Bakah Derick in Bamenda
Leading Internet Rights NGO, A Common Future has been talking of
the need for media practitioners in Cameroon to join the civil society in
pressing Members of Parliament see the need to pass a digital rights
legislation.
During a press conference organized by the Coordinator of A Common
Future last May 17, 2019, Journalists were told that they had an interest in
joining the campaign because the passage of bill would benefit them more than
anyone else.
Colbert Gwain pointed out sections of the bill that directly speak
to the protection of Journalists and other social media actors. He was of the
opinion that since Journalists cannot function without the internet, it would
be important for Journalists to join the education and sensitisation campaign
targeted at MPs and Senators who are currently meeting in session in Yaounde.
Recalling how Journalists suffered more than anyone else when
internet was shutdown in Cameroon in April 2017, the Coordinator of A Common
Future told Journalists during the press conference that the passage of
legislation in digital rights was one sure way of making sure internet
shutdowns do not become a new Common in Cameroon.
Fielding questions on the content of the bill, Colbert Gwain said
the bill was intended to make sure the rights citizens were entitled to offline
were also enjoyed online. He said the bill sort to protect and promote an open,
interconnected and inter-related internet in Cameroon. Issues such as freedom
of speech and expression, internet access, privacy, data protection,
encyrption, consumer rights, access to publicly-funded research and more
importantly, the enforcement of digital rights are the main concerns of the bill.
During the one hour long question and answer session organizers
also presented campaign materials to the over 30 Journalists including
infographics, fact sheets and a copy of the proposed bill.
It should be recalled that A Common Future is a leading digital
rights civil society that has since the unfortunate events of 2017 that led to
the longest internet shutdown the world has ever witnessed stepped up efforts
for Cameroon to have a digital rights bill.
This latest campaign to see
a bill passed in parliament is benefiting from technical support and financial
assistance from the International Center for Non-profit Law, ICNL, a U.S based
organization working to improve the legal environment around the world.