On 18 January 2016, FIM and the Cameroon Musicians’ Union (SYCAMU) officially filed a complaint with the International Labour Organization’s Committee on Freedom of Association for breach by the Cameroon government of ILO’s Convention 87.
Last September, FIM sent a letter to the President of the Republic of Cameroon asking him to oppose the decision of his Prime Minister, Mr Philémon Yang, to order the Labour Minister to impose a ban on SYCAMU, which was reproached with being in breach of its own rules by organising a meeting aimed at creating a collecting society, since SOCAM (previously in charge of managing copyright and related rights for music) had ceased its activity.
FIM’s letter went unanswered but, in the meantime, some SYCAMU executives received unacceptable attempts at intimidation. Consequently, FIM and SYCAMU decided to bring the issue before ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association, which has to adjudicate at the latest one year after publication of the complaint, which should take place in March 2016.
We hope that this process will bring the Cameroon government round to reviewing its position and show more clear-sightedness in decisions which affect musicians and their union.