World Press Freedom Day - Don't Lock Up Information: Stop Jailing Journalists!

Imagine the unthinkable. Armed men barge into your office or home, lock you in handcuffs and abduct you. You are interrogated and thrown into a cell. There, you wait for hours, days or even weeks before you are charged.

You are a nuisance. You are a threat. Someone wants you out of the way.

More than 500 publishers and journalists were arrested and jailed in this way in 2005 and they number several thousand over the past decade. Dozens of them remain in prison today, serving sentences as long as 20 years.

Locking up journalists instils fear and sends a clear message: Don't meddle with affairs that don't concern you. Government corruption, for example, or criminal activity linked to influential personalities, or the absence of political pluralism and human rights.

With the exception of a handful of prominent cases, our colleagues who, deep in prison cells, are paying the price of their excessive curiosity or attachment to press freedom, are faceless and unknown other than to their families and colleagues.

The World Association of Newspapers believes that each and every one of these courageous men and women deserves our attention and solidarity and that we owe it to them to campaign for their release.

We need your help in doing this. On 3 May 2006, World Press Freedom Day, we ask you to support our efforts to highlight these shameful abuses, around the theme: 'Don't Lock Up Information: Stop Jailing Journalists!'

Thank you in advance – on behalf of our imprisoned colleagues – for your help.

Timothy Balding
Chief Executive Officer
World Association of Newspapers

Comments

[Legima Doh]

Let all the militants of the CPDM,SDF and other La republican political parties stop locking up information about the true plight of the Southern Cameroonians and its ultimate and unequivocal solution enshrined in the course pursued by the SCNC.Purporting that SDF can ever solve the Southern Cameroon problem is a mere cant and we therefore call on John Fru Ndi to stop deceiving our countrymen of the possibity of him a foreigner in the La Republican land of ever becoming their president.Let us all stand on the truth and by so doing we are waging a war against the blocking of information.
Legima Doh
SCNC,Sweden

[samleyin]

What is wrong with the post online? The post has always been very quick to report on Fru Ndi's lurching and staggering. How long and What is it going to take to post results on the latest primaries? Hmmm!

[rexon]

SDF is a thing of the past. It is time their militants from the southern cameroons who thought they have come to liberate the southern cameroons learn the SDF has nothing to offer. Their leaders, chairman, has done many horrible things to southern cameroonians that i fear, he may have brainwashed his militants in such a way that they are bound to support him. He is part of the virus (PMUC) that have destroyed our economy.

As we are writing and arguing here, they are shying from addressing the following issues:
1-why sonara is paying its taxes in douala.
2-No southern cameroonians has ever been general manager of sonara.
3-why delmonte is paying taxes in douala.
4-Why there are no roads leading to Buea from Mutengene, to mamfe via kumba, to ekok, to bamenda via mamfe, etc.
5-while our parents, relatives and grand parents work as slaves in delmonte, they are busy slashing their salaries and paying them less than 10 percent of what they are due through a fake registered cameroonian company called CAMFRUIT(CAMEROON FRUIT COMPANY) that nobody ever hears of (except us). The company exist only for the sake of exploiting our parents and playing with the accounting figures.
6-They are distributing commonwealth scholarships to their subjects at the expense of legitimate southern cameroonians.
7-They are undervaluing southern cameroonian estates, properties, land, natural resources to hand over to oligarchs in the regime and the international community. A case in point involves the recent sale of tole tea to a certain criminal who initially, claimed that they buyer was a south african company. This conspiracy to destroy our future involves international organisations like the world bank, the IMF, the UN, ADB, etc.
8-As if all this conspiracy is not enough, they are sponsoring agents even in this forum to sway public opinion into believing that something good will come from the very murderous regime. One of their identified agent is Dr. Agbormbai. This agents know how to use words, how to praise the enemy, how to distance themselves from the truth.

My dear brothers and sisters, dont listen to anybody. You have been fooled for soo many years. You need to rise to the challenge. We have a future and we need to plan for it. One of our human right is to fight to protect our natural resources and our future.

Stay blessed and we shall all keep all keep things in prayers. We should not allow the devil to destroy our future. We should pray while we act.

[Dr. A. A. Agbormbai]

As a sign of the new direction that the country is taking towards tolerance, democracy, and common sense, I believe that all these jailed publishers, editors, and journalists should be released from prison.

