Moved by the bestiality of the human kind in the Kumba Central Prisons, International intern Marlies Rotshuizen has made a generous donation of FCFA 200.000, to assist the Prisoner's Rights Project at the Global Conscience Initiative in Kumba
Ms. Rotshuizen is an international law student from Utretch University in the Netherlands who has interned on the Prisoner's Rights Project for the past three months. She joined other international interns at GCI and together they investigated and documented conditions in the Kumba prisons working closely with indigent untried prisoners. Marlies said she was particular moved by one incident the prisoners of Kumba's prison recounted that took place on August 18, 2008, when the prison administration used excessive force to quell an alleged riot in the prisons. She said she saw the evidence, the scars of torture, cruel and inhuman treatment on prisoners, and this touched her heart. She is determined to contribute that the kind of abuses that happened in the Kumba prison in August of 2008 does not repeat itself and would like for the perpetrators of the gory abuses to be brought to justice.
Global Conscience Initiative's CEO expressed profound gratitude for her initiative and donation and has said the money will serve as an initial contribution for a Prisoners' Rights Fund to be created. Samba Churchill further said, “GCI will manage the fund judiciously to assist the prisoners of Kumba. Her donation is extremely symbolical as it comes at a time when GCI is faced with a situation in the Kumba Principal Prison that appalls the human conscience. The welding of chains on human beings is not something one could imagine would take place any where in the world in this modern age of human rights.”
Mr. Churchill expressed the hope that other well meaning Cameroonians will emulate Marlies' example and make a contribution towards alleviating the situation of the Kumba prisons and that of prisoners, especially that of persons in the awaiting trial section. “We all have a duty and a responsibility to look after prisoners because they are part of our community. Human Rights are inherent and universal rights. Thus, prisoners should not be deprived of these rights because they remain human beings”, the Chief Executive said.
The Chief Executive also said the donation will be put into a special fund for the prisons that he christens the GCI Marrot Prisons Fund. He said GCI will lobby the public to make donations into the fund for which a special bank account will be created and use the fund exclusively for her prison work.
