Resolute Quest For Transparency

News fell on Tuesday 21 April 2020 as a bombshell from the Presidency of the Republic announcing the results of the Commission of Inquiry on the tragic events of the night of 13-14 February 2020 in the village of Ngarbuh, Donga Mantung Division in the North West Region. Many had thought that instructions given by the Head of State for the setting up of the mixed inquiry team were meant for confidential purposes. Such fears were laid to rest following the publication of the results of the findings. 
It did not only reveal the depth and resolve of President Paul Biya to shed light on the  killings and spell out responsibilities, but also the desire by the Head of State to give all the information surrounding the sad incident. The first indication of such a determination was the composition of the members of the Commission that was headed by the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence in charge of the Gendarmerie. With the likes of the Bishop of Kumbo Diocese, His Grace George Nkuo, the Chairman of the National Commission for Human Rights and Freedoms Dr Chemuta Divine Banda, the Imam of Ntumbaw  Central Mosque, Ahmadou Baba Sale, and others. These are people who enjoy untainted credibility and could have been in possession of first hand information about the incident when it occurred, given that some of the major actors are today seen as having attempted to conceal some of the facts. Another indication was the decision to include the United Nations Organisation to participate in the work of the Commission. Now that the results presented on Tuesday state clearly that the UN has promised to provide technical support to Cameroon judicial authorities now in charge of the matter shows that the Head of State is determined to go beyond the findings of the Commission to ensure that justice is effectively done.     
By stating the path that the results of the inquiry will take now that those responsible have been cited and their roles clearly presented, the Head of State has thus underlined the desire to let the national and international communities to fully know what happened and how government is dealing with the issues. As such, he has instructed that disciplinary and court proceedings should be followed so that those involved can face the consequences of their acts. 
Any cover up that people might have wanted to create around the Ngarbuh massacre where children and women were killed is today proving to have been the wrong thing to do. The decisions taken by the Head of State are a demonstration that those involved did not only take the law into their hands, but failed to appreciate t...