[Legima Doh (LD)]

Dr Agbormbai,
According to you the La Republique since the 60's is only able to start moving in the direction of tolerance,democracy and common sense just now.All this pretence just to shamelessly attain the mean HIPC completion point through the La Republique instituted 419.It is inferred from your statement that admittedly,she has been intolerant,undemocratic in all her dealings with the Southern Cameroonians made pragmatic in a manner that lacks total common sense.For such an ungodly treatment to have been given to the Southern Cameroonians for such a long time can't you be sincere and sympathetic enough to see that it is her legitimate right and the ultimate solution for her to restore her independence and sovereignty?Or are you just being a myopic doctor?Are you truly expressing mediocrity?.You keep on distorting facts that Southern Cameroonians must know by giving undue praises to a regime that even those who don't have a tithe of your knowledge know that such a regime merits nothing but castigation as far as the anglophones are concerned.Stop double crossing the quest for our freedom.You are gradually and boldly making yourself treasonable to the Southern Cameroons and you know what treason means to a state.To riddle me this,in the clearest possible terms,tell me and the other comrades what the anglophone problem is and how you think it can be solved without the SCNC.You must not base your points the seemingly sentimental attatchment you have for the Biya regime probably because of you egocentric ambitions but on facts.If you have nothing to contribute positively to this forum ,I would rather you kept quiet so not to provoke our ires with your hocus pocus.
Legima Doh

[Rexon]

Comrade Doh,

I think doctor Agbormbai is really myopic. In one of his postings, he argued that the earlierst contributors in this forum presented the southern cameroonian case in a legitimate way. Then i went back to google search and other archives and search for the postings of this earliest contributors which in my view were ma mary and SJ and found that even at the time, he never supported their views. Thus, he knows the truth but never supports the truth.

He should consider delivering himself from the demons that are guiding his thinkings otherwise, hellfire awaits him. Part of everybodys moral responsibility is to defend the truth which to him, is the very murderous regime of president biya. Nonetheless, a caterpillar was placed to mamfe by a manyu intellectual on the pretext that the roads to manyu are to be tarred. Southern cameroonians will never be fooled again by this gang of criminals.

[Tayong(Copenhagen)]

If journalism is that type practised by people like Eric Motomu then they have themselves to blame for any ordeal they go through. Journalist should go in for real substance and not cheap popularity at the expense if misinformation. I have said in this forum over and over that there are tonnes of issues to be investigated in Cameroon and tonnes of information still unravelled yet these guys go in for what people will easily buy to get quick cash.Hear him, Fru Ndi killed his wife, Fru Ndi killed Makoge to take his wife since he is interested in women called Rose, Fru Ndi has billions in the UK , Rubbish.
Follow the examples of that talented Post reporter who followed the Murder case of Barrister Esseme by Mukete thungs, the ingenuity of Le Messager journalist who investigated the SNH(National Hydrocarbons Company-Petrol) that led to the arrest and detention of embezzlers,etc..

And to Mukete ,Dr AA and co

Mukete if u can use the time, energy, satyr spent here in this forum to talk about Fru Ndi judiciously that will be worthwhile. But do I read from you? Anti North Westism.Mr Mukete i might be your next door neighbour but I wont go the way you go.
I'm not a party worshipper but the truth should be spoken not scores settling.And to Dr AA u seem to be a specialist in fence sitting. You have always dogged from calling a spade its real name. Dr AA, get this from me and get it right. The offspring of a lion doesnt eat grass OK?

Rexon,Massayo,Watesih etc
One single word "courage".We might differ in our approach to resolving the anglophone problem but we all agree the problem is there and its a time bomb.We do our best to send a warning signal to the powers that be to solve the problem else bad consequences.
One thing I will say is to quote Martin Luther King Jnr who said" A man who is fighting a crime shouldnt be guilty of comitting the same crime" That said ,courage

God save Cameroon
Tayong

[Legima Doh (LD)]

And moreso Comrade Rexon,
Agbormbai has always shied away from all your cogent arguments which means truly that he is aware of the truth but has deliberately decided to trangress the moral responsibililty to stand on the truth as you rightly put it.He is therefore guilty of perjury.Dr,it is neither me nor Comrade Rexon condeming you but the law of God,of nature, of cause and effect pronounces doom on perjury.Hope that is understood cos soon you will start saying that we are condeming you without the authority to do so.
Please comrade I would be delighted you check the mail I sent you about Washow's proposal and the forwarded one.Your ideas and comments will be highly wellcomed.

[Fon]

" I wont go" this is totally wrong in this context.The word "wont" is an English word with completely a different meaning.Many have used it the wrong way on this forum.Those concern,please look up the meaning of "wont"
Just a point of correction.

[Mbu Hilary, Umeå]

Rexon,
Press freedom day you preach SCNC, Eto'o Fils is african player of the year you preach SCNC, Ngwasiri and thugs you preach SCNC, Fru Ndi and thugs you preach SCNC. We all know the SCNC has a course.

A steadfast combatant for the independence of the southern cameroons should be in cameroon and preaching the gospel of the SCNC like the Nfor Ngala Nfor, Chief Ete Otun et al. But strange that you take a buoyant shelter in the UK and using the least opportunity to deviate attention from issues at hand and always talk about the SCNC.

