Prison Conditions in Cameroon: the Narratives Of
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PRISON CONDITIONS IN CAMEROON: THE NARRATIVES OF FEMALE INMATES by HELEN NAMONDO FONTEBO submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY in the subject SOCIOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR ME RABE JUNE 2013 SUMMARY PRISON CONDITIONS IN CAMEROON: THE NARRATIVES OF FEMALE INMATES This study explores and critically analyses the lived experiences of female inmates in six selected prisons in Cameroon. The study contributes to the available knowledge regarding prison conditions from the perspectives of female inmates– a subject which has been under researched globally and has received little attention from researchers in Cameroon. The Cameroon Penitentiary Regulation (CPR) professes to be gender neutral and, therefore, it ignores the special needs of female inmates. The central research question is: How do the national policies and laws on prison conditions in Cameroon relate to the lived and narrated experiences of female inmates? The study is informed by two major frameworks, namely, Foucault’s analytical framework from his seminal work Discipline and Punish (1977) and a feminist analytical framework, standpoint feminism, which fills the gap in Foucault’s thesis that is largely devoid of gender analysis. The study is qualitative, using in-depth interviews and observations. It involved a sample of 38 research participants, comprising 18 female inmates, 18 prison staff members and two NGO representatives. The findings reveal that both international and national ratified policies are merely “paperwork”, lacking effective implementation in the prisons selected for this study. There is a general lack of infrastructural facilities in prisons and this prevents classification as suggested by the CPR 1992 and ratified international instruments. In general, there was a lack of educational and other training facilities in all the prisons visited. The few educational facilities available were those supported by NGOs and FBOs, suggesting that, without their presence in prisons, prison conditions would have been even more appalling than the findings revealed. Torture and corporal punishment were meted out to female inmates, regardless of the regular visits by human rights organisations to prisons. There are no provisions made for conjugal visits in the prisons. Same-sex relationships exist in Cameroonian prisons, either because of sexual preference or as a substitute for heterosexual relationships. ii The reform of the dated CPR 1992 and the Cameroon Penal Code 1967 is essential. Such reform should take into consideration both the specific needs of female inmates and current debates on the imprisonment of women. KEY TERMS: Prison conditions, Cameroon, narratives, female inmates, feminist criminology, discipline and punishment, pregnancy, breastfeeding and childbearing, sexuality, NGOs and FBOs. iii Student Number: 47777990 DECLARATION I declare that “Prison conditions in Cameroon: The narratives of female inmates” is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. ----------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Signature Date HELEN NAMONDO FONTEBO iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My studies in South Africa gave me the best opportunity of my life to discover and explore many things. This state of affairs came about and progressed successfully because of a combination of factors, most of which were not my own doing. It is usual in such circumstances to appreciate every person who was part of this success story. That said and done, I reserve special appreciation for my supervisor, Professor Marlize Rabe. I could not have wished more than to have an academic of her calibre as my supervisor. Her mastery of the subject, patience at my failings, guidance and encouragement, diligence and appetite for research were the assets I needed most to carry this research through. I wish also to extend my sincere appreciation to the Department of Student Funding, University of South Africa, for the bursary that enabled me complete this work. I am also grateful to Cameroon’s Ministry of Higher Education and the authorities at the University of Buea for the study leave which enabled me to suspend my duties as a lecturer for the period I needed to be in South Africa. I also wish to thank those students who were deprived of my services during the period of my absence, especially those who had approached me personally to be their supervisor. I am grateful to my mentors and teachers, Professor Nalova Lyonga, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, Professor Joyce Endeley, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea in charge of Teaching, Professionalisation and Development of Information and Communication Technologies and Professor Martha Tumnde, Dean of Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, who encouraged me to pursue a doctoral degree. I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge my colleagues who always kept in touch to offer encouragement and valuable information on relevant academic and professional matters. I want to thank especially Justice Vera Ngassa for her spiritual encouragement and for taking on my students in my absence. I am also indebted to the penitentiary staff of the six selected prisons in Cameroon and the NGO representatives for their assistance during my fieldwork. I must also not leave out the beautiful female inmates who, tirelessly and in pain, shared with me the secrets of their often extremely agonising life experiences in prison. v I would like to acknowledge my friends, especially Olabode Thomas, Anita Le Roux, Carole Cilliers, Dominic Makwa and Caroline Agboola and also the spiritual daughters and sons who gave me moral support when I needed it most. My special thanks go to the Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry Buea for their financial support before I left Cameroon for South Africa and to the Shofar Christian Church in Pretoria which received me into the family of God and supported me, both financially and in prayers. Special thanks also go to the Full Gospel Mission, Great Soppo, for the ongoing spiritual support during the final stage of my work. Finally, I am very grateful to the members of my family: My dad, Chief Linonge France Kinge, and my mum, Mrs Julie Enanga Mbella, and also my step parents, Mr John Mbella Messinge, Mrs Mary Ngowo Linonge and Mrs Regina Efosi Linonge, for their special contribution to my academic life and their encouragement to continue studying. I also say thank you to all my siblings who supported me financially and through messages of encouragement via emails or telephone calls. Above all, I thank my heavenly Father who gave me the inspiration to write this thesis. vi DEDICATION No person living is more deserving of this research than my beloved husband, Fontebo Walters Mbah, whose endearing love and support brings out the best in me – a patient husband who endured my constant absence and assisted wholeheartedly to transcribe the interviews conducted in the course of this study. vii LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS Photograph 1 : Map of Cameroon showing the different prisons .......................................... 113 Photograph 2 : Entrance to Prison A and a view of the watch towers, truck and maize (Fieldwork photograph [FP]) ................................................................................................. 118 Photograph 3 :Colonial iron beds used in the cell of female inmates at PA 2010 (FP) ......... 118 Photograph 4 : A view of the female cell at PA during a visit of a CSO (FP). ..................... 119 Photograph 5 : Old dilapidated, colonial toilet facility for female inmates at PA (Left) and the semi modern toilet at PB (Right) (FP) ................................................................................... 123 Photograph 6 : The wall and gate separating the female and the male inmates (FP) ............ 124 Photograph 7 : Library PA, (FP July 2009) ........................................................................... 161 Photograph 8 : A view of the female yard, PA (FP) .............................................................. 163 Photograph 9 : The courtyard of Kondengui Prison in Yaounde (Tande 2012) .................... 168 Photograph 10 : Drugs stored in the cupboard of the prison infirmary PA(FP March 2011) 262 Photograph 11 : Beds in the outpatient ward in the prison infirmary (FP March 2011) ....... 268 viii LIST OF TABLES Table 1 : Distribution of inmates per staff ratio, capacity and prison population ................. 108 Table 2 : Distribution of categories of prisoners ................................................................... 143 Table 3 : Distribution of children according to caregivers during the mothers’ imprisonment ................................................................................................................................................ 228 Table 4 : Nutritional subventions for four central prisons in Cameroon ............................... 244 Table 5 : Health subventions for 10 central prisons in Cameroon in 2008............................ 244 Table 6 : Demographic characteristics of female inmates in selected prisons in Cameroon . 330 Table 7 : Demographic characteristics of prison staff and NGO resource persons in selected prisons in Cameroon .............................................................................................................. 331 ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ACAT Action by Christians for