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Cameroon: The Social Democratic Front (Front social démocrate, SDF), including its structure, its organization and its membership card (April 2005)

The Social Democratic Front (Front social démocrate, SDF) was founded in 1990 (SDF n.d.; Europa 2004 2004, 990; Political Parties of the World 2005, 106), but was legally recognized in 1991 (ibid.). The short form of the party's name is SDF, even in French (SDF 1990, art. 1). John Fru Ndi is its president, and Tazoacha Asonganyi is its secretary-general (Europa 2004 2004, 990; Political Parties of the World 2005 106; SDF n.d.).

In the 25 October 2004 presidential election, the SDF president won 17.4 per cent of the vote, putting him in second place (Africa Research Bulletin 31 Oct. 2004, 15948; IRIN 26 Oct. 2004). In the 2002 legislative elections, the SDF won 22 seats (Europa 2004 2004, 986; SDF n.d.), earning it second place after the governing Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (Rassemblement démocratique du peuple camerounais, RDPC), which won 149 of the 180 seats in the Cameroonian National Assembly (ibid.).

According to Country Reports, "[n]atives of the North West and South West Provinces have tended to support the opposition party SDF" (28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 5). The same source stated that these people "have suffered disproportionately from human rights violations committed by the Government and its security forces" (Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 5). According to Political Parties of the World, 19 out of 22 SDF seats were won in the North West province, which is English-speaking (2005, 106).

For more information on the SDF's organization and its membership procedures, please see the excerpts from the SDF constitution (in French only) attached to this Response. Articles 6, 7 and 8, respectively, address conditions of membership, the rights and obligations of members, and the circumstances in which a person can lose his or her membership. Articles 9 to 24 address the various bodies within the party and the functions attributed to each of them.

No information on the SDF membership card could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 31 October 2004. Vol. 41, No. 10. "Cameroon: Official Elections Results."

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. 28 February 2005. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41592.htm> [Accessed 28 Apr. 2005]

The Europa World Year Book 2004. 2004. 44th Ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.

Front social démocrate (SDF). 1990. Constitution : statuts du front social démocrate. <http://www.sdfparty.org/french/references/91.php> [Accessed 27 Apr. 2005]
_____. n.d. "À propos du Front social démocrate." <http://www.sdfparty.org/french> [Accessed 26 Apr. 2005]

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 26 October 2004. "Cameroon: Biya Officially Declared Winner of Presidential Election." (Dialog)

Political Parties of the World. 2005. 6th Ed. Edited by Szajkowski, Bogdan. London: John Harper Publishing.

Attachment

Front social démocrate (FSD). 1990. Constitution : statuts du front social démocrate : préambule. <http://www.sdfparty.org/french/references/91.php> [Accessed 27 Apr. 2005], pp. 1-21.

Additional Sources Consulted

Publications: Africa Confidential, Africa Research Bulletin, L'Afrique des Grands Lacs : annuaire 2004, Europa World Yearbook, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Resource Centre country file.

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica, Amnesty International, digitalcongo.net, European Country of Origin Information Network (Ecoi), Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Crisis Group (ICG), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), MISNA, United States Department of State.