Please refer us to the SCNC 'bible' honestly when there is a write up as to that effect. And by the way, must you contribute to every article on this site?

[Aaron Nyangkwe]

As we commemorate this day, I have this watch word for men and women of the profession: Journalists should start watch dogging fellow Journalists. This done, we can better steer the way for an assertivie fourth estate in the Cameroons.

[Tayong(Copenhagen)]

Mbu Hilary
I think you are wrong. Rexon has a course and he has the right to carry his course into what ever Forum he wishes to.Can a man talk something else when he is sitting on a nail? Since all Lizards like prostrate and we cant know the one having belly bite,so the best way is to hit and hit hard everywhere,anywhere,anytime infact everytime

[Legima Doh (LD)]

Mbu Hilary,
You are an infidel and unmeticulous reader of the post online else you would have eversince read the answer to your assertion that on everything Rexon talks about the SCNC and that he resides in the UK.This was long answered and I would rather u commented on something else.As a Southern Cameroonian,what else is more important to talk about than the country's plight.And if you must know,Rexon is a very busy researcher but yet devotes much of his time and sacrifice alot to sensitize our fellow countrymen on their inalienable right to freedom.You envy his dexterity in commenting on every aspect and that is why you question it.What right have you to ask such a question?You have just violated the statute of freedom of speech celebrated today the third of May.Did you read it?

[andrew]

Mbu Hilary,
We love his preachings. it is very educative. he should instead be congratulated for speaking the truth everytime, unlike other doctors who are lying to us in this forum

[samleyin]

Mbu Hilary.

If you want to get the SCNC Bible, please click on this link below.

http://www.fdrsoutherncameroons.info/

If this cannot limpid your thoughts about the SCNC, I promise you I will have to use the hard way to help you understand in the midst of that Umeå frosty weather and extreme temperature. The SCNC has a just course that must materialise. Truth crush to earth will sure rise again and walk tall because freedom is not given but won by a struggle to success. Long live SCNC.

[Andre Fokam]

South West : SCNC Local Leaders Join CPDM in Mamfe

Emmanuel KENDEMEH
[04/05/2006]

Mamfe (Manyu) - The Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) is growing from strength to strength in Manyu Division as five local leaders of the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC) last April 15 joined the CPDM. This was during a rally the Vice President of the National Assembly, Hon. Rose Abunaw Makia held at Besong Abang village. The former SCNC local leaders had also indoctrinated six students of Government High School, Mamfe who joined them to disturb public meetings and manifestations in the area.

During the rally at Besong Abang, the five SCNC leaders apologised, confessed and openly joined the CPDM while promising to wipe off any traces of the SCNC in the Division. The six students on their part confessed, regretted and narrated their havoc and suffering as they ignorantly followed the doctrine of the SCNC. They all paid tribute to Hon. Rose Abunaw and the Mayor of the Mamfe Rural Council, Arrey Eyong Ashu, who took them as children, talked with them and even rescued them from detention as they were arrested while disturbing the inauguration of the Mamfe Hospital last March 27. The students promised to respect the laws of the land and denounced the SCNC stating that its secessionist agenda could plunge Cameroon into war. The former SCNC local leaders on their part promised to respect State institutions, work for unity and follow Hon. Rose Abunaw.

Hon. Rose Abunaw while welcoming the SCNC leaders and students admitted that Manyu Division in general faced development problems, but told them that the best way of solving the problems was to remain in a united Cameroon. She urged them to support President Paul Biya and the ruling CPDM as the Head of State is progressively tackling their problems. Hon. Rose Abunaw advised parents not to relent in their efforts of guiding their children.

The Besong Abang meeting was just one of the stages in Hon. Rose Abunaw’s one week contact visit of some villages in her constituency of Mamfe Central and Upper Bayang Subdivisions. She met and discussed with the population in villages such as Eshobi, Sabis, Banga Pungo, Mfaitok I A, Eyang Atemaku, Egbekaw, Okoyong, Obang 3 Corners, Bachou Akagbe and Besong Abang. The visit coincided with cultural weeks organised by the Mamfe Central Development Association (MASUDA) and the Upper Bayang Development Association (UBADA). She used the occasion to donate a cassava grinding mill to the women of Eyangtui village and had two weeks earlier donated one to women of Eshobi village, all estimated at CFA 600,000. Hon. Rose Abunaw equally donated farm inputs and plastic chairs as she met her constituents.

[Ndi O N.]

A MESSAGE TO ALL CAMEROON LEADERS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM; EZEKIEL 34:1-10.
"Again, if u fear to suffer, then u will suffer from what u fear.

[rexon]

ANDRE FONKAM,

SAME OLD DOCTRINE, SAME OLD NEWS, SOME OLD EVIL SPIRITS. I am sure your mentor Dr. Agbormbai WILL rejoice when he hears such criminal informations from you. If the story was true as you are trying to proclaim, then a creditable newspaper would have first presented it here.

This story and your constant Cam-No-Go rhetoric against Ni John Fru Ndi, together with Dr Agbormbai. Your constant criticism of failures in the SDF and habitual negative biases againt Ni John Fru Ndi together with your mentor Agbormbai, shows that you guys are nothing but beneficiaries from the alleged conspiracy to colonise the southern cameroons. I personally will visit my maternal heritage in upper bayang division each time there is elections.

I will provide the salts, rice, meat you people use to gain votes for them. I will build them schools, provide them books, etc. It is just that i am still young and just getting into the job market. I will then instruct them not to Listen to all this your criminal lies. And to fight for changes in macroeconomic policies, because i alone, cannot provide them with electricity, i cannot build roads to mamfe, to ekok, etc.

This same criminals like rose abunaw, are in this forum in the names of agbormbai, ricardo, Fonkam, frank muma. we shall deal with them. Your parents have sponsored you to europe with money generated from the alleged conspiracry to colonise the southern cameroons, yet you stand in this forum to preach the CPDM. WHAT A SHAME???????????????

[KK]

Mbu Hilary
If u do not have anything to contribute in a particular forum, do not comment of somebody's comment.
The SCNC struggle continues and hopefully one day God go help wa prayersooooooooooo
Can any member please send me the website of SCNC?
thanks
kk

[Fritzane Kiki Hong Kong]

Andre Fokam,
How do you relate this article to the present in the forum.If SCNC members join the CPDM I don't see any problem in it.But putting it here is untimely.It does not tie with the above writeup about the press sensorship.Anyway thanks for the piece.From it we can clearly see that it is just a political propaganda by the CPDM to show the world that the Southern Cameroons are not in accordance with the SCNC,but they are mistaken.Hon Abunaw is there eating her own part of the 'cake' so she should keep quiet than betraying the poor Manyu folks and masses.

Mbu Hilary,
We all know you are a newbie here so your vision is still lacking behind.We have gone some distance ahead.The struggle from abroad is the powerful string of the diaspora.How can you freely express your opinion in such an intimidative and corruptive atmosphere of La Republique.We are in exile that's why we are frankly telling those guys back home that the 'La Republique' regime is not the best option but the SCNC and/or the SDF(to a lesser extent) will liberate us from this bondage,excruciating,poverty,suffering and exploitation by the Biya junta to the Southern Cameroonians.Wake up from sleep my brother,stop sleeping slumber....

Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong

[JJ]

Is this how the Hon parliamentarian is using the parliamentary package to buy off SCNC militants? I think Mamfe has more pressing problems, Madam.

[samleyin]

KK
Here u are.

http://www.fdrsoutherncameroons.info/

Hope it helps you out.
LRC has just sent it's minister of Agriculture to jail for corruption. some Kind of breaking news.

[Tayong(Copenhagen)]

sameleyin
please i need the link to the info on agriculture minister in jail. i wanna launch out at these francophone guys
Tayong

[jean jacques Rousseau]

REXON,

When are you ever going to stop crying and crying?
It seems like you have nothing to think and do in your life. Ever since, you begged a Scottish man to help take you to Scotland.
Your life seems very miserable.
CPDM and other political parties are growing stronger in Cameroon. You are in Britain crying SNCS, SCNC, CNFC or Ambazonia, Southern Cameroons or whatever you call it etc..
DANGAN TAMU another Frustrated Cameroonian who has never been in Cameroon since he left his Country through Nigeria.
There is no need to fight Patriots like:
Dr Agbormgbai, Andre, Mukete, Riccardo, Henriette and others....
They love their country and you will never convince them to be part of your "axis of evil mentality".
Rexon, what have you ever done for your so dear Southern Cameroon except of being here writting rubbish? Tell me one thing you and DANGAN (Hitler) have aver done to help your Country?
You are not missed in Cameroon. You have forgotten your parents in poverty. Because, you promised to come back as "Nelson Mandela" or "Pol Pot".
Stop polluting the mind of Cameroonians with your hate messages.

**** I CALL ON ALL PATRIOT CAMEROONIANS TO STOP WRITTING ON THIS FORUM*******

This forum is controlled by the Separatists Movement. Why is Riccardo's view not being accepted on this forum?
Why is the Editor censuring Patriots who express their views on this forum?
WHY ARE REXON DANGAN NOT BEING CENSURED FOR ALL THE RUBBISH THEY WRITE ON THIS FORUM?

***PATRIOTS, STOP WRITING HERE AND LET THE TIME POSTLINE MAKE THIS FORUM AN EXCLUSIVE PLACE FOR SEPARATISTS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES***

UNTIL THE TIME POSLINE UNBLOCK PATRIOTS LIKE RICCARDO ETC.... I SHALL NEVER WRITE HERE AGAIN..

JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU