Contexte de création du SED/CACVG
The creation of the Secretariat of State for Defence in charge of ex-servicemen and War Victims, abbreviated as “SED/CACVG”, arises from the political will of the President of the Republic, Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Paul BIYA. The purpose is, on the one hand, to pay a vibrant tribute to all military personnel who have served under the flag, and on the other hand, to show the Nation’s gratitude to its daughters and sons for their loyalty to the Republican institutions. This political will was the driving force behind President Paul BIYA’s speech on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Cameroon Army, celebrated in Bamenda from December 08 to 09, 2010, which was described as one of his ” Major Announcements “.
During the 50th anniversary of the Cameroonian Army held in Bamenda from 8 to 9 December 2010, the Chief of the Armed Forces, reflected this political will in his speech and expressed what was described as “Major announcements’’. “(…) I hail with great affection the memory of those among them who fell on the field of honor while defending the Fatherland. I would like to assure their families that their sacrifice will never be forgotten (…) I have decided to create a Secretariat of State for Ex-servicemen, Former Military Personnel and War Victims(…)“.
This announcement came to fruition with Decree No 2011/400 to lay down organization of Government from December 09, 2011, then the appointment of Mr. KOUMPA ISSA as Secretary of State to the Ministry of Defence in charge of Ex-Servicemen and War Victims through Decree No. 2011/409 of December 09, 2011. Afterwards, Decree No. 2012/387 of September 14, 2012 was issued to lay down organization and functioning of this organic structure of the Ministry of Defence.
It is worth recalling that before the creation the Secretariat of State to the Ministry of Defence in charge of Ex-servicemen and War Victims, Ex-Servicemen and Former Military Personnel were under the responsibility of by various institutions within the Ministry of Defence.
- ONAC underwent a number of reforms in 1967, 1976 and 2001 when it changed its acronym to ONACAM. This public administrative institution, which interacts with partners in the field of remembrance, particularly in the maintenance of funeral sites and monuments dedicated to French soldiers, also manages certain buildings and constructions left by the colonial administration.
- ONACAM also facilitates the participation of ex-servicemen in official commemorative ceremonies such as the military parade during national celebrations by coordinating local groupings.
- Beyond the fact that ONACAM was responsible for certain aspects, the Head of State nevertheless felt the need to give another dimension to the heritage of national memory. This explains why the Head of State, President Paul Biya, decided to include a section dedicated to memory and remembrance in a decree of 14 September 2012, to organise the Secretariat of State for Defence in charge of Ex-Servicemen and War Victims (SED/CACVG). Article 3 of this decree provides that this structure of the Ministry of Defence is, among other missions, responsible for ‘… maintaining, developping and promoting the sacred duty of memory and remembrance…’. This provision is backed up by Article 12, which sets out the remit of the Division of Memory and Remembrance, stating that it is responsible for: “preserving and perpetuating the memory of all those who died for the country, and transmitting the duty of remembrance to future generations by fostering an ideal of love for the country…”.
Background
- From the first years of independence, Cameroon was concerned with the creation of a historical memory fund at the military level. The young State of Cameroon had to take into account its citizens who had served militarily in international campaigns (First and Second World Wars, the Indochina War, etc.) but also in the maintenance of order in a context waved by divergences on the opportunity and dates of the accession to independence. In English-speaking regions, there is an association of ex-servicemen who fought under the British Crown, FUCEMOC (The Fraternal Union of Cameroon Ex-Servicemen Of the Crown).
- A national ex-servicemen’s office, ONAC, (in French, Office National des Anciens Combattants) was set up in 1965. The State thus provided a legal framework for these men to share their war memories as well as to discuss their rights vis-à-vis the former metropolis, namely their pension rights
Missions
In accordance with Decree No. 2012/387 of 14 September 2012 to lay down the organisation and functioning of the Secretariat of State for Defence in charge of Ex-servicemen and War Victims, the main missions devolved to the SED/CACVG fall into three (03) main areas:
- Assistance and guidance;
- Retraining and reintegration;
- Fostering of the sacred duty of remembrance and memory.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
The SED/CACVG is governed by :
- Decree No. 2001/177 of 25 July 2001 to organize the Ministry of Defence and its subsequent amendments;
- Decree No. 2012/387 of 14 September 2012 to lay down the organization and functioning of the Secretariat of State at the Ministry of Defence in charge of Ex-Servicemen and War Victims.
OUR TARGETS
Ex-servicemen
Any citizen of Cameroonian nationality who has served either in the national armed forces or in foreign forces as a result of pre-independence institutions or who has served in a multinational force or mission under the aegis of an international organisation;
Any serviceman who is retired from the National Gendarmerie, and the Armed Forces, with the exception of those who have been struck off or retired for offences of honour or for disciplinary reasons;
Any Cameroonian citizen who has served in the national civic guard and has not been struck off from this structure.
War victims
Any serviceman or civilian who, having taken part in an armed conflict, has suffered a physical, mental or moral handicap as a result of that armed conflict, or of a mission placed under the aegis of an international organisation.
Their claimants
Any person who can inherit from an ex-serviceman or War Victim according to the regulations in force.
Military personnel at the end of active duty
They are military personnel close to retirement.
General public
