Anger as Biya refuses to reveal secret dossier on risks of an alternation of power...

CPDM Ministers are refusing to make public a secret dossier drawn up to identify the risks to Cameroon after Paul Biya`s presidency.

The decision to block release of the internal risk situation on the 2013 poll means voters will not be able to find out the potential hazards flagged up by Cameroon government civil servants.

The refusal to publish, which the SDF has put down to the CPDM`s secrecy obsession will now be investigated by a coalition of opposition parties represented in the National Assembly and organisations from the civil society in accordance with the Parliament`s regulation.

Risk situations which are compiled by the government bodies to outline the dangers of policies, shot up the political agenda last year during the debate over Cameroon Coalition government`s controversial corruption and embezzlement's trial of former members of the government and former Chief Executive Officers of state owned companies  within the so called " Operation Epervier" or the systematic cleaning of likely challengers to the presidency.

Activists and freedom of expression campaigners think that there is a huge considerable public interest in disclosure and therefore the government should release the information. Alex Gustave Ahttp://www.facebook.com/alex.gustave  a human rights activist said " there is nothing the public hates more than hypocrisy".

Although the Government confirmed holding the documents, the request was turned down on the grounds that Ministers required time for seeking individually private advice. The coalition government has no real intention of publishing the risk situations before the 2013 poll is held.

Joseph M. Ndam, leader of the SDF parliamentary group at the National Assembly said that the decision to block release of the risk dossier comes amid fears Paul Biya is taking an unduly conservative attitude towards the freedom of expression and information from the constitution.

An internal review of the decision also backed secrecy with officials noting that the situation was an assessment based on what might hypothetically happen rather than fact. 

The review, conducted by a group of officials in the government`s department of strategic and policy forecast, concluded that it was in the public interest for Ministers to receive advice which includes a comprehensive assessment of all risk.