affairs, of the Minister of Territorial Administration in consultation with the Town Hall of Douala, the railway company CAMRAIL (subsidiary of Bolloré Logistics) and the Cameroonian Company of Petroleum Depots (SCDP). The executors were the police under the supervision of the Prefect of the Department of WOURI Guy Emmanuel Tchapnga. The authorities mentioned proceeded to the destruction of temporary and even permanent dwellings made of local materials.

What You Can Do

Write to the authorities in Cameroon, urging that they:

• Immediately cease mass evictions and demolitions occurring in this neighborhood;
• Proceed with the compensation and resettlement of populations who have already left the neighborhood and who find themselves homeless.
• Proceed with the compensation of persons holding land titles and building permits.
• Take urgent action to ensure adequate alternative housing;
• Engage in frank dialogue with affected communities in accordance with human rights principles, especially CESCR General Comment No. 7;
• Uphold their obligations under international law and respect the right of all its citizens to legal protection of their human rights, including adequate housing, participation and expression;
• Full reparations for gross violations such as forced evictions.

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