By Joel Honoré Kouam
They were part of the hundreds of workers who took the streets on Monday protesting the sack, but were teargassed and dispersed by the police.
Over 1500 workers have been relieved of their jobs – majority of them without explanation, which they claimed infringed on their rights.
The protesters are workers of a ship yard in charge of boats construction, Chantier Naval et Industriel du Cameroun, CNIC
and another company, PLACAM, both operating in Douala.
Our reporter gathered that the sacked workers had earlier engaged their employers in talks, but nothing positive was arrived at.
The ship yard company said its decision to retrench 473 out of its 740 workers was based on current economic situation and decaying equipment.
Mr Paul Tsafack, a dismissed employee of PLACAM said, the company laid off 200 people and the government of Cameroon is quiet, adding that “we are out to fight for our rights.”
He accused authorities of being bribed by the company, saying “all of them have taken money… the governor has ordered the police to come and kill Cameroonian youth, fathers and mothers of children who are asking for their legal rights.
“Look here are the police, and there are young people who have fallen into the water, others were put in the car and taken away; they want war… the governor, the prefect, deputy prefects, police, gendarmerie.
“They all are corrupt they took money from the company, they took money from PLACAM